The Chiefs dynasty: On the cusp of greatness

The Kansas City Chiefs are on the cusp of history with a victory in Super Bowl LIX this Sunday in New Orleans. They will have accomplished the first three-peat in NFL history, which would cement themselves as one of the greatest teams ever.

Before I compare them to some of the great dynasties in NFL history, I want to look back at the start of this Patrick Mahomes era in Kansas City and see how we got to this point in putting the Chiefs into this conversation.

How We Got Here

Back in 2017, the Chiefs were perennial AFC Championship contenders led by veteran quarterback Alex Smith, however, they could never get over the hump that was Tom Brady and the New England Patriots dynasty.

The course of Chiefs football would change in that same 2017 offseason when they traded up with the Buffalo Bills from No. 27 to No. 10 in the 2017 NFL draft to select Texas Tech’s quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

It was a shocking selection in the eyes of many people, even some Chiefs fans.

Head coach Andy Reid had been trying to find his quarterback though. Reid hadn’t gotten over the hump, however, all signs were pointing to Mahomes being the quarterback to give Reid that exact opportunity.

The Chiefs benched Mahomes in his rookie season as he learned and developed behind Smith, who was a veteran and had been in the league for over a decade.

The Transition Into a New Era

Transitioning into the new Mahomes era, in 2018, the Chiefs transformed into one of the most high-powered offenses in the league. Mahomes became the NFL MVP in his first season as a starter, throwing for more than 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns and proving the future of Chiefs football was moving toward greatness.

By the end of the season, there was a clash between the past and the present, the 2018 AFC championship game, Patriots vs. Chiefs, Brady vs. Mahomes.

This proved to be the transition into a new NFL era. The Patriots ended up defeating a young Mahomes-led Chiefs on their way to their sixth and final Super Bowl victory, but it became a passing of the torch in the AFC.

Comparing Greatness

Looking at recent history, that is exactly what it has been. The Chiefs have played in all seven AFC championship games and have played in five Super Bowls within the seven seasons since Mahomes has been named a starter.

A Super Bowl LIV win in 2020 catapulted the Chiefs to the top of the NFL and continuing into 2025, they have the chance to win four out of the last six Super Bowls and become the first NFL team to be named back-to-back-to-back champions.

So now let’s pose the question, are the Chiefs the greatest dynasty in NFL history with a win this weekend?

First, we have to compare this Chiefs dynasty to past dynasties, so let’s mention a few in particular.

The Brady Patriots. The longevity of six rings in a 20 year span speaks for itself. Dominant Patriot defenses began the dynasty and dominant Patriot offenses continued it. However, there was a nine-year stretch where they never captured a Super Bowl, including two Super Bowl losses to the New York Giants.

The 1970’s Pittsburgh Steelers. They won four Super Bowls in six seasons with their star-studded Steel Curtain defense leading the way, however, in between both back-to-back Super Bowl wins, they had a two-year drought in which they were dethroned in the playoffs.

The last team I want to mention is the 1980s San Francisco 49ers, who captured four Super Bowls in nine seasons. They were led by the duo of Joe Montana and Jerry Rice, which became one of the greatest tandems in the history of the NFL. However, in the midst of their dynasty, San Francisco went three straight seasons with blowout playoff losses.

When we look at the Chiefs, we can see glimpses of history. No team has made it as far as them on their journeys when attempting to accomplish this level of greatness. The farthest a team had gone in search of a three-peat was the 1991 49ers when they lost to the Giants in the NFC championship.

Reflecting on Greatness

Led by the greatest quarterback-tight end duo in NFL history, Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, it’s been utter domination by the Chiefs over the last half-decade.

Over the last couple of years, a Chris Jones-led defense has been the reason for this domination as defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has consistently proven he is one of the greatest defensive minds in the history of the sport.

With a great offensive mind paired with a great quarterback and a great defensive mind paired with a hungry, well-disciplined defense, the Chiefs haven’t grown into a juggernaut by accident.

It is difficult to accept, but I think with a Super Bowl LIX win, this dynasty run by Kansas City from 2019 to now is something we’ve never witnessed before and should be recalled in the future as the greatest dynasty in NFL history.

Owen Daszko is a first-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email opd5073@psu.edu.