We all remember the now infamous 2020 Kansas City Chiefs “Run it Back” campaign. It was a great idea…until it wasn’t. The Chiefs, coming off of a Super Bowl title following the 2019 season were unable to complete the run-it-back tour and were beaten soundly in Super Bowl LV by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. So now, here we are, three years later and a chance to repeat as Super Bowl champions once again.
This time, perhaps, it will be different. The Chiefs are in a strong position to repeat following a 14-3 season and another run to glory. The team accomplished this without standout receiver Tyreek Hill, whom was traded to Miami during the 2022 offseason. Now, let’s take a look at why KC is in a great position to remain steadfast atop the NFL mountaintop.
5 reasons the Chiefs will repeat as Super Bowl champs
- Team Depth. GM Brett Veach has done a tremendous job at creating solid roster depth over the last three years, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Veach drafted and engineered an entire new secondary in 2022 and we expect many of those players (Jaylen Watson, Joshua Williams, Trent McDuffie etc.) to continue to improve in year two.
- The Reid & Mahomes Effect. There’s not secret that these two comprise the most effective coach/QB combination in the league. These two have won 73 games together including two Super Bowls, four straight AFC Championship game appearances (at Arrowhead) and have turned KC into the NFL’s gold-standard organization.
- The AFC is vastly talented but unproven in January. You know getting through the vaunted AFC is a long row to hoe. There are capable quarterbacks and teams at every turn. The only problem is that none of them (aside from Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers) have won a Super Bowl. We’ve seen flashes from franchises like the Bills and Bengals but teams like the Chargers with Justin Herbert have yet to even win a playoff game. As Patrick Mahomes once famously said, “I’ll see it when I believe it.”
- THE LINE!!! The Chiefs have quietly built one of the best offensive lines in football and it should be even better than it was in 2022. The team added veteran LT Donovan Smith to the fold and signed free agent Jawaan Taylor. This appears to be an upgrade from last year’s tackle situation with Orlando Brown Jr. and Andrew Wiley moving on to new teams.
- This defense is no joke. I mentioned the overall depth above. This defense has a chance to be very good with linebackers Willie Gay & Nick Bolton taking on important leadership roles while the young secondary continues to improve. The defensive line certainly has question marks but adding Chris Jones to the mix should help ease those preseason struggles.
Causes for concern
- The receiver position. Who will emerge as Mahomes’ go-to aside from Travis Kelce? Can Skyy Moore make a major leap from year one to year two? Can Kadarius Toney stay healthy enough to play in football games?
- The schedule is brutal once again. The Chiefs will have to navigate another gauntlet of a first place schedule playing seven playoff teams from a year ago.
- Chris Jones? We expect Chris to join the team and play under the final year of his contract but the Chiefs defensive line is…suspect at best without his services.
