KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs nearly had to make one of their draft picks Thursday night while seeking shelter from a tornado.

Sirens sounded amid a tornado warning just before the Chiefs went on the clock with the second of their two first-round selections, forcing the front-office staff to huddle in their draft room. Reporters and other staff who were in the training complex retreated to an inner hallway away from windows, where a wall-mounted TV was showing the draft as it happened.

“The draft room is in the middle of the building,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “It’s actually one of the shelter spots.”

Chiefs general manager Brett Veach doesn’t usually spend the entire night in the draft room, though. He prefers to bounce between the hectic room full of coaches and scouts and his office, where he can watch the draft unfold in peace and quiet.

Veach wound up having to join everyone else in the draft room when Brian Shafar, the senior director of team security, told him that tornado sirens were blaring, and that a line of heavy thunderstorms was moving over the training facility.

“I don’t like staying in the draft room. I like going into my office,” Veach said. “He came in and said there’s a tornado warning, and we all have to go into the draft room. I was like, ‘There ain’t anything blowing this building down. This building is like concrete.

“It was a little different,” Veach said, “but we followed all the safety protocols for sure.”

The tornado siren ended about 15 minutes before the Chiefs went on the clock with the 29th overall pick. They used it on Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods, adding him to LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane, whom they chose with the sixth overall pick.

Both of them will soon become quite familiar with spring storms that pass through Tornado Alley.

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By Dave Skretta

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals are moving from their longtime home at Kauffman Stadium to the downtown Crown Center area, partnering with Hallmark Cards on a $3 billion project that includes a mixed-used development with a new ballpark as its centerpiece.

Royals owner John Sherman was joined by Hallmark chairman Don Hall Jr., Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe and Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, along with other local and state dignitaries, in making the announcement Wednesday near Hallmark headquarters.

While the finalized master plan has yet to be complete, Sherman said the $1.9 billion stadium would break ground next year in the middle of Crown Center as part of the first phase of an 85-acre project. Two-thirds of the funding will come from private sources and the remaining one-third from public partners, including money earmarked by the state for stadium projects.

“This is a partnership between two treasured Kansas City institutions,” Sherman said. “We are committed to creating a vision which honors our history, the rich past of both organizations, while reinvigorating and reimagining what our future can be together.”

The announcement came about a week after Kansas City officials passed an ordinance authorizing City Manager Mario Vasquez to negotiate a $600 million deal to help the Royals move downtown. Most believed the stadium would sit on Washington Square Park, which is next to Union Station, but it will instead be located just south of it, with the park featured in the development.

Hallmark intends to build a new headquarters in the area, which is connected by a streetcar to the Power & Light District, where the T-Mobile Center serves as its anchor. That part of downtown Kansas City will provide the backdrop beyond the outfield fence.

Officials touted the availability of public parking already in the area and convenient traffic flow from nearby highways.

Missouri’s contribution comes from a law enacted last year that authorized bonds covering up to 50% of the cost of new or renovated stadiums in the state, plus up to $50 million of tax credits for each stadium and unspecified aid from local governments.

“We think it’s a great investment for our Missouri taxpayers, because this does not affect existing programs,” Kehoe said. “The ripple effect from this facility will truly be far-reaching into rural Missouri and other parts of the state.”

The Royals have insisted they would leave Kauffman Stadium when their lease expires at the Truman Sports Complex in 2031, and the intention of Sherman ever since purchasing the club in 2019 was to build a downtown ballpark as its replacement.

Yet reaching Wednesday’s announcement did not come without plenty of pitfalls.

The biggest stumbling block came in April 2024, when the Chiefs joined the Royals in a plan to renovate Arrowhead Stadium and replace Kauffman Stadium. The plan hinged on the extension of a sales tax that had been paying for stadium upkeep, and voters in Jackson County, Missouri, overwhelmingly rejected the proposal, forcing the franchises to go their own way.

The legislature in neighboring Kansas aggressively pursued the Chiefs, committing last December to issuing $2.4 billion in bonds to cover 60% of the cost of a new $3 billion domed stadium in Kansas City, Kansas. The NFL franchise ultimately decided to move across the state line, where it also will build a new training facility in the nearby suburb of Olathe, Kansas.

Officials in Kansas briefly pursued the Royals, too, but their interest in the MLB franchise had always been lukewarm.

The Royals had been weighing several options in recent months. But they ultimately rejected an option in the suburb of Overland Park, Kansas, and allowed a deadline to pass for a site north of downtown and across the Missouri River in Clay County, Missouri.

Economists have long concluded that subsidizing stadiums isn’t worth the cost for communities because the venues pull economic activity away from other parts of the area, rather than expanding the overall economy. Yet states and cities continually provide money to renovate stadiums or build new ones — 49 of the 60 used by MLB or NFL teams are publicly owned or sit on public land.

One of the stadiums that Sherman has cited as an example of what’s possible in Kansas City is Truist Park in Atlanta.

The stadium was a public-private partnership in which the Cobb-Marietta Coliseum & Exhibit Hall Authority issued up to $397 million in bonds, the county raised millions more from transportation taxes and businesses added millions in cash. The Braves contributed the remaining money for the park and The Battery, a mixed-used development, with a total cost of more than $1.1 billion.

“There are many great ballpark neighborhoods in Major League Baseball,” Sherman said, “but this is a bigger project with more land in downtown and in the heart of the city. We are bringing a modern, state-of-the-art ballpark experience to our fans, closer to our public transportation and where more people work and live.”

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The Cincinnati Reds, Kansas City Royals, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Cardinals and Tampa Bay Rays said Monday they will have their local television broadcasts produced and distributed by Major League Baseball this season.

The six clubs — along with the Atlanta Braves, Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Angels — terminated their deals after the Main Street Sports Group, which operates the regional FanDuel Sports Network stations, did not make scheduled rights payments.

The Braves, Tigers and Angels still have not made a decision about their local coverage plans.

“The Atlanta Braves are aware of the reports regarding Main Street Sports Group. While disappointed with this development, we have been actively preparing for this outcome and are well on our way towards launching a new era in Braves broadcasting,” the team said in a statement.

MLB will produce broadcasts for at least 13 teams this season. It also added the Washington Nationals and Seattle Mariners during the offseason.

“Our focus, particularly given the point in the calendar, is to maximize the revenue that’s available to the clubs, whether that’s MLB Media or third party,” Commissioner Rob Manfred said last month. “The clubs have control over the timing. They can make a decision to move to MLB Media because of the contractual status now. I think that what’s happening right now clubs are evaluating their alternatives. Obviously they’ve made significant payroll commitments already and they’re evaluating the alternatives to find the best revenue source for the year and the best outlet in terms of providing quality broadcasts to their fans.”

MLB has touted expanded market reach when it takes over production of teams due to a combination of being on local cable systems, satellite and direct-to-consumer streaming.

Diamond Sports Group was the largest owner of regional sports networks when it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in March 2023.

At the time of the filing, Diamond operated 19 networks under the Bally Sports banner and had the rights to 42 professional teams (14 baseball, 16 NBA and 12 NHL).

The networks emerged from bankruptcy proceedings last March under the Main Street Sports Group with its networks rebranded as FanDuel Sports Network. However, the networks are on the verge of insolvency and going out of business if a new majority owner or investors are not found.

Main Street currently has 15 owned and operated networks under the FanDuel banner with the rights to 20 pro teams: 13 NBA and seven NHL.

The NBA and NHL teams have been crafting contingency plans if Main Street suddenly goes out of business, an increasingly possible scenario over the past three weeks even though the company has committed to carrying hockey and basketball through the end of the regular season.

“FanDuel Sports Network is continuing to broadcast NBA and NHL games, and we appreciate the leagues’ engagement in ongoing discussions on our go-forward plans,” a Main Street Sports Group spokesperson said in a statement. “We appreciate the relationships we have had with these MLB partners and their fans over many years, and we wish them the best.”

MLB took over broadcasts of the San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks during the 2023 season and the Colorado Rockies in 2024. It added the Cleveland Guardians and the Minnesota Twins last season.

Manfred said last month that local media provides more than 20% of industry revenue.

“The local media landscape is evolving very quickly. It’s still a very robust audience on the traditional cable model. But the economics are changing. They’re becoming more of a challenge,” Brewers President of Business Operations Rick Schlesinger said on Monday. “The bundle that fortified all of the large rights fees in the ecosystem of 15-20 years old is changing, and we’re adapting to it. The universe is going to be there. There’s going to be a local game element to baseball.

“Whether that evolves from the typical RSN model to solely streaming or a hybrid or other forms, to be determined. I think the fans will have optionality for local games. There’s so many games that we deliver — 162 — there’s plenty for everybody. I feel good about the future, even though I can’t predict where it’s actually going to land and when it’s going to land.”

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs said in a statement Wednesday night that they were aware of domestic violence allegations made in a series of social media posts by a former girlfriend of wide receiver Rashee Rice and had been in communication with the NFL.

The Chiefs did not mention Rice by name in their statement and said they would have “no further comment at this time.”

Dacoda Nichole Jones also did not mention Rice by name when she posted a series of photos on Instagram earlier in the day that appeared to show signs of physical abuse. Jones did say the person involved was the father of her children, and the woman has two children with Rice, whom the Chiefs selected in the second round of the 2023 draft.

No police reports were available in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, Kansas, where Jones alleges the abuse occurred.

Rice missed the first six games this season following an NFL suspension for his role in causing a crash on a Dallas highway that left multiple people injured during the 2024 offseason. Rice was sentenced to 30 days in jail and five years’ probation after pleading guilty to third-degree felony charges of collision involving serious bodily injury and racing on a highway causing bodily injury.

Rice finished with 53 catches for 571 yards and five touchdowns as Kansas City went 6-11 and missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade.

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LAS VEGAS (AP) — Daniel Carlson, a pending free agent, might have earned himself a contract either with the Raiders or another NFL team.

He made a career-long 60-yard field goal with eight seconds left to give Las Vegas a 14-12 victory over the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday and end the Raiders’ 10-game losing streak. His previous long was 57 yards.

Carlson and Kansas City’s Harrison Butker each made four field goals, with Butker hitting a 41-yarder with 1:01 left to give the Chiefs a short-lived 12-11 lead.

“For all the guys in the locker room, it’s been a tough season,” Carlson said. “There’s no way around that, but to end it like this, I think it was really cool to send everyone to the offseason on a good note.”

This was the first victory for the Raiders (3-14) over the Chiefs (6-11) at Allegiant Stadium. Las Vegas also ended its 11-game skid against AFC West opponents.

The Chiefs, who had won all five previous meetings in Las Vegas, lost their sixth straight game and eighth in 10.

Las Vegas’ Ashton Jeanty rushed for 87 yards, giving him 975 for the season that is second among Raiders rookies to the 1,150 yards Josh Jacobs gained in 2019. Jeanty’s 1,321 yards from scrimmage broke the club rookie record set by Jacobs (1,316).

“I thought he had a great year,” Raiders coach Pete Carroll said of the sixth pick in last year’s draft. “I think he maximized the opportunities that he had. He came through in so many ways. It shows you not just the toughness, but the endurance, too.”

Much of the intrigue about the outcome was eliminated before kickoff when the New York Giants defeated the Dallas Cowboys 34-17, guaranteeing the Raiders the top pick in this year’s NFL draft. A Giants loss would have meant that Las Vegas would get that selection only with a loss to the Chiefs.

Less certain is Carroll’s future. He was hired about a year ago with the hopes that his championship pedigree of a Super Bowl title in Seattle and two college championships at Southern California would translate to Las Vegas. There was no immediate indication whether he would return, but the typical coach’s day-after news conference was not on the club’s media schedule.

Carroll was tight-lipped about his future, only to say he would like to return and shoot down reports about a potential retirement.

This also could be have the final game for Kansas City’s Travis Kelce. The 36-year-old, who became the third tight end to reach 13,000 yards in his career, has not said if he will retire after playing all 13 seasons in Kansas City.

Both teams in large ways treated the finale like a preseason game.

Whether for injuries or other reasons, the Chiefs sat wide receiver Xavier Worthy, running back Isiah Pacheco and defensive ends George Karlaftis and Tyreke Smith among others, and the Raiders had a number of players hurt that included running back Raheem Mostert, guard Dylan Parham and defensive tackle Adam Butler.

Kansas City entered the game without quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Gardner Minshew, each out with knee injuries. The Chiefs hope to get Mahomes back by early next season in what they hope is the return to becoming more like the team that appeared in five of the previous six Super Bowls, three ending in championships.

“Nobody wants a season like this,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “But they’re obstacles. They come into play, and you’ve got to work through those. There’s a learning curve here that you can set with some of the experiences we had for all of us and then never do it again, right?”

Chris Oladokun started for the Chiefs and completed 11 of 17 passes for 58 yards before giving way to Shane Buechele in the second half. Buechele was 7 of 14 for 88 yards.

The Raiders were without quarterback Geno Smith, out with an ankle injury that also might have ended his playing days in Las Vegas after just a season. Kenny Pickett started and was replaced by Aidan O’Connell in the second quarter as expected. Pickett was just 1 of 4 for 3 yards with an interception, and O’Connell completed 10 of 22 passes for 102 yards.

O’Connell produced the game’s key offensive play with a 21-yard pass to tight end Michael Mayer to help set up of Carlson’s winning kick. This was O’Connell’s first appearance this season after being on injured reserve most of the year because of a broken wrist.

“I’ve been through a lot and I’m not the only one,” O’Connell said. “Basically, everyone has. When you lose like this, it wears on teammates, coaches, family — all of it.”

Tyree Wilson had two sacks of the Raiders’ season-high eight sacks, including a fourth-quarter safety for an 11-6 lead. He also forced two fumbles.

Chris Jones recorded two sacks to give him 86 1/2 for third most in Chiefs history.

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The Kansas City Chiefs now know their opponents for the 2026 NFL season, with the schedule set through the league’s rotating divisional format and the team’s 2025 third-place divisional finish.

Kansas City will play eight regular-season home games at Arrowhead Stadium, hosting AFC West rivals Denver, Las Vegas and the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chiefs will also face the New England Patriots, New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals, San Francisco 49ers and Indianapolis Colts at home.

On the road, the Chiefs will travel to Denver, Las Vegas and Los Angeles for their divisional matchups, along with trips to the Miami Dolphins, Buffalo Bills, Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals. Kansas City will also visit either the Atlanta Falcons or New Orleans Saints, depending on which team finishes third in the NFC South standings in 2025.

The NFL’s scheduling formula requires teams to play home-and-away series against division opponents, one full division from each conference on a rotating basis, and teams that finished in the same place within their divisions the previous season. For 2026, that rotation matched the Chiefs with the AFC East and NFC West, as well as the third-place teams from the AFC South, AFC North and NFC South.

Dates and kickoff times for the 2026 season are usually released around mid-May.

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By  DAVE SKRETTA

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Monday that he plans to return next season, batting away any thought of an impending retirement by making a tongue-in-cheek joke about his status with a franchise he has led to three Super Bowl titles.

“I mean, I think I’m coming back, right?” Reid told local Kansas City reporters on a Zoom call. “If they’ll have me back, I’ll come back. You never know in this business. That’s a tough one. But I plan on it, yeah.”

The 67-year-old Reid is accustomed to answering questions about his future in February, after the Chiefs have played in the Super Bowl, which they had done each of the past three years. But he’s less familiar with facing those questions in the final days of December, when the Chiefs have long since been eliminated from postseason contention.

Kansas City is 6-10 as it prepares for its season finale this weekend in Las Vegas.

Reid, who signed a five-year, $100 million extension with the Chiefs in April 2024, spent his first 14 seasons as an NFL head coach in Philadelphia, where he led the Eagles to 130 regular-season wins and 10 more in the playoffs. That included four seasons that ended in the NFC title game and another that ended with a loss in the Super Bowl.

Reid’s past 13 years have come in Kansas City, where he has won at an even greater clip.

With Alex Smith at quarterback the first five years and Patrick Mahomes under center since, the Chiefs have piled up 149 regular-season wins and gone 18-8 in the playoffs. This season will end streaks of 10 consecutive playoff trips, nine straight AFC West titles, seven consecutive AFC title game appearances and the past three years in the Super Bowl.

In five trips to the big game, Reid and Co. have brought three Lombardi Trophies back to Kansas City. Bill Belichick is the only coach with more Super Bowl rings, capturing six of them with Tom Brady and the Patriots.

Reid has 307 wins overall. He needs 18 to pass George Halas for third on the NFL’s career list behind Belichick and Don Shula.

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TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs announced Monday they will leave their longtime home at Arrowhead Stadium for a new, domed stadium that will be built across the Kansas-Missouri state line and be ready for the start of the 2031 season.

The announcement came shortly after a council of Kansas lawmakers voted unanimously inside a packed room at the state Capitol to allow for STAR bonds to be issued to cover up to 70% of the cost of the stadium and accompanying mixed-use district.

The bonds will be paid off with state sales and liquor tax revenues generated in a defined area around it.

“The location of Chiefs games will change,” Chiefs owner Clark Hunt said, “but some things won’t change. Our fans will still be the loudest in the NFL, our games will still be the best place in the world to tailgate, and our players and coaches will be ready to compete for championships, because on the field or off the field, we are big dreamers, and we’re ready for the next chapter.”

The Chiefs intend to build their new stadium in Kansas City, Kansas, near the Kansas Speedway and a retail and entertainment district known as The Legends. The area is also home to Children’s Mercy Park, the home of MLS club Sporting Kansas City.

The team will build a new practice facility, too, in the Kansas City suburb of Olathe, Kansas.

“Today’s announcement is truly historic. Actually, it’s a little surreal,” Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said. “Today’s announcement will touch the lives of Kansans for generations to come. Today’s announcement is a total game-changer for our state.

“We have always been Chiefs fans,” Kelly said. “Now we are Chiefs family.”

The move by the Chiefs is a massive blow to Missouri lawmakers and Gov. Mike Kehoe, who had been working on their own funding package to prevent a third NFL franchise and the second in a decade from leaving its borders. The Rams left St. Louis for Los Angeles in part due to their inability to secure funding to help replace The Dome at America’s Center.

Kehoe had backed a special legislative session in June to authorize bonds covering up to 50% of the cost of new or renovated stadiums, plus up to $50 million of tax credits for each stadium and unspecified aid from local governments.

“For more than 50 years, we’ve had tremendous partnerships in Jefferson City, Jackson County and Kansas City, Missouri,” Hunt said. “That partnership is not over and we look forward to working together in the years ahead.”

The Chiefs originally planned an $800 million renovation of Arrowhead Stadium in a joint effort with the Royals, who are similarly planning to build a new facility to replace Kauffman Stadium. The facilities sit a couple of hundred yards across the parking lot from each other, and both teams have leases with Jackson County, Missouri, that expire in January 2031.

Last year, Jackson County voters soundly defeated a local sales tax extension which would have helped to pay for those renovations to the football stadium while helping to fund a new ballpark for the Royals in downtown Kansas City, Missouri.

The Royals were not discussed by Kansas lawmakers Monday, but momentum appears to be building behind their own move across the state line. An affiliate of the club already has purchased the mortgage on a tract of land in Overland Park, Kansas.

“While the Chiefs aren’t going far away and aren’t gone yet, today is a setback as a Kansas Citian, a former Chiefs season ticket-holder and lifelong Chiefs fan,” said Quinton Lucas, the mayor of Kansas City, Missouri. “Business decisions are a reality and we all understand that, but Arrowhead Stadium is more — it’s family, tradition and a part of Kansas City we will never leave.”

Hunt has long said his preference was to renovate Arrowhead Stadium, which was beloved by his father and team founder, the late Lamar Hunt. It is considered one of the jewels of the NFL, alongside Lambeau Field in Green Bay, and is revered for its tailgating scene and home-field advantage; it currently holds the Guinness World Record for the loudest stadium roar.

This summer, Arrowhead Stadium will host six World Cup matches, including matches in the Round of 32 and quarterfinals.

Lamar Hunt established the Chiefs on August 14, 1959. The team was originally based in Dallas and known as the Texans, but Hunt was convinced by then-Kansas City Mayor H. Roe Bartle to relocate the team to Missouri with promises of tripling the team’s season-ticket sales and expanding the seating capacity of Municipal Stadium.

In 1972, the team moved into Arrowhead Stadium at the Truman Sports Complex just east of downtown Kansas City.

The stadium has undergone numerous renovations through the years, allowing it to stay relevant in a changing sports landscape. But there has been little economic development around the stadium, the facility itself is starting to show wear and tear, and there is a limit to the number of luxury suites and amenities that the franchise can utilize to help drive revenue.

While the Hunt family has long loved Arrowhead Stadium, it has warmed in recent years to the idea of a replacement.

Not only would it solve many of the shortcomings of the Chiefs’ longtime home, a new facility with a fixed or retractable roof would allow them to use it year-round. That would mean the potential for hosting more concerts and events, college football bowl games, the Final Four and perhaps one of Lamar Hunt’s long-held dreams: a Super Bowl.

“Chiefs fans on both sides of the state line can tell you that the success we’ve enjoyed together has elevated the profile of the entire region,” Clark Hunt said. “Sports are women into the fabric of this community. If you travel and go to New York or Los Angeles or Europe or South America, you don’t have to tell people which side of the state line you’re from. You tell them you’re from Kansas City, and there’s a pretty good chance their response might have something to do with the Chiefs.”

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Gardner Minshew limped off the field Sunday early in the second quarter and never returned.

For a second straight game, a starting quarterback for Kansas City was sidelined by a knee injury.

Chris Oladokun replaced Minshew, who was making his first start this season for the Chiefs with Patrick Mahomes on injured reserve after tearing two knee ligaments last week. Coach Andy Reid had no immediate update on the severity of Minshew’s injured left knee after a 26-9 loss to Tennessee.

“We’ll get that when he has a chance to have an MRI on it,” Reid said.

The Chiefs (6-9) lost their fourth straight for the franchise’s longest skid since 2017. And they secured their first losing record since 2012, the season before Reid took over in Kansas City.

And they have a short turnaround before hosting Denver on Thursday night with likely a third starting QB in as many games.

“It’s definitely an unprecedented situation that I’ve never been a part of,” three-time All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones said. “But as coach Reid said, ‘We work with who we got, and we just keep it moving.’”

Minshew finished 3 of 8 for 15 yards.

Oladokun, signed to the roster from the practice squad, took over early in the second quarter and finished the game. He was 11 of 16 for 111 yards and took four sacks. He drove the Chiefs to a trio of field goals by Harrison Butker.

“Praying for not only Pat and what happened last week, but also Gardner,” Oladokun said. “We don’t know the severity of the injury yet, but our QB room is so close. And so when you see good friends go down like that, it’s really tough.”

Titans defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons said he saw Minshew get up slowly at one point but didn’t know the quarterback had left the game until seeing Oladokun on the field. Simmons asked what happened once he got to the sideline.

“I’m not going to lie to you, I didn’t know they had him on the roster,” Simmons said of Oladokun. “I don’t even … all I knew was Minshew. I didn’t know nothing about a backup quarterback.”

Oladokun was a seventh-round draft pick by Pittsburgh in 2022 after playing in college for South Florida, Samford and South Dakota State. His only previous NFL appearance came on Jan. 5 in the Chiefs’ 38-0 loss to Denver. He ran once for 5 yards, was sacked once and fumbled.

On Sunday, Oladokun handed off on his first five plays and threw away his first pass attempt. He finally connected with Travis Kelce for 6 yards for his first NFL completion.

“Being here for four years, you always walk through when your first moment is going to be and when you’re going to sort of get an opportunity,” Oladokun said. “I’ve really just attacked these last four years like you never know. Today just happened to be an opportunity for me and I wanted to take full advantage of it.”

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The final images of the Kansas City Chiefs’ postseason pursuit were Patrick Mahomes getting helped to the locker room with what turned out to be a torn ACL in his left knee, a white towel draped over his head, and backup quarterback Gardner Minshew throwing an interception to Derwin James that gave the Los Angeles Chargers a win over one of their biggest rivals.

It all happened in the final two minutes of their 16-13 victory Sunday.

Justin Herbert, playing through a broken left hand, had helped the Chargers take the lead with a second-half rally, but Kansas City got the ball back with one more chance. Mahomes was sprinting toward the sideline and throwing the ball away when he was spun to the ground by defensive lineman Da’Shawn Hand, leaving the two-time MVP grabbing at his left knee.

“It didn’t look good,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid acknowledged afterward.

Later, the Chiefs released an update, saying: “An MRI has confirmed that Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes sustained a torn ACL in his left knee in today’s game. Patrick and the club are currently exploring surgical options.”

Minshew took over and completed three straight passes, giving Chiefs fans hope on a day that began with wind chills near zero and their playoff chances about the same. But with 20 seconds to go, Minshew unloaded a pass for Travis Kelce, and James — his longtime divisional foil — leaped up to pick it off, allowing Los Angeles (10-4) to begin celebrating a second straight 10-win season.

Perhaps soon, a second straight postseason appearance.

“It’s a ball team. This is a ball team,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said. “Starting to think this is my favorite ball team that I’ve ever been on. I’ve been on a lot of teams, none better than this team. It’s a ball team. A real ball team. Love these guys.”

“We know what that team has done the last eight, nine years,” James added. “Coming into Arrowhead Stadium and getting a win, it means a lot for out team, because we’re 5-0 in our division.”

Minshew will quarterback the Chiefs through the final three games of the season. One of them is a primetime showdown with the Denver Broncos on Christmas night.

“I’ll do whatever the coaches ask of me,” Minshew said, “and we’ll go try to win some games.”

The Chiefs (6-8) already are guaranteed to be watching the playoffs on TV for the first time since 2014, and Kelce was in no mood to talk about it. Just as he’s done after several losses this season, the star tight end refused to answer questions from reporters.

“Sorry guys, it’s not the time,” Kelce said.

The Chargers had beaten the Chiefs in their opener in Brazil, ultimately setting each club on its season-long trajectory.

Los Angeles arrived for the rematch Sunday trying to extend the momentum built in last week’s win over the Super Bowl champion Eagles. The Chiefs showed up knowing a loss, coupled with the wrong results elsewhere, would eliminate them completely.

The Chiefs played appropriately inspired for most of the first half.

They moved swiftly downfield with Mahomes darting in from 12 yards out for a touchdown on their opening drive. They added a field goal later in the first half, and another by Harrison Butker gave them a 13-3 lead with 38 seconds left before the break.

That’s when the Chargers started playing like a playoff-bound team. And the Chiefs like one that should be sitting at home.

Herbert completed three passes in five plays to cover 60 yards, and KeAndre Lambert-Smith’s first career TD catch got the Chargers within a field goal. Cameron Dicker knotted the game on their opening possession of the second half, then he gave them the lead when he drilled a 49-yarder on a cold, windy day at Arrowhead Stadium with 2:40 to go in the third quarter.

The Chiefs tried to answer down the stretch, despite a rash of injuries that had left them with a patchwork offensive line. But just like so often this season, a promising drive went haywire in the red zone. Tyquan Thornton’s spectacular catch was immediately forgotten when Mahomes’ pass was picked off by Daiyan Henley on a jump ball thrown to Kareem Hunt at the goal line.

Mahomes, who had just 189 yards passing, would ultimately end the game in the Kansas City locker room.

The Chargers would end the Chiefs’ postseason hopes with one more interception.

“I thought it was really cool that we were able to close out a one-score game like that, how many times we’ve played them and had one-score games,” Herbert said. “For the defense to come out there with the turnovers and stops, it was awesome to see.”

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