The National Football League (NFL) has witnessed some great dynasties in its 100-year history, with the New England Patriots’ dominance from 2001 to 2018, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ success in the 1970s, and the Green Bay Packers’ six titles between 1960 and 1967 amongst the best.
For the modern NFL fan, the Kansas City Chiefs are quickly becoming the team everyone loves to hate. Andy Reid’s men have won three of the last five Super Bowls—beating the San Francisco 49ers twice and the Philadelphia Eagles—and are on course for an unprecedented three-peat this season.
While the Patriots, Steelers, and Packers have built dynasties through sustained success, no franchise has ever completed a three-peat in NFL history. The Chiefs, though, appear to be cruising toward this historic achievement, and the NFL odds are in their favour.
At the time of writing, Patrick Mahomes and company boast an unblemished record of 8-0. They recently beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in overtime at Arrowhead Stadium to maintain their unbeaten start to the regular season.
Offensively, the Chiefs have been relentless this campaign. Mahomes has thrown 1,942 yards for 11 touchdowns thus far, but what’s notable is that they have elevated their attack this season with their enhanced ground game thanks to the return of Kareem Hunt.
Hunt, now in his second stint at the Chiefs Kingdom after being released in 2018 and spending five seasons with the Cleveland Browns, has been a driving force for Reid’s side in the first half of the regular season.
The 29-year-old has attempted 111 rushes, averaging roughly 14 rushes a game, in the eight games so far, racking up over 414 yards and scoring five touchdowns—one of which was the game-winning score against the Bucs in week eight.
The arrival of DeAndre Hopkins from the Tennessee Titans last month for a conditional fifth-round pick that becomes a fourth-round pick if Kansas make the Super Bowl and Hopkins plays in 60% of snaps appears to have helped the Chiefs’ passing game.
‘D-Hop’ didn’t make much of an impression in Kansas’ win over their old rivals, the Las Vegas Raiders, on his debut just three days after his trade, but he was key to masterminding the win over the Bucs—catching eight passes for 86 yards and scoring two touchdowns.
Looking at the Chiefs’ schedule for the second half of the regular season, not only could they complete the legendary three-peat, but they could also do so on the back of an unbeaten campaign—a feat that has been completed in the past, but not since the extension to 17 games.
The Chiefs’ only concern, looking at their remaining fixtures, will perhaps be the Buffalo Bills on November 17. Second in the American Football Conference (AFC) with a record of 7-2, Buffalo will host Kansas at Bills Stadium, where the home support (‘The Mafia’) will create a hostile atmosphere.
However, there’s a good chance the Chiefs will come away from Buffalo unscathed, and it seems unlikely that they will falter against the Denver Broncos (x2), Carolina Panthers, Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers, Browns, Houston Texans, or Pittsburgh Steelers.
There’s a sense of the inevitable—the Chiefs will win Super Bowl LIX at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on February 9.