Super Bowl LVIII was the most-watched television event in American history because over 123 million people were glued to their devices. The game attracted a star cast of spectators in the stands, and Usher had a showstopping performance at halftime to provide enthralling entertainment. The game exceeded expectations between two teams that played a tightly contested matchup decided in overtime. The game was one of the longest Super Bowl games in history. There were miscues by both teams and drama, but in the end, Patrick Mahomes led his team from a 10-point deficit to capture the Lombardi trophy. In this article, we will discuss three reasons why the Chiefs are officially a dynasty in the modern NFL.
Why the Chiefs are a dynasty?
1. An unprecedented five years of winning-a dynasty is defined in sports as a team that has exhibited excellence over a short period. The mark of a dynasty in the NFL involves a team winning at least three titles over a five or six-year span. The Chiefs have checked that box by winning their third title in five years. Moreover, they have matched the Patriots 2014-18 run of winning three Super Bowls, losing one, and losing a game in the AFC Championship. In the past six seasons with Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs are 15-3 in the playoffs. The Chiefs became the first team in nearly two decades to win back-to-back titles. In a league with a hard cap, many felt that it would be impossible to keep winning year after year. Yet, Kansas City has defied the odds and now joins the Steelers of the 1970s, the 49ers of the 1980s, the Cowboys of the 1990s, and the Patriots of the 2000s and 2010s as the dynastic team of the 2020s.
2. Difficult Road to the Title- the Chiefs won the Lombardi this year in a most impressive run and in the face of adversity. The team entered the season as champions, and in every game, it felt that the opposition played their best game to pull off the upset. The team’s schedule was one-sided at one point because they played six consecutive games in which the other team had extra days of rest, the only time that has happened in NFL history. The team overcame adversity after losing 5 of 8 during the season, sliding them to the third seed in the conference. The team’s first game in the playoffs was a home victory over the Dolphins, and it was the fourth coldest game in NFL history. Then, they had to travel to Buffalo to play their first road game in the Mahomes era as underdogs. Yet, they found a way to beat the Bills in a raucous Highmark Stadium. The following week they embraced the role as underdog to go into Baltimore and knock off the Ravens. In the Super Bowl, they relished their underdog status by beating the San Francisco 49ers. The Chiefs’ playoff run involved beating four teams with 11 wins and ranked as the top offenses and defenses in the league. Yes, they did it the hard way.
3. Legendary figures- a dynasty is cemented by those who are the figures leading the charge and their place in history. The face of the dynasty is Patrick Mahomes, who is now in the conversation as one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time. After winning Sunday, Mahomes is now 9-2 when he trails by seven or more points in the playoffs. In the Chiefs’ four appearances in the playoffs, Mahomes has trailed by 10 points and led his team from behind to win 3 of those games. Every other quarterback is 4-48, with Tom Brady the only quarterback with two wins. Travis Kelce is now among the best Tight Ends ever; he has the playoff record for the most catches (165) and trails Jerry Rice by less than 300 yards and three touchdowns for those marks. Andy Reid is now in the conversation as one of the greatest coaches by winning his 3 Superbowl in 5 appearances. Reid is fourth in NFL history with 258 wins and second in postseason wins with 26. He has also won a playoff game with four different quarterbacks (Donovan McNabb, Jeff Garcia, Alex Smith, and Mahomes). Finally, Steve Spagnuolo and Chris were the backbone of this season’s triumph. Spagnuolo’s defense held the top offenses in the playoff run to 15.8 points per game and became the 1st Defensive Coordinator to win 4 Super Bowl titles. Chris Jones’ impact on the Super Bowl will not show on the stat sheet, but his ability to bring pressure negated chances for several touchdown throws from Brock Purdy. At 29 years old, he has 75.5 sacks and is fifth all-time on the Chiefs sacks list. All five mentioned look certain to be in the Hall of Fame when they end their careers.