When it was all said and done, it proved to be business as usual for a franchise that has played in the final NFL game of the season four of the last five years.
The Kansas City Chiefs prevailed over the San Francisco 49ers, 25-22, in Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium. It was only the second time that this championship series reached overtime, and the victory enabled the Chiefs to repeat as Super Bowl champions. It was a feat that hadn’t been achieved since Bill Belichick led the New England Patriots to back-to-back titles in 2003 (XXXVIII) and ’04 (XXXIX).
Now comes the inevitable question. Can Andy Reid's team do what has never been done during the Super Bowl Era?
What’s Next for the Kansas City Chiefs?
As has been well-documented, no team has won three consecutive Super Bowls. The last club to be in the Chiefs’ position was the aforementioned Patriots. After winning consecutive Lombardi Trophies in 2003 and 2004, New England won the AFC East in 2005 with a 10-6 record. A home playoff victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars was followed by a 27-13 loss at Denver in the divisional round.
As for Andy Reid’s team, it has a lot of young standouts – especially on the offensive side of the ball. Rookie wide receiver Rashee Rice was a second-round pick in April. Defensive end George Karlaftis, All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie and running back Isiah Pacheco were all part of the draft class of 2022. That bodes well for a roster that general manager Brett Veach has managed to restock in recent years.
Biggest Offseason Concern?
It was a big year for Steve Spagnuolo’s defensive unit. Only the Browns gave up fewer total yards per game and only the Ravens allowed fewer points this past season. While quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City offense had its ups and downs, it’s worth noting that the Chiefs played a total of 21 games this season – including the playoffs. The team did not allow at least 30 points in any of those contests.
All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones and solid four-year cornerback L’Jarius Sneed are amongst the key performers could test the free-agent market next month. It’s is imperative that the team secure their services for the future sooner than later. However, that could be a lot easier said than done.