How Chiefs’ Playoff Run Can Horrify Patriots Dynasty Defenders

The Kansas City Chiefs took the torch from the New England Patriots to emerge as the NFL’s latest dynasty.

Kansas City won its third title in five years with a victory in Super Bowl LVIII over the San Francisco 49ers. They officially reached the dynasty club along with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Dallas Cowboys, the 49ers and the Patriots.

Patrick Mahomes said after the Super Bowl LVIII win that Tom Brady and the Patriots’ dynasty still sits above Kansas City. He also acknowledged that he cannot see himself above Brady as the future Hall of Famer knocked off the current elite quarterback twice in postseason meetings, including Super Bowl LV with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

So far, the Chiefs have matched aspects of the New England dynasty with a trio of Super Bowls, a back-to-back championship campaign and Mahomes winning three game MVP honors.

Now, Kansas City could really make progress this season and finalize a standard the Patriots never reached: back-to-back-to-back championships.

New England won Super Bowl XXXVIII and Super Bowl XXXIX before the run came to an end during the 2005 season when the Denver Broncos knocked off the Patriots in the AFC Divisional round. The second half of the dynasty eventually saw the Patriots go to three straight Super Bowls. Wins in Super Bowl LI and Super Bowl LIII sandwiched around a 41-33 loss in Super Bowl LII to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Kansas City ran its way to victories in Super Bowl LVII and LVIII and begins their postseason run this time around after a first-round bye as the No. 1 seed. The Chiefs finished the regular season 15-2 and rested their starters in Week 18 against the eventually playoff-bound Denver Broncos. Playing starters would have given Kansas City the chance to become the only NFL team to win 16 games in a regular season along with the 2007 Patriots.

The Chiefs seem vulnerable to an extent, which yes, is crazy to say about a No. 1 seed with just one loss while playing starters. The AFC has serious threats in the Baltimore Ravens and the Buffalo Bills. Kansas City also went 11-0 in one-score games during the regular season, so something has to give eventually in that category.

New England still has the longevity of its historic reign to hold over the Chiefs. That conversation could get even tighter if Mahomes, head coach Andy Reid and Kansas City have enough in the tank to close out a three-peat.

“Obviously this has been a fun run that we’ve had with the Chiefs, but I think every year is special,” Mahomes told reporters Tuesday, per KMBC 9. “Obviously, you want to win three in a row. Building those relationships with the guys and the community every single year is special. When I look back at all the different Super Bowls that we’ve won, I look back at special moments that we’ve had and special games that we’ve had. We’ll try to do that the same this year. It’s been a fun run up to this point, but we want to get to that ultimate goal.”

Kansas City’s path begins Saturday afternoon against the Houston Texans. The Chiefs knocked off the AFC South champions in Week 16 with a 27-19 win at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.