Those who stop to smell all the roses after finding any semblance of success get caught sniffing, while everybody else is planting the seeds that'll one day blossom with an even better aroma. While the Chiefs have plenty to celebrate as the first team in two decades to win back-to-back Super Bowls, their focus should soon pivot toward achieving NFL immortality with three straight titles.
One could argue the special trio of quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce, and head coach Andy Reid became one of the most dominant forces in sports history by capturing their third Lombardi Trophy in five years on Sunday in Vegas. These Chiefs may already be considered the best team of the 2020s, based solely on the stunning success they've achieved in the first half of the decade. But there's still plenty of meat left on the bone here. Mahomes is only 28 years old, Reid has a few seasons remaining at 65, and Kelce has declared he's ready to run it at back at least one more time.
Of course, the fact no team has ever won three straight championships is no accident. A combination of roster turnover, improvement among competition, and having a bigger target on their backs has made it a seemingly impossible feat. Back in 2005, the Patriots were bounced in the AFC divisional round by the Broncos, falling well short of another Super Bowl appearance. Unlike that Patriots squad, the Chiefs have the returning talent and motivation to get the job done. More importantly, their competition hasn't proven to be capable of knocking them off. Well, at least not yet.
The Chiefs' home loss to the Bengals in the 2021 AFC title game has been an outlier, considering it's the only year they didn't at least make the Super Bowl since 2019. The Bengals, Bills, and Ravens just haven't come close to proving they're playing on the same level as the Chiefs. Kansas City is a cut above the rest, despite being grouped in a top tier featuring the aforementioned teams.
This is why, somehow, the pressure to win feels higher for Joe Burrow, Josh Allen, and Lamar Jackson. They still need to prove they can win just one title, while Mahomes goes for his forth. At this point the question for Mahomes is, can he reach Patriot-esque success? It's no longer about only being a great player. While another ring would still leave these Chiefs three championships shy of the Patriots' laudable seven, it still puts them on the same pedestal.
Not only would it be three straight titles and four in six years -- accomplishing a previously unprecedented feat in the process – but it'd also be arguably the most dominant stretch in NFL history. The Patriots' dynasty (2001-2018) went a full decade without a title, and lost three Super Bowls. By winning next year, the Chiefs will have only lost once in five trips. Proportionately speaking, the Patriots were never that successful.
While part of sustaining a dynasty doesn't necessarily need to include winning the Super Bowl every season, that consistency in producing championship is a separator for teams that are grouped into the NFL's dynasty category. When looking at it from that angle, a third straight Super Bowl win would check both boxes, in terms of getting there consistently and being able to win the whole thing. It's been impossible to reach the Chiefs' level -- ensuring record books indicate this should be a point of emphasis.
When it's all said and done with Mahomes, the debate on his GOAT candidacy appears destined to settle itself. Assuming he wants to play well into his 30s, the two-time Super Bowl MVP still has plenty of seasons left in the tank, and doesn't seem to be overly threatened by any other AFC contenders. With the fluky nature of the NFL postseason, winning Super Bowl 59 next year almost carries a higher amount of significance than doing so in consecutive years at another point down the line. Expecting the Chiefs to rip off five straight titles is crazy, but pressure to get the job done next season should be present.
Both Kelce and Reid are battling age just as much as they're battling the next opponent, and this current Chiefs core has the ability to win together another time or two, so they're remembered more as a unit and not just as individuals. Mahomes will likely write a chapter long after Kelce and Reid retire, involving a couple more titles that might dismiss inevitable narratives about their roles.
The Chiefs' focus must now be on raising the bar and doing the unachievable. Instead of smelling the flowers during post-Super Bowl festivities, Mahomes, Kelce, and Reid should envision growing a garden fans will celebrate decades from now.