The Kansas City Chiefs are headed to their fifth Super Bowl in six years after defeating the Buffalo Bills in the AFC championship game Sunday.
And when Patrick Mahomes and Co. take the field on Feb. 9 in New Orleans against the Philadelphia Eagles, they will finally have the chance to do something no NFL team has done during the Super Bowl era: win three straight championships.
Starting in 1966 with the Green Bay Packers, winners of the first two Super Bowls, eight teams have won back-to-back titles, yet zero were able to capture an elusive third in a row. Here’s a look at what sank those teams and at whether the Chiefs are capable of avoiding the same fate and finally making 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 weren’t. Lombardi retired to the front office after the second Super Bowl, and the team clearly felt his absence on the sideline and missed the playoffs.
1974 Miami Dolphins
The first of the Dolphins' two Super Bowl wins capped off a perfect season. After the second, they made it to the AFC divisional round in 1974. They lost to the Oakland Raiders in what’s 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 game’s waning seconds to seal the win.
The Raiders did it again to the 1976 Steelers, though this one was a little less dramatic. While Oakland was clearly an elite team in its own right, the Raiders were aided greatly by injuries when they knocked out Pittsburgh in the AFC championship game. The Steelers were without their two 1,000-yard rushers, Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier, severely hurting their offense.
1980 Steelers
Looking for a third straight Super Bowl again 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 a fun one to say) made it to the NFC championship game against the New York Giants and were leading in the fourth quarter when QB Joe Montana sustained the untimeliest of injuries. With Montana out, New York forced a turnover on San Francisco’s final offensive drive, setting up a game-winning field goal as time expired.
Jerry Jones has to look in the mirror for this one. The Cowboys did make it to the NFC championship game … but they did so 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’s taking over the team. (It was the 49ers who ended the three-peat bid.)
1999 Denver Broncos
Broncos QB John Elway rode off into the sunset after having won back-to-back Super Bowls, and replacing him with Brian Griese more or less put an end to Denver’s contender status. It didn’t help that future Hall of Fame running back Terrell Davis tore an ACL early in the season, either.
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 came back after having said he would sit out the season. Cornerback Ty Law was released. Safety Rodney Harrison sustained 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 Champ Bailey.
So what can the Chiefs learn from those teams? Well, their coach didn’t retire or get in a fight with the owner, so that’s good. Their quarterback hasn’t retired, and many of their great players are still in their prime, which also helps.
Mahomes (the back-to-back Super Bowl MVP), Travis Kelce and five-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Chris Jones are all still on the roster. Head coach Andy Reid is back, as are the offensive, defensive and special teams coordinators from last year’s Super Bowl win.
Even if all the roster questions are answered, can the Chiefs avoid serious injuries come the big game? A fluke or miraculous play? A string of ill-timed turnovers? Those issues are an unavoidable part of football — an injury-laden, low-possession game that’s almost built for randomness. Heck, the Chiefs have already been the beneficiaries of some of those things.
It’s not going to be easy for Kansas City. But it is now only one win away.