The Kansas City Chiefs have been the NFL’s premier team for several years now, but are we seeing the beginning of the end for the defending Super Bowl Champions?
If the first victory starts a dynasty and the first brick begins a kingdom, then the Chiefs have been building a football fortress in Kansas City for several years. Since the arrival of head coach Andy Reid in 2013, the team has won two Super Bowls and has built a powerhouse behind Pro Bowlers like quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce.
2023 seemed like it would be no different. Coming off their second Super Bowl title in the last three seasons, the team was loaded for bear. Perennial MVP candidate Mahomes was still being backed up by his partner in crime, tight end Travis Kelce.
The Chiefs were now a prime-time attraction, with both of their star players not only garnering plenty of accolades but also dominating TV time with their endless endorsements.
At one point in the season, the team was riding high behind its star power. Mahomes was already being anointed as his generation’s greatest QB, and his tight end just happened to be dating the biggest pop star in the world. Collectively, this team’s ass was in ice cream. Or, so it seemed…
Somewhere between here and Las Vegas, the Chiefs have tripped up on their journey back to The Big Game. And while many armchair experts want to blame everything from the departure of key players like Tyreek Hill to Mahomes’ brother to Kelce’s relationship with Taylor Swift, there’s just something that’s not right with this team. They aren’t clicking like the dominant dynasty we have seen in the past several years.
The truth is? The clock is winding down. Because – other than the Patriots’ dominance of the first part of this century – most great teams only last for a handful of seasons. Especially today, in an era of constant player turnover and quick coaching changes.
Teams just don’t stick with the same formula for an extended period. The NFL often stands for ‘Not For Long’, because the window for success closes rather quickly.
Overall, the average NFL career lasts less than five seasons. On top of that, the brightest coaching minds in the world are plotting against you, and trying to get the book on you. You are the hunted, and 31 other rabid dogs are nipping at your heels the whole time.
Throw in the fact that you are dealing with injuries every week that can decimate and derail your plans, and it’s not hard to see why the Chiefs are starting to tumble. It’s the law of the jungle in the NFL, and KC is starting to fall victim to that war of attrition.
The slow demise of this latest glamour team is eerily reminiscent of the decline of the Rams’ famed ‘Greatest Show on Turf’. At one point the most explosive offense in football, over five years, it faded into oblivion. Players departed. Coaching changes were made. And the dominance seeped away slowly. The Chiefs appear to be on the brink of that now.
Of course, there’s always the off chance that they can right the ship with a couple of weeks to go in the regular season and make another victorious Super Bowl run. This Chiefs squad is not awful, by any means, and they still have the talent to pull it off. But the odds are stacked heavily against them. Not just for the remainder of this year, but beyond, as well. After years of being low maintenance, the wear and tear of this team is starting to show on the field.
They look a little older and a step slower, for whatever reason, and the odds of regaining that in the toughest league in American sports will be an uphill battle. Time isn’t on their side, and it might be time for an overhaul of the roster.
If the Chiefs get bounced early from title contention, then some tough decisions will have to be made. It’s been a hell of a party for the last several seasons in Kansas City. But now, it’s starting to become a bit of a mess, and somebody is going to have to clean it up
Ryan K Boman is the author of the 2023 book, Pop Music & Peanut Butter: A Collection of Essays about Embracing Life with Laughter & Love. Follow him on social media @RyanKBoman
