Can the Chiefs break the 19-year curse without back-to-back titles in the NFL?

The team, led by Andy Reid on the bench and Patrick Mahomes on the field, has been the most dominant over the last five years. During this period, they have won two titles, participated in another Super Bowl, and made it to two conference finals. Their achievements speak volumes about their excellence and superiority over other teams.

Winning a championship is an excellent achievement for any sports team, but establishing a dynasty takes more than just one victory. To carry the name of a dynasty, the Kansas City Chiefs need to accomplish more. Specifically, they need to defend their title successfully because history has shown that no dynasty has failed to do so at some point.

In the past, teams such as Terry Bradshaw’s Steelers, Joe Montana’s and Jerry Rice’s San Francisco, Aikman-Smith-Irvin’s great Dallas trio, Bill Belichick’s, and Tom Brady’s New England have all successfully defended their titles. This achievement not only solidified their dynasty but also cemented their legacy as one of the greatest teams in the history of sports.

However, the Kansas City Chiefs have yet to accomplish this feat. If they can successfully defend their title, they will join the ranks of the greatest ever and prove themselves as a team to be reckoned with.

The curse of the back-to-back title

In the last twenty years, defending the title has become a curse since the New England Patriots. The last time they did it was in 2005.

If the Chiefs don’t win the championship in February 2024, the gap between the two title defenses will be 19 years, unprecedented in NFL history.

Despite many great teams with the potential to accomplish this feat, none have succeeded in the last two decades.

Can the Chiefs finally pull it off?

Last season, even without Tyreek Hill, the Chiefs have shown resilience and strength. However, repeating the feat won’t be easy for them, especially since they are in a conference that has never been stronger. In fact, the American conference is much stronger than the National conference, perhaps more so than ever since the merger of the National and American Football Leagues.

Apart from the Chiefs, most teams likely to make it to the playoffs are in the American Conference. The Eastern Conference comprises Buffalo, Miami, the Patriots, led by Belichick, and the Jets, who acquired Aaron Rodgers this season. The AFC North is led by Burrow’s Cincinnati, who have been conference finalists for two consecutive years and made it to the Super Bowl last year. The conference has been significantly strengthened by Baltimore and Cleveland, with Deshaun Watson since the start of the season, and Pittsburgh, which should never be counted out from the battle for the playoffs.

Besides the Chiefs, the Western Conference has the Chargers, who have legitimate playoff ambitions. Jacksonville and Tennessee, joined by DeAndre Hopkins, are legitimate playoff candidates in the South. Indianapolis and Houston are the only teams that can be tagged as outsiders. Still, with new quarterbacks and teams that can overcome a poor start, injury problems, or other adversities, they can take full advantage and start the battle for the playoffs.

Looking at the NFC, the only genuine contenders for the Super Bowl are the teams who played in last year’s conference finals: the Philadelphia Eagles and the San Francisco 49ers. Without Tom Brady (now retired) and Aaron Rodgers (who has moved to the Jets), the strongest challengers to this duopoly are the Dallas Cowboys and the Minnesota Vikings, led by the league’s best receiver, Justin Jefferson. As for the other three playoff spots (assuming these four favorites perform as expected), it seems all the remaining teams have a decent chance. Teams such as Seattle, Detroit, and the New York Giants may be at the forefront of this group. It will undoubtedly be interesting to see how Green Bay fares with Jordan Love stepping into the oversized shoes of Aaron Rodgers, as well as how the Rams do without Cooper Kupp. However, with their new, experienced quarterback, Derek Carr, the New Orleans Saints may be able to achieve the stability they need to become a top contender.

As we look forward to the upcoming season, excitement is also brewing around first-round pick Bryce Young, who will take the helm of Carolina’s offense and compete against tough divisional opponents.

It will undoubtedly be a difficult task for the Chiefs, and the recent Travis Kelce’s injury will not make it any easier. Still, knowing the potential of this team, it is inevitable that the 2023 Chiefs are the ones with the most considerable odds of breaking the 19-year-old spell.