Andy Reid’s Kansas City Chiefs celebrated Christmas in style—and with a touch of humor. After a clinical 29-10 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers on Christmas Day, Reid emerged in the Chiefs’ locker room dressed as Santa Claus, delivering a fitting gift to his players: home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs.
The Chiefs’ victory not only locked up the AFC’s top seed for the fourth time in seven years but also showcased why Kansas City remains the gold standard of the conference. Led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs (15-1) turned what could have been a tough matchup into a dominant display, leaving the reeling Steelers (10-6) in their wake.
“How I got into the costume so quickly? That’s a secret,” Reid quipped, hinting at some assistance from an elf. “But this team makes it easy to celebrate. They’ve earned this.”
Kansas City’s recipe for success remains as potent as ever: a heavy dose of Mahomes, the reliability of Travis Kelce, and a defense that steps up when it matters most. Against Pittsburgh, it all came together.
Mahomes, now 4-0 against the Steelers, threw three touchdown passes, including a pair in the first half to Xavier Worthy and Justin Watson. He added a 12-yard flip to Kelce in the fourth quarter, which not only sealed the game but also made history.
Kelce’s touchdown marked the 77th of his career, breaking Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez’s franchise record. The 35-year-old celebrated with a dunk over the goal post—a nod to Gonzalez’s signature move—drawing a 15-yard penalty but plenty of cheers from fans.
“It’s just showing Tony some love,” Kelce said with a grin. The milestone came on a day when Kelce also became the third tight end in NFL history to reach 1,000 career receptions, joining Gonzalez and Jason Witten.
Kansas City’s defense shined as well, holding Pittsburgh to 10 points despite missing star defensive end Chris Jones. The unit, playing its third game in 11 days, looked fresh and focused, limiting the Steelers to just 265 total yards.
The Steelers entered the game on a two-game losing streak and left with more questions than answers. Once in control of the AFC North, Pittsburgh has now dropped three straight games, each by at least 14 points, and could be facing a postseason road trip.
Quarterback Russell Wilson struggled against Kansas City’s defense, completing 23 of 37 passes for 205 yards and no touchdowns. Pittsburgh’s offense failed to capitalize on opportunities, managing just one touchdown—a second-quarter run by Najee Harris.
“We’re in a rough patch,” Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said. “But we’ve got to fight our way out of it.”
While the Steelers faltered, Mahomes thrived. Despite nursing a lingering ankle injury, the two-time MVP delivered a near-flawless performance, completing 29 of 37 passes for 324 yards and three touchdowns.
Mahomes spread the ball around to eight different receivers, with rookie Xavier Worthy grabbing a career-high eight receptions. The return of Marquise “Hollywood” Brown added another dimension to the Chiefs’ offense, giving Mahomes yet another weapon as Kansas City looks to defend its title.
“We’re peaking at the right time,” Mahomes said. “It hasn’t always been pretty, but we’re finding our rhythm. And we’re ready for the playoffs.”
With home-field advantage secured, the Chiefs can now turn their attention to preparing for the postseason and chasing a third straight Super Bowl title. The victory over Pittsburgh highlighted a team that has weathered adversity and is once again hitting its stride when it matters most.
“It’s the way we like it,” Reid said. “Arrowhead is special, especially in January. And this team knows how to rise to the occasion.”
Kansas City wraps up the regular season with a road game against the Denver Broncos. Pittsburgh faces a must-win game at home against the Cincinnati Bengals to keep its divisional hopes alive.
For now, the Chiefs have plenty to celebrate—both the victory and the man in the Santa suit leading them into another promising postseason.
