The Kansas City Chiefs are headed to their fifth Super Bowl in six years after Defeat the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday.
And when Patrick Mahomes and Co. take the field on Feb. 9 in New Orleans against the Philadelphia Eagles, they’ll finally have the chance to do something no NFL team has done in the Super Era. Bowl: Win three consecutive championships.
Starting in 1966 with the Green Bay Packers, winners of the first two Super Bowls, eight teams won consecutive titles, but Zero was able to capture an elusive third in a row.
Here’s a look at what sank these teams and whether the Chiefs are able to avoid the same fate and finally history.
1968 Packers
The first two Super Bowl-winning Packers teams were led by one of the greatest coaches in league history, Vince Lombardi. The 1968 Packers were not. Lombardi retired from the front office after the second Super Bowl, and the team clearly felt his absence on the sidelines and missed the playoffs.
1974 Miami Dolphins
The first of two Super Bowl victories for the Dolphins capped a perfect season. After the second, they made it to the AFC divisional tour in 1974. They lost to the Oakland Raiders in what is known as the “Sea of Hands” game. (It’s never a good sign for a losing team to be involved in a game that has its own special name.) Oakland Running Back Clarence Davis Made an Improbable Touchdown Catch Amid a “Sea of Hands” in the waning seconds of the game to seal the victory.
1976 Pittsburgh Steelers
The Raiders did it again to the 1976 Steelers, although this one was a little less dramatic. While Oakland was clearly an elite team in their own right, the Raiders were aided considerably by injuries when they knocked off Pittsburgh in the AFC Championship Game. The Steelers were without their two 1,000-yard rushers, Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier, seriously hurting their offense.
1980 Steelers
Seeking a third straight Super Bowl and their fifth in seven seasons, the 1980 Steelers essentially aged out. The defense couldn’t recapture its previous glory, and the offense was a turnover machine. Pittsburgh went 9-7 and missed the playoffs, and many legends from its dynastic run retired after the season.
1990 San Francisco 49ers
The 1990 Niners (that’s fun to say) reached the NFC Championship Game against the New York Giants and led in the fourth quarter when QB Joe Montana suffered early injuries. With Montana on the outside looking in, New York forced a turnover on San Francisco’s final offensive drive, setting up a game-winning field goal as time expired.
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1994 Dallas Cowboys
Jerry Jones needs to look in the mirror for this one. The Cowboys reached the NFC Championship Game…but they did it without the coach who helped them win back-to-back Super Bowls in the first place. Coach Jimmy Johnson, after clashes with Jones, resigned before the season, leading to Barry Switzer taking over the team. (It was the 49ers who ended the three-tour deal.)
1999 Denver Broncos
Broncos QB John Elway rode off into the sunset after winning back-to-back Super Bowls and replacing him with Brian Griese more or less ended Denver’s contender status. It didn’t help that future Running Back, Terrell Davis, Terrell Davis tore an ACL early in the season.
2005 New England Patriots
Winners of three of four Super Bowls, the Patriots went 10-6 after some changes to their defense. Linebacker Tedy Bruschi had a stroke in the offseason, but still returned after saying he would sit out the season. Cornerback Ty Law was released. Safety Rodney Harrison suffered a season-ending injury in Week 3. New England made it to the divisional round, but lost to the Broncos in a bonkers game. The Pats turned the ball over five times; One of the turnovers led to a 100-yard interception return by Champion Bailey.
2024 Kansas City Chiefs
So what can the leaders of these teams learn? Well, their coach didn’t end up retiring or fighting with the owner, so that’s good. Their quarterback hasn’t retired, and many of their big players are still in their prime, which helps too.
Mahomes (the back-to-back Super Bowl MVP), Travis Kelce and five-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Chris Jones are still on the roster. Head coach Andy Reid returns, as do the offensive, defensive and special teams coordinators from last year’s Super Bowl victory.
Even if all the roster questions are answered, can the Chiefs avoid serious injuries on the big play? A stroke of luck or a miraculous play? A chain of turnovers in poor condition? These problems are an inevitable part of football – a low-possession, injury-laden game that is almost built for chance. Heck, Chiefs have already been the beneficiaries of some of this stuff.
It won’t be easy for Kansas City. But it’s just one win away.
This article was originally published on NBCnews.com
