Super Bowl 2025: Chiefs Team Preview, Starters, Key Player Picks

Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs are chasing their third consecutive Super Bowl ring this weekend in the 2025 Super Bowl, and they will need big games from their impact players to win it. They’ll need to be firing on all cylinders against a tough Eagles team that is eager to get revenge from the 2023 Super Bowl.

Below, we’ll go through the Chiefs starters for the 2025 Super Bowl and highlight some top players on offense and defense, as well as their player projections on PrizePicks.

Check out these key players from the Kansas City Chiefs starting lineup on offense and defense, then head to PrizePicks and lock in your Super Bowl lineup. Find the Eagles preview with starters, key players, and picks here.

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Kansas City Chiefs Starters: Offense

Quarterback: Patrick Mahomes

Running Backs: Kareem Hunt, Isiah Pacheco

Wide Receivers: Xavier Worthy, Hollywood Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster, DeAndre Hopkins, Justin Watson

Tight End: Travis Kelce, Noah Gray

Offensive Line: LT Joe Thuney, LG Mike Caliendo, C Creed Humphrey, RG Trey Smith, RT Jawaan Taylor

Chiefs Offense: Key Players

QB Patrick Mahomes

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes is going for the three-peat on Sunday and his fourth ring overall. He has multiple weapons at his disposal to help him pull it off, with the trade for WR DeAndre Hopkins, WR Hollywood Brown healthy, and — arguably most importantly — rookie WR Xavier Worthy rounding into shape to become a key piece of the offense. 

The Eagles defense is tough, ranking second in EPA allowed per game during the regular season. But that's right behind the Denver Broncos, who the Chiefs were able to beat twice. 

This matchup will be challenging for Mahomes, but history shows he has consistently found ways to deliver in big moments — the Chiefs have won nine of their last 10 one-possession playoff games.

Mahomes shows up in big games and does what he needs to do to win them. Nothing reflects that better than his postseason rushing stats.

So far in his career in the postseason, the Chiefs QB is averaging 5.4 rushes and 29 yards a game. In their 2025 playoff run, Mahomes is averaging 9 carries per game and has already scored two rushing touchdowns in two games. 

His legs have been an important part of the Chiefs’ playoff success and will continue to be on Super Bowl Sunday, especially since he has to escape Eagles DT Jalen Carter and the Eagles’ defensive line.

TE Travis Kelce

Chiefs TE Travis Kelce let the world know he’s only focused on the Super Bowl, silencing rumors of him planning to retire and even proposing to girlfriend Taylor Swift on Sunday.

This is good to hear as Kelce needs to have a bounce-back performance in Super Bowl 59 after only having two receptions for 19 yards in the AFC Championship against the Bills.

He’ll need to be locked in against the Eagles defense who has defended tight end matchups well all season. The Eagles are however coming off an NFC Championship game where they allowed Commanders TE Zach Ertz to cook, bringing in 11 receptions for 104 yards, as QB Jayden Daniels regularly looked to check down to Ertz in that matchup.

The Eagles defense has allowed big performances to opposing tight ends, and the Mahomes-Kelce connection has historically thrived in high-stakes games.

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Kansas City Chiefs Defensive Starting Lineup

The Chiefs play a 4-3 base defense, meaning they play four players on the defensive line, with three linebackers.

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Defensive Line: DE George Karlaftis, DT Tershawn Wharton, DT Chris Jones, DE Mike Danna

Linebackers: WLB Drue Tranquill, MLB Nick Bolton, SLB Leo Chenal

Cornerbacks: CB Trent McDuffi, CB Jaylen Watson, CB Charmarri Conner

Safeties: SS Justin Reid, FS Bryan Cook

Chiefs Defense Key Player: DE George Karlaftis

On the defensive side of the ball, the Chiefs will need DE George Karlaftis to help create pressure on Jalen Hurts. The Chiefs top pass-rusher will need to continue to get to Hurts like he got to quarterbacks in the regular season (8 sacks, 21 QB hits) and is currently doing in the playoffs (3 sacks, 4 QB hits).

Karlaftis was the Chiefs’ sack-leader in the regular season with eight total and has three sacks in the post-season so far.

Outside of their signature “tush push” and run-blocking, the Eagles’ offensive line isn’t impressive in pass protection. This Eagles OL gives up the second-worst sack rate and the worst pressure rate in the league during the regular season. To make matters worse for the Eagles, Hurts ranks last out of 37 QBs when pressured in success rate, EPA/attempt, sack rate, and yards per attempt.

Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has historically been aggressive in dialing up pressure when it plays to his defense’s advantage, which could free up Karlaftis to get pressure on Hurts on Sunday.

Kansas City Chiefs Starters: Special Teams

Here are the special teams players for the Kansas City Chiefs.

• Kicker: Harrison Butker
• Punter: Matt Araiza
• Punt Returner: Nikko Remigio
• Kick returner: Nikko Remigio / Samaje Perine
• Long snapper: James Winchester

Chiefs Key Special Teams Player: K Harrison Butker

It’s the Super Bowl. No one wants to see a field goal fest and I don’t believe Mahomes or Andy Reid will attempt too many if they don’t have to, as they have been aggressive on fourth down all year long. However, Butker could still be needed in this matchup.

Scoring touchdowns will be important for the Chiefs on Sunday, as the Eagles give up the sixth-most touchdowns per game (3.4) and points per game (28.4).

In the Chiefs-Eagles 2023 Super Bowl matchup, Butker finished with eight kicking points and one field goal, which was the game-winner, in a high-scoring 38-35 win.

The Chiefs need to score touchdowns to compete, and if they do so, Butker will have the opportunity to rack up PATs, which are worth one kicking point. The Chiefs averaged 2.2 field goal attempts per game during the regular season and Butker is averaging two per game so far in the Playoffs.

Over the Chiefs’ nine-game unbeaten Playoff streak, Butker is 21-of-22 on field goals, averaging 2.4 attempts per game. Based on past playoff trends, Butker has consistently been the go-to in key moments, and his leg will be crucial in the Super Bowl.

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Lock In Your Super Bowl Lineup on PrizePicks

The Super Bowl is finally here, meaning this is your last opportunity to lock in an NFL lineup until next season. You can find more picks and analysis for PrizePicks for the 2025 Super Bowl here.

For DFS picks and analysis on the Super Bowl, NBA, or other sports, head to the Playbook and have a look around.