The Green Bay Packers were the last football franchise to win three consecutive world championships in 1965-67. Their 1965 NFL championship win over the Cleveland Browns was followed by their first two Super Bowls, in which they beat the Kansas City Chiefs and the Oakland Raiders. No team in NFL history has won three Super Bowls in a row. The 1994 Dallas Cowboys were the last closest team to do so, but the San Francisco 49ers defeated them in the NFC championship, 38-28.
The Kansas City Chiefs have been to the Super Bowl in four of the past six seasons and have reached the AFC championship game in six consecutive seasons and counting. Riding on back-to-back Super Bowl runs, things look like they'll only get better for them here. There are plenty of good reasons to believe that the Chiefs can become the first franchise in NFL history to win three consecutive Super Bowls.
1) The Young Guys Will Only Get Better
Kansas City already has established stars on its roster, such as Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Chris Jones, and other key veteran players, including Justin Reid, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, and Mecole Hardman. The Chiefs also feature third-year players who are on their way to becoming key contributors. Those players are cornerback Trent McDuffie, defensive end George Karlaftis III, and half-back Isiah Pacheco.
After his all-pro season, Trent McDuffie should be expected to become the Chiefs' new enforcer in the secondary since L'Jarius Snead is now in Tennessee. His man coverage skills are just as solid as his superb tackling, willingness to take on blockers, and ability to knock the ball loose from a ball carrier, which makes him one of the most aggressive cornerbacks in the game.
George Karlaftis III is another one of their first-round draft picks from the 2022 draft who is coming off of a 10.5 sack season and should continue to help with taking away some of the blocking attention off of perennial all-pro defensive tackle Chris Jones. Isiah Pacheco was 65 yards shy of entering the 1,000-yard club last season while finishing tenth in the league in rushing yards per game with 66.8. That, along with his nine total touchdowns from last season, exemplifies his productive play-making skills and angry ball-carrying style and will both be a huge plus to an already pass-heavy offense. These three names are already making the Chiefs' 2022 draft class one of the best drafts in recent memory.
Creed Humphrey, heading into his fourth season in the league, has been putting in the work that has made him arguably the best center in the NFL for the past three seasons. Since Jason Kelce has retired, Creed Humphrey might as well take sole possession of that title as he continues to anchor KC's front with Joe Thuney and Trey Smith flanking him. Linebacker Nick Bolton already has two 100-plus tackle seasons on his career resume and, coming off an injury-ridden season hopes to stay healthy in 2024 to become one of their new leaders for an elite defense.
2) The Recent Additions to the Offense
Signing former Cardinals and Ravens receiver Marquise Brown and then drafting Xavier Worthy from Texas in the first round brings two speed-demon wideouts to the offense. Marquise Brown has yet to fulfill his first-round draft worth, but his speed, along with his vertical route running and firm pass-catching, makes him a perfect fit for the Chiefs' pass-heavy offense and could inspire the offense to go back to their bombs away ways when they had Tyreek Hill. The same description can be put on Xavier Worthy, as he finished second in the Big 12 in receptions while finishing third in the conference in receiving yards last season. He also finished first in all of the NCAA in punt return yards last season at Texas.
Dropped passes were the biggest concern for the Chiefs' offense except for Rashee Rice, who quickly became the number one target for Patrick Mahomes. Rice's 79 catches, 938 receiving yards, and seven touchdown catches all led the team and all rookie receivers in 2023. The organization is still awaiting a possible suspension for Rashee Rice. But, whenever the Chiefs can have Rashee Rice, Marquise Brown, and Xavier Worthy on the field together with Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Isiah Pacheco, the Chiefs' offense can become one of the most methodical, lethal offenses around.
Tight end Irv Smith Jr. is considered an under-the-radar signing for the Chiefs. His athleticism has made him capable of stretching the field with his mid-field route running. Smith Jr.'s skillset makes him a fine red zone target for Patrick Mahomes and a great complementary pass catcher. Opposing defenses will likely call for double-man coverage on Travis Kelce for the 2024 season.
3) They Still Have the League's Best Coaching Staff
Since 2013, the Kansas City Chiefs have stringed together 10 playoff appearances, eight division titles, four AFC championship appearances, and three Super Bowl wins under Andy Reid's tenure. One of the most successful head coaches and has been responsible for the progressions of many notable quarterbacks like Brett Favre, Donovan McNabb, Michael Vick, Alex Smith, and last but not least, Patrick Mahomes. He and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy have successfully implemented a modernized version style of the West Coast offense into the Chiefs system for the past two seasons. It has become a pass-oriented offense that is methodical, effective, and sometimes chaotic.
The Chiefs' offense resembles a blend of West Coast, Run-and-Gun, and Run-Pass Option (RPO) with constant pre-snap motion. All you have seen from this offense during the past two seasons were flats, curls, constant pre-snap motion, read pass options, and shuffle passes. Routes and passes that have traveled no more than between 15-20 yards downfield. It's an offense that focuses on possession and keeping the chains moving before going for the big one downfield. This adjustment needed to be made since they traded their deep-ball threat Tyreek Hill to Miami before the 2022 season. Nagy and Reid may have big plans for running-back Isiah Pacheco to have a bigger role in the offense to make it more balanced, or they could revert to the Chiefs' old explosive ways of going downfield with the speeds of Xavier Worthy and Marquise Brown. Clips of Kadarious Toney taking part in running-back drills at training camp reveal the typical bizarre behavior of this offense displayed over the years. Possibilities are always endless, especially with the Kansas City Chiefs.
What went with this patient offense was a suffocating defense designed to take the ball away and limit big plays. Another adjustment needed to be made by defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo when he lost his top defender, Tyrann Mathieu, to free agency heading into the 2022 season. It became a defense that sends in many corner blitzes and safety blitzes and stays in man coverage most of the time, showing the trust Spagnuolo has in the abilities of his defensive backs. This allows time for pass rushers like Chris Jones and George Karlaftis III to get to the quarterback. It is also a defense that can crowd the box, leaving limited space for running backs and some quarterbacks to run freely between the hashes.
A prime example was in last season's AFC championship game, neutralizing the Ravens' tenacious run game for only 81 rushing yards. Another is 49ers' Christian McCaffrey being under 100 yards rushing in the Super Bowl on 22 carries and his longest run being 11 yards. The Chiefs' defense is coming off a season in which they finished number two in the NFL in both points allowed and total yards allowed. Despite losing L'Jarius Sneed, Willie Gay, and Daniel Sorenson, the defense will make adjustments and not excuses to become a better defense this season. Steve Spagnuolo has other playmakers he will work with and help them improve, like Chirs Jones, Trent McDuffie, Justin Reid, George Karlaftis III, and Nick Bolton, along with the return of Dru Tranquil. It's a proper team defense that relies on unity and strategy over skill and athleticism.
4) Patrick Mahomes
The brilliance of Patrick Mahomes has become more and more apparent each year. They were winning back-to-back Super Bowls after failing to win it all in 2021 and 2020—the end of each of the past two seasons of winning the Super Bowl. Mahomes and the Chiefs came in the AFC title game the following year for a revenge victory over the Bengals after drawing a late hit penalty to set Harrison Butker up to kick the Chiefs back to the Super Bowl right at the time when experts began to put Joe Burrow on Patrick Mahomes' level. The playoff run of 2022 on a wounded ankle grew Mahomes from superstar to living sports hero. Capturing a second Super Bowl win over a powerful Philadelphia Eagles team that was favored to win. This would be when Patrick Mahomes would go after more gold against all odds.
Towards the end of the 2023 regular season, standing at 9-6 after his first career loss to the Raiders spotted him and the Chiefs endanger of missing the playoffs. Eventually, Mahomes would help the Chiefs get into the playoffs with close wins over the Bengals and Chargers. But, as soon as experts knew that Patrick Mahomes would play in the Wild-Card round and a road playoff game for the first time in his career, thoughts of him and the Chiefs not making it past the second round came into their minds.
A 26-7 victory over the Dolphins in the first round and then conquering another shootout with his greatest nemesis, Josh Allen, in Buffalo, 27-24. Visiting Baltimore to face the best team in the NFL and the NFL's Most Valuable Player, Lamar Jackson, and the Ravens. Fourth quarter, seven-point lead, under two minutes to go, and the Chiefs have the ball. Third down, Patrick Mahomes drops to go deep to Marquez Valdes-Scantling for the game-clincher. Capping off a 241-yard touchdown and a 30/39 completion passing day over a high-rated Ravens defense to lead the Chiefs to a second straight Super Bowl.
Down by seven in the third quarter, an interception would have killed the confidence of any quarterback, but not Patrick Mahomes. Shaking it off with a touchdown to Marquez Valdes-Scantling to give the Chiefs their first lead of the game over the 49ers in the third quarter. Eventually, it would be the second overtime Super Bowl in NFL history with a Harrison Butker field goal tying it up at 19. After the 49ers broke the tie 22-19, they gave the Chiefs back the ball with seven minutes and twenty-one seconds to go. Patrick Mahomes conducted a 13-play drive for 75 yards, converting two third downs and a fourth down along the way to hit Mecole Hardman for the game-winning touchdown to win a second Super Bowl in a row for the Chiefs.
It was as if the world had just witnessed the 1998 version of Michael Jordan in Patrick Mahomes from this past season. An athlete who has established himself as the greatest in his sport began to hear skeptics warn him of competitors and the haters drooling to see the athlete and his team fall off the mountaintop into defeat. Superstars elevate into legendary status by pursuing more and not bathing in past success. The desire to get better is what creates that borderline. The legend of Patrick Mahomes has just grown universes high in only seven seasons. Like Mike, Mahomes has cemented the willingness not to allow his team to lose and will do whatever he can to keep the Chiefs at the top of the football mountain for as long he is playing.
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