Chiefs’ Super Bowl 2023 victory: AFC foes missed a huge opportunity

If it wasn’t apparent previous to final Wednesday’s Super Bowl LVII parade in Kansas Metropolis, Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Brett Veach and others made it abundantly clear: the Kansas City Chiefs have been celebrating successful one other Lombardi Trophy throughout a season that others had described as a rebuilding yr.

There’s simply no different approach to describe what occurred. A future Corridor of Fame huge receiver was traded away. Virtually 20% of the workforce’s gamers have been of their first NFL season. That’s not a workforce that’s speculated to be taking part in in a Tremendous Bowl. That’s some extent that was repeatedly made by analysts and oddsmakers all through the season.

So whereas Kansas Metropolis followers proceed to have fun successful one other world title, let’s study why people ought to nonetheless be shopping for Chiefs inventory. A lot to the dismay of fan bases in Cincinnati, Buffalo, Baltimore and a number of other different AFC cities, there are extra causes than ever to imagine the franchise might ought to get again to the highest in a number of of the seasons to come back.

Organizational synergy

After all, the Chiefs’ elite, dynastic-level manufacturing begins with quarterback Patrick Mahomes. He’s the lynchpin that reworked the group from a constant playoff workforce to a perennial Tremendous Bowl contender. However he isn’t alone. Different Corridor of Fame-caliber gamers like tight finish Travis Kelce and defensive deal with Chris Jones additionally play massive roles.

The remainder of the roster prospers round these superstars due to how effectively your complete soccer operation works. At this level in head coach Andy Reid’s profession, he needs to do exactly two issues: coach the workforce and lead the offense. In Brett Veach, Reid has a basic supervisor he trusts implicitly; Veach and his workers have proved able to find physically-capable gamers with the fitting character to suit the workforce’s tradition — whether or not it’s by means of the draft, by commerce or by means of free company. From there, Reid and his well-respected coaches can deal with the remaining.

All of that is earlier than we even think about the constructive influence that these like Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt (or workforce president Mark Donovan) even have on the workforce’s tradition. Whereas we’re residing it, all of it sounds easy and apparent — nevertheless it’s one thing that only a few franchises ever get all the best way proper. From prime to backside, Kansas Metropolis has constructed the sort of group that’s required for the success the Chiefs at the moment take pleasure in.

Draft and monetary useful resource flexibility

Tremendous Bowl winners usually come out of the championship sport with restricted assets; they’ve all been used to win the title. Look no additional than final season’s Tremendous Bowl winners: the Los Angeles Rams. That franchise hasn’t chosen a first-round participant since 2016 — and within the aftermath of the commerce that landed them quarterback Matthew Stafford, they received’t choose in 2023’s first spherical, both.

Typical knowledge would recommend {that a} workforce that includes veteran stars like Mahomes, Kelce and Jones wouldn’t be in an important place with its wage cap. However proper now, the Chiefs can create as a lot cap area as they want. This can be a tribute to the sorts of contracts Veach has created — together with Mahomes’ (largely) team-friendly deal. Nonetheless, followers shouldn’t count on many main signings in free company. It’s extra seemingly that Veach will probably be specializing in extensions for homegrown gamers like Jones and cornerback L’Jarius Sneed — together with different younger gamers.

Throughout Mahomes’ first three seasons because the starter, Kansas Metropolis’s roster was fairly top-heavy; it largely trusted a handful of elite gamers to make the distinction in massive video games. Mathematically, that remained true in 2021 and 2022. Within the just-completed season, 5 gamers — Mahomes, Jones, Kelce, offensive deal with Orlando Brown Jr., and defensive finish Frank Clark — accounted for almost 50% of the workforce’s salary-cap spending.

However within the final two seasons, these star gamers (and their massive contracts) have been married up with some excellent younger gamers working beneath cheap rookie contracts. This championship won’t have been attainable with out gamers like offensive linemen Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith, linebackers Nick Bolton and Leo Chenal, working again Isiah Pacheco, defensive finish George Karlaftis, cornerbacks Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Watson and Joshua Williams, security Bryan Prepare dinner and a number of other different regular contributors.

Whereas the Chiefs will in all probability return the overwhelming majority of their key gamers for 2023, it’ll even be attainable to accumulate a number of veterans with out extreme monetary penalties. Moreover, the Chiefs are projected to have as many as 12 draft picks — at the least one in every spherical of the 2023 draft that will probably be hosted in Kansas Metropolis.

Actually, the Chiefs have managed their assets higher than some other critical contender — which this information clearly exhibits.

As we see right here, Kansas Metropolis’s obtainable assets are extra consistent with younger, rebuilding franchises than they’re to rivals just like the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins and Los Angeles Chargers — and even the lowly Denver Broncos.

Within the case of one other contender — the Cincinnati Bengals — ample cap area is on the market, however the workforce should finances for giant contract extensions that will probably be wanted for quarterback Joe Burrow and huge receivers Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase. Persevering with to enhance their offensive line (or keep a stout protection) will solely get tougher as these contracts are signed. That’s a hurdle the Chiefs have already been working by means of

Briefly, it’s fairly clear that Kansas Metropolis will enter the 2023 season with a good higher total roster than the one which simply received all of it. Does this assure we’ll see the Chiefs at Tremendous Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas subsequent February? After all not — however the odds are more likely to be significantly better than followers of different groups wish to admit.

A rising legend

With one other championship, the reward Kansas Metropolis has been receiving throughout the previous 5 seasons is additional justified.

It’s already frequent follow to count on a Mahomes-led workforce to come back again from double-digit deficits. After one other unimaginable comeback in Tremendous Bowl LVII, these expectations have been — excuse me, burrowed — into the minds of each followers and gamers.

Does this imply that veteran gamers chasing Tremendous Bowl rings will wish to play for the Chiefs? It’s hardly even up for debate any longer. Now that the franchise has separated itself from one-off Tremendous Bowl winners, there’s tangible proof {that a} participant’s finest likelihood to earn a championship ring is in Kansas Metropolis.

It won’t be honest, nevertheless it’s a reality: it’s nearly at all times simpler for NFL franchises to win a second, third or perhaps a fourth world championship than it’s to win the primary one. There’s a degree of psychological confidence and freedom that may solely be earned by securing that first title. Each time a workforce will get shut — however comes up quick — it solely will get tougher. The strain mounts.

However that’s not the case in Kansas Metropolis. With two Tremendous Bowl wins in 4 seasons, the expectation is success. The gamers, coaches and workers count on it — and know what it takes to attain it.

So for many who don’t just like the Chiefs — or need their very own workforce to surpass them — instances are arduous proper now. However for these supporting the franchise (and following alongside right here at Arrowhead Delight), instances have by no means been higher.