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LAS VEGAS – That question came up a year ago after the Kansas City Chiefs won their second Super Bowl in four seasons. Sunday night, that was answered unequivocally.
In a city where wealth is created and lost on a daily basis, KC blackjacked the NFL’s newest dynasty, winning 25-22 in overtime against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl 58. I won.
“There’s no doubt in my mind, baby, there’s no doubt in my mind,” superstar tight end Travis Kelce said. He spoke in the days leading up to the game about the importance of this team’s core winning a third Lombardi Trophy.
“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing it three times so far. It gets sweeter and sweeter each time, baby.”
It wasn’t exactly a smooth coronation, with four hours and multiple momentum changes required while overcoming the first extra-time deficit in Super Sunday history. Fresh off a subpar regular season by Kansas City standards, the team finished with an 11-6 record and played a postseason game on the road for the first time since quarterback Patrick Mahomes became the starter in 2018. I decided to take part in the event.
Super Bowl Central: The latest news, stats, odds, matchups and more for Super Bowl 58.
The Super Bowl was like a microcosm of the Chiefs’ season, with the team starting off slow and ending on a high note. Mahomes threw the winning touchdown to Mecole Hardman with three seconds left after halftime, capping a 22-point streak. .
dynasty? no doubt.
“It’s great when everything comes together like this,” Kelce said. Despite being very quiet in the first half, he led all players Sunday with nine catches and 93 receiving yards.
“Call us a dynasty. Call us what you guys want. We know what we have is actually more special than what you see in the NFL.” Masu.”
Head coach Andy Reid added: “It’s a bit surreal. … I don’t know what a dynasty is. You guys have a thesaurus, so you’ll understand. We know how difficult it is, so it’s a great win.” What to do, And how difficult the season was. ”
Mahomes had a legendary performance with 333 yards and two touchdowns through the air and a team-high 66 rushing yards en route to his third Super Bowl MVP honor.
“It’s not over yet,” Mahomes told CBS after the pitch that cemented his legend.
“Our team is young, so we’re going to keep going.”
Chiefs fans: You can purchase the Super Bowl 58 commemorative cover here
These Chiefs have entered the immortal pantheon once occupied by the 1960s Green Bay Packers, 1970s Pittsburgh Steelers, 1980s San Francisco 49ers, 1990s Dallas Cowboys, and 21st century New England Patriots. Masu.
Kansas City also became the ninth team to return to the Super Bowl in 19 years, ending the longest streak in Super Bowl history. The Chiefs are the seventh franchise in the league to win at least four Super Bowls and the sixth franchise to win three in five seasons.
Before the game, Mahomes said of the prospects for a rare successful title defense, saying, “This will put this team in a different league.”
“We understand how difficult it is to do that in this league with a performance comparable to this one. After playing 20 games and having great success, we have to rebuild again the next year. Because whenever you win a championship, it’s over for the year. You have to rebuild and try again.”
That didn’t really matter to this prestigious, forward-thinking organization. Since winning Super Bowl 54, they have overhauled their defense, and two years ago they dropped game-breaker Tyreek Hill and fundamentally changed their offense.
Next question: How many more games can the Chiefs win? And can they complete a three-peat that not even Tom Brady’s Patriots were able to achieve during the Super Bowl era that began in 1966?
There’s no doubt that the road to Super Bowl 59 will be crowded with obstacles.
The Chiefs are entering the offseason with the possibility of losing All-Pro Chris Jones, who is set to become a free agent next month. At 34 years old, Kelce isn’t getting any younger, and it’s a good thing KC stuck around, but the passing game has become almost methodical and certainly less scary since Hill left.
Perhaps the most problematic? As the Chiefs resume their slugging power in their quest for AFC supremacy in 2024, the Cincinnati Bengals will have Joe Burrow back, the Cleveland Browns will have running back Nick Chubb (among others) back, and the New York Jets will have Joe Burrow back (among others). Aaron Rodgers returns, Los Angeles Chargers are rocked by new coach Jim Harbaugh, welterweight Houston Texans may be ready to move up…and heavyweights Buffalo Bills and Baltimore -The Ravens will be looking forward to a rematch with the reigning AFC West champions.
But those concerns are for another time.
“I mean, we’re going to celebrate tonight,” Mahomes said. “We’re going to celebrate with a parade. And we’re going to do whatever we can to get back to this game next year and try to get a three-peat.”
“I think Tom said it best: Once you win a championship and parade around and get a ring, you’re no longer a champion. You’ve got to come back with the same mentality. And I’m a player like that. He was the best in history at the top of his level.
“I’m going to try and get back to this game next year.”
Or, as Kelce more definitively said after hoisting the Lombardi Trophy, “See you all next year.”
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Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis on X (formerly Twitter) @NateDavis.
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