The Kansas City Chiefs were once the NFL’s boogeyman. For five straight years, they dominated headlines, carved up defenses, and left opponents shaking their heads. But according to Hall of Famer Jared Allen, that fear factor — the very aura that made Kansas City untouchable — is gone.

Speaking on Up & Adams with Kay Adams this week, Allen didn’t mince words. His critique, drawn from both football and his passion for mixed martial arts, struck a nerve.

The Fear Factor Is Gone

Allen compared the Chiefs’ trajectory to that of UFC icon Chuck Liddell, who once terrified opponents until one knockout changed everything.

“That beating the Eagles put on the Chiefs… that wasn’t just a tough day,” Allen said. “They laid the foundation for how people are going to attack them. Unless the Chiefs take a long look in the mirror… people aren’t afraid of them anymore.”

The numbers tell the story. Despite a 15-win 2024 season, 12 of those victories came by a single possession. The cracks were there. Then came Super Bowl LIX: a humiliating 38-10 dismantling by the Philadelphia Eagles. This season began with more trouble — a disjointed loss to the Chargers that made Kansas City look ordinary.

What Needs to Change

Allen insists the path back to dominance isn’t complicated. It’s about fundamentals:

Run the ball with authority.

Feed Travis Kelce.

Control the line of scrimmage.

He pointed to Tom Brady’s Patriots as the model. “Why is Tom Brady considered the greatest? Because he played within the system. They ran the ball. They controlled the clock. The Chiefs have to do the same.”

The Run Game Problem

That’s easier said than done. Kansas City’s rushing attack, once a weapon, has sputtered.

Isiah Pacheco, hyped as the breakout star, hasn’t taken the leap. Kareem Hunt, at 30, looks to be nearing the end. And the offseason came and went without a major move at running back.

The Chiefs may want to pound the rock, but right now, they don’t have the personnel to dominate on the ground.

The Travis Kelce Question

Then there’s Travis Kelce. With rookie wideout Xavier Worthy sidelined, the Chiefs will lean on their superstar tight end more than ever.

“If I’ve got one of the best tight ends to ever play,” Allen argued, “I’m feeding him the ball.”

But at 35, Kelce can’t be expected to carry the offense like he once did. His brilliance remains, but without reliable help from the receiving corps, defenses can key in on him. Right now, no clear second option has emerged.

A Dynasty at the Crossroads

The Chiefs’ situation isn’t just about X’s and O’s. It’s psychological. Their mystique — the aura that made opponents beat themselves before kickoff — has faded. The Eagles ripped it away on the biggest stage, and the Chargers exposed it again in Week 1.

For Allen, that’s the true crisis. The league has caught up. The blueprint is out. And unless Kansas City evolves, the dynasty could crumble faster than anyone imagined.

Time Is Running Out

Allen isn’t writing the Chiefs’ obituary just yet. With Patrick Mahomes under center and Andy Reid still drawing up plays, Kansas City is never out of the fight. Sixteen games remain in the 2025 season, and a course correction is possible.

But his warning was clear: “That loss to the Eagles wasn’t just a loss. It was a blueprint. And now the Chiefs have to prove they’re still the team no one wants to face.”

The Chiefs’ dynasty isn’t dead. But its fear factor — the psychological edge that made them kings — has vanished. If Mahomes, Reid, and Kelce want to reclaim it, they’ll need to do more than win games. They’ll need to dominate again, to remind the NFL why Kansas City was once untouchable.

Because as Jared Allen made painfully clear, right now, no one is afraid of the Chiefs.