2024-09-05 23:40:02
When the Kansas City Chiefs take the field Thursday against the Baltimore Ravens, they will begin their quest 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 sunk those teams, and at whether the Chiefs are capable of avoiding the same fate and finally making history.
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 to the front office after Super Bowl II, and the team clearly felt his absence on the sideline and missed the playoffs.
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 now 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 for the Raiders.
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.
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.
The 1990 Niners (that’s a fun one to say) made it to the NFC Championship Game against the Giants and were leading in the fourth quarter when QB Joe Montana suffered 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 clashing with Jones, resigned before this season, leading to Barry Switzer taking over the team. (Ironically, it was the 49ers who ended the three-peat bid.)
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 put an end to Denver’s contender status. It didn’t help that future Hall of Fame running back Terrell Davis tore his ACL early in the season, either.
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 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 in a bonkers game to the Broncos. The Pats turned the ball over five times, one of which led to a 100-yard interception return by Champ Bailey.
So what can the Chiefs learn from these 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.
Patrick 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 coordinator from last year’s Super Bowl win. There are key departures, however, as cornerback L’Jarius Sneed was traded and receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling is now with the Bills. Rookies Xavier Worthy (receiver) and Kingsley Suamataia (left tackle) will be expected to step up. The secondary is young, and the receiving core is unproven.
Even if all the roster questions are answered, can the Chiefs avoid serious injuries? 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. And with the league expanding the playoff field since the last team to repeat, it’s never been harder for a franchise to win three Super Bowls in a row.
It’s going to be an uphill climb for Kansas City. And that climb starts Thursday.
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