As the NFL gears up for another season this week, the Kansas City Chiefs find themselves at the center of a potentially historic feat: Securing a third consecutive Super Bowl title.
Achieving a three-peat is a rare accomplishment in professional sports; no team has managed to do so in the history of commissioner Roger Goodell’s league. On top of that, no team that won back-to-back Super Bowls even returned to the big game the following year.
“I haven’t heard one time, three-peat, but I’ve watched it and felt it by their work ethic,” Kansas City coach Andy Reid said last week.
The Chiefs made some crucial additions to the team, adding Marquise “Hollywood” Brown and Xavier Worthy at the receiver position. Worthy ran the 40-yard dash in a very fast 4.21 seconds, drawing comparisons to Miami Dolphins wideout Tyreek Hill. The Chiefs envision him as a potential deep threat that Patrick Mahomes can utilize.
“Offensively, we’ve got some young guys, some new guys that are picking things up at a rapid pace,” Reid said. “They’re doing a phenomenal job of studying and making sure they have all of this down.”
The Chiefs are building a dynasty, having won three Super Bowls since 2020 behind a core of marketable superstars: Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce, and defensive lineman Chris Jones.
“I’ve never seen a group of leaders like we’ve got here,” Reid said. “The peers are willing to listen because those guys have been in the game doing it.”
The Chiefs open on Thursday night against the Baltimore Ravens.
CAN THE JETS SOAR ONCE AND FOR ALL?
The New York Jets are a possible AFC team that could dethrone the Chiefs, as former NFL MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers returns after missing 16 games last season with a torn achilles.
“The camp is much harder this year, and maybe the hardest in the last seven or eight of my career,” said Rodgers, who has a host of weapons with him on offense for a club that hasn’t won a Super Bowl since 1969.
Without Rodgers last season, New York still managed a 7-10 record behind a deep defense that was top 10 in opponent points per game. And this season, the schedule appears quite manageable.
Currently in a 13-year playoff drought, the Jets are looking for Rodgers to be their savior at quarterback in a division that also features Buffalo Bills star Josh Allen and Miami Dolphins signal-caller Tua Tagovailoa.
“There’s a lot of different schools of thought, and there’s always people you can scapegoat as far as injuries and different things,” Rodgers said, summing up a grueling camp as the Jets prepared for the season “But I think some of the older guys enjoy, to steal a coaching word, the callous part of the training camp where you’re kind of grinding.”
The grind is what matters for a team like the Jets, who have a bunch of young budding stars such as wide receiver Garrett Wilson, running back Breece Hall, and cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner. They also have a few veterans lined up to teach these young players about the gritty part of NFL seasons.
“It doesn’t matter if you played in the preseason or are in your tenth year or twentieth year,” Rodgers said. “It always helps once you get that first shot out of the way.”
JIM HARBAUGH RETURNS TO THE NFL SIDELINES
Another returning veteran to the NFL is coach Jim Harbaugh, now with the Los Angeles Chargers. After nine seasons at the University of Michigan, he is back to help the rebuilding AFC West club.
The Chargers traded away wide receiver Keenan Allen, released wideout Mike Williams, and let running back Austin Ekeler go in free agency. Undergoing a complete turnaround for offensive talent won’t be easy for Harbaugh.
“The communication with the players is they want to work, they can’t wait to work,” Harbaugh said. “They’re ready to work and they want to win.”
The Chargers had a down season last year due to injuries, but Harbaugh is ready to work this team. Los Angeles star Justin Herbert is one of several star quarterbacks who did not finish the season due to injury. Rookie Anthony Richardson, a first-round pick of the Indianapolis Colts who starred at the University of Florida, is another.
“There’s a lot of great leadership on our football team,” Harbaugh said in naming captains, and clearly showing a tip of the cap to Herbert.
ROOKIE QUARTERBACKS READY TO ROLL
Like Richardson last year, there are several rookie quarterbacks who are the headline attractions for teams in this season. In fact, three of six first-round picks have already been named a starting quarterback.
The first pick of this year’s NFL Draft, Caleb Williams, has the most expectations after the Chicago Bears traded Justin Fields to allow Williams to the starting role. With a talented team around him in Chicago, he’s already been named captain.
Jayden Daniels of the Washington Commanders and Bo Nix of the Denver Broncos will also make their starting debut in Week 1, both on teams with low expectations. This will allow them to take time and develop rather than being thrown to the fire like Williams.
“I still got some ways to go,” said Daniels, who won the Heisman Trophy last year while with LSU. “Just little stuff, go out there and still compete.”
