The Kansas City Chiefs are a very strong football team. You likely already know this. The Kansas City Chiefs are aiming to win their third Super Bowl in a row. You probably knew this too.
We now know that their path to a third straight championship will go through the Philadelphia Eagles, who secured their spot by defeating the Washington Commanders 55-23 in Sunday’s NFC Championship Game.
For almost a year now, it has been clear that the Chiefs are trying to make history (as if they haven’t already done enough).
This season has been unusual for Kansas City because, while they have continued to win as expected, they haven’t looked as dominant as in previous years. It’s a strange combination of their usual success and a sense that they aren’t as strong as before.
Even though they haven’t been as consistently dominant in 2024, the Chiefs finished the regular season with a 14-2 record, securing the top seed in the AFC and a bye in the Wild Card round.
They advanced to the AFC Championship Game with a 23-14 win over the Texans at home. In the AFC Championship, they faced the Bills in a close and exciting game, narrowly winning 32-29 to reach the Super Bowl.
Looking at the facts, the Chiefs have won the last two Super Bowls. They also won Super Bowl LIV in Miami three years before their back-to-back wins in 2023. They have played in four of the last five Super Bowls.
Here’s a breakdown of their recent Super Bowl appearances:
- Super Bowl LIV, 2020: Kansas City Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers
- Super Bowl LV, 2021: Kansas City Chiefs lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Super Bowl LVI, 2022: Kansas City Chiefs did not make it
- Super Bowl LVII, 2023: Kansas City Chiefs beat the Philadelphia Eagles
- Super Bowl LVIII, 2024: Kansas City Chiefs beat the San Francisco 49ers
This is an incredible run, and it’s historic. While they have achieved a lot, one thing they haven’t done is win three Super Bowls in a row. In fact, no team has ever done that in NFL history.
Kansas City Chiefs players celebrate after a touchdownIn the past, eight other teams have tried to win a third straight championship:
- 1968 Green Bay Packers: Missed the playoffs
- 1974 Miami Dolphins: Lost in the Divisional Round
- 1976 Pittsburgh Steelers: Lost the AFC Championship Game
- 1980 Pittsburgh Steelers: Missed the playoffs
- 1990 San Francisco 49ers: Lost the NFC Championship Game
- 1994 Dallas Cowboys: Lost the NFC Championship Game
- 1999 Denver Broncos: Missed the playoffs
- 2005 New England Patriots: Lost in the Divisional Round
Of these eight teams, three missed the playoffs entirely. The Chiefs, who are the top seed and had a bye in the Wild Card round, are not in that situation.
Of the remaining five teams, two won a playoff game but lost in the Divisional Round. The other three—the 1976 Steelers, 1990 49ers, and 1994 Cowboys—each lost their conference championship game, falling just one game short of the Super Bowl.
No team in NFL history trying to win three straight titles has even made it to the Super Bowl. If the Chiefs make it this year, they will make history.
Of course, they want to win that third title. Since no team has ever done this in 58 Super Bowls, it’s safe to say that if they achieve it, it might never happen again.
For comparison, here are the last times a team in the other major American sports leagues won three straight championships:
- NBA: 2000-2002 (Los Angeles Lakers)
- MLB: 1998-2000 (New York Yankees)
- NHL: 1980-1983 (New York Islanders)
Since then, teams in these leagues have won back-to-back titles, but no team has won three in a row. This means the Chiefs have a chance to do something that hasn’t been done in modern American sports in over 20 years.
We’ve known this was possible since the Chiefs won the Super Bowl last February. Now, it all comes down to Sunday, February 9, in New Orleans.
