Kansas Metropolis Chiefs’ Tremendous Bowl historical past from 1966 to 2023

For those who grew up within the ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s, aughts, or many of the 2010s, then the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs could carry little significance in your picture of nice NFL groups. However within the very starting of the Tremendous Bowl period and the current day, the Chiefs function the league’s bookends of nice groups.

From Len Dawson and Hank Stram to Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid, the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs have been one of many NFL’s high franchises beneath two regimes and solely these two regimes. Can they keep it up their legacy past this present run as professional soccer’s premier franchise not like their final time on the perch over 50 years in the past?

1966 season: Misplaced Tremendous Bowl I, 35-10

Because the upstart AFL’s championship staff in 1966, the Chiefs carried the burden of being the brand new league’s first hope of proving they belonged with the massive boys. Began in 1960 as a rival to the a lot older NFL, there was an unlimited disparity in expertise at first because the AFL tried to play catch up for 5 years till securing a $36 million TV contract with NBC in 1965.

That not solely gave the AFL the cash essential to compete for high gamers, but additionally gave the NFL motive to assume that not not like a modern-day cinematic universe that there might be much more cash in crossover occasions than merely attempting to carry a monopoly on professional soccer.

Quite than competing for gamers and driving up the fee for a quarterback or operating again, the 2 leagues quickly agreed to a merger, which might imply an “AFL-NFL World Championship Sport” to be held on Jan. 15, 1967 on the Los Angeles Coliseum between the champions of every league. Just a few years later wouldn’t it be modified to being referred to as the Tremendous Bowl.

The Chiefs have been 14-point underdogs in opposition to a Inexperienced Bay Packers group that had received eight NFL championships, together with three of the final 5. Regardless of an in depth 14-10 halftime rating because of AFL Professional Bowl quarterback Len Dawson throwing a second quarter landing, the Packers pulled away within the second half behind Bart Starr, the MVP of the 1966 season and the league’s first Tremendous Bowl champion.

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Inexperienced Bay head coach Vince Lombardi stated after the sport: The very best AFL staff “doesn’t examine with the highest NFL groups.”

The Chiefs can be outclassed within the AFL by the far more dominant Raiders over the following two seasons, however Stram and Dawson wouldn’t have to attend lengthy for redemption.

1969 season: Gained Tremendous Bowl IV, 23-7

A 12 months after Tremendous Bowl III, all the time identified to some as “the primary rigged Tremendous Bowl” (together with some gamers) due to how a lot it benefited the league to indicate followers that the truth is it might be an awesome sport received by both staff, the Chiefs went into their second championship alternative with numerous causes to be assured.

The primary motive being: The Packers weren’t there.

The brand new kings of the NFL have been the Minnesota Vikings, themselves a franchise that weren’t whilst outdated as most groups within the AFL. Debuting in 1961 with future Corridor of Famer Fran Tarkenton at quarterback, the Vikings struggled to compete for his or her first eight seasons however then all of a sudden all of it got here collectively beneath head coach Bud Grant in 1969.

Three years after buying and selling Tarkenton to the Giants, Minnesota went 12-1 behind former CFL star Joe Kapp at quarterback and shocked the world by beating the Rams and Browns en path to their first Tremendous Bowl look. However the Chiefs weren’t shocked to be taking part in of their second Tremendous Bowl in 4 years.

They have been simply hungry.

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With one of many biggest defenses in soccer historical past, rating first in factors, yards, turnovers, passing yards, speeding yards, passing touchdowns allowed, yards per carry allowed, speeding touchdowns allowed, and every other class you’ll be able to consider, Kansas Metropolis went 11-3 after which held the Jets and Raiders to a mixed 13 factors in two playoff video games.

Again for his or her second likelihood, Dawson and Stram did their elements, but it surely was the protection once more because the Chiefs intercepted Kapp twice, backup Gary Cuozzo as soon as, and compelled three turnovers in a dominating 23-7 Tremendous Bowl victory in opposition to the NFL’s top-ranked offense. Maybe the sport was so lopsided for Kapp that he by no means recovered, as he went unsigned that offseason regardless of ending second on MVP voting in 1969, and he was out of the league totally by 1971.

The Chiefs have been lastly champions, however it will be 24 years till their subsequent convention championship look, and 50 years till their subsequent Tremendous Bowl.

2019 season: Gained Tremendous Bowl LIV, 31-20

It’s arduous to imagine now given their current success — however aside from a quick affair with Joe Montana that led to a blowout AFC Championship loss to the Payments within the 1993 season, Kansas Metropolis didn’t come anyplace close to the Tremendous Bowl for 5 a long time.

Then former basic supervisor John Dorsey made one of many boldest draft day strikes in historical past by buying and selling up 17 spots for Patrick Mahomes in 2017, setting the stage for what might be an awesome dynasty. Following a 12 months on the bench behind Professional Bowl starter Alex Smith, Mahomes took over in 2018 and the Chiefs improved from 25.9 factors per sport to 35.3, a franchise document which will by no means be damaged.

Although Kansas Metropolis misplaced an extra time heartbreaker to the Patriots within the AFC Championship to finish the 2018 season, their place in future Tremendous Bowls appeared like an inevitability with Mahomes beneath middle.

The Chiefs received their last six video games of the 2019 common season, then scored 41 unanswered within the divisional spherical to come back again from a 24-0 deficit to beat the Houston Texans in a rout. Every week later, Mahomes scored 4 touchdowns to come back again from a 17-7 deficit to the beat the Tennessee Titans within the AFC Championship. Then prefer it was written, Kansas Metropolis was down 10 factors within the fourth quarter of the Tremendous Bowl in opposition to the San Francisco 49ers, loads of time for Mahomes to activate the engines for 21 unanswered factors to take residence his first Lombardi.

Although they have been flirting with catastrophe in all three playoff video games, the magic of Mahomes was a lot too highly effective to cease the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs from successful their first Tremendous Bowl in 50 years. Their subsequent wait might not be practically as lengthy.

2020 season: Misplaced Tremendous Bowl LV, 31-9

Now thought of the consensus finest staff within the NFL, the Chiefs received 14 of their first 15 video games in 2020, which means they pulled all starters in a Week 17 loss to the Chargers. However then maybe we thought an excessive amount of of their last document and former Tremendous Bowl victory, as Kansas Metropolis went 8-0 in video games determined by six factors or much less.

That luck would run out in Tremendous Bowl LV.

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After barely escaping the Browns within the divisional spherical when Chad Henne changed Mahomes within the second half, the Chiefs blew previous a Payments staff within the AFC Championship that didn’t have a line of defense on the time able to harassing Mahomes.

The Buccaneers actually did.

With no safety round Mahomes to fend off Shaquil Barrett, Ndamukong Suh, Vita Vea, and Jason Pierre-Paul, Tampa Bay pressured Mahomes an unbelievable 21 instances, sacking him 3 times and forcing two interceptions. Tom Brady successful his seventh Tremendous Bowl was understandably the primary storyline from Tremendous Bowl LV, but it surely was Kansas Metropolis’s porous offensive line failing to guard Patrick Mahomes that actually did the trick as a result of usually it’s not an issue for his offenses to attain a minimum of 31 factors.

As a substitute they solely managed 9 factors on three discipline objectives.

The Chiefs responded to that catastrophe by buying and selling for Professional Bowl left sort out Orlando Brown, signing left guard Joe Thuney, drafting middle Creed Humphrey, and turning over 100-percent of their beginning offensive line.

2022 season: Tremendous Bowl LVII, ???

Now two years later, Mahomes is again within the Tremendous Bowl and regardless of the standard modifications on offense the query stays the identical in opposition to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Can the Chiefs offensive line defend him lengthy sufficient to get the ball to Travis Kelce and firm? If not, how will Andy Reid reply this time?