On Sunday, the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles will compete for the title of Super Bowl LIX Champions. Fifty-four years ago, the Chiefs won Super Bowl IV against the formidable Minnesota Vikings. Now, they can play in New Orleans again, connecting the past with the present.
Over the fifty years between his beloved franchise’s Super Bowl victories, the late Len Dawson often confided in me that, as he grew older, he became tired of discussing his team, which had dominated the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV. He longed for another quarterback to carry the torch for Chiefs Kingdom.
Patrick Mahomes was drafted in 2017. A year later, he excelled in the NFL and secured a Super Bowl victory in February 2020. I’m relieved that Lenny was alive to witness it, and I know it brought him and the Chiefs fans immense joy.
Little did he know that Mahomes would win two more Super Bowls and could potentially secure his fourth on Sunday, setting an NFL record with three consecutive Lombardi Trophies. This has never happened before, but the magic of New Orleans is undeniable.
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When the Chiefs faced the Vikings, they played against the Philadelphia Eagles. They had an outstanding quarterback in Joe Cap, formidable offensive players, and the Purple People Eaters on defense. The Chiefs were significant underdogs, but after winning two road games against the New York Jets and the Oakland Raiders, they had one week to prepare for the NFL’s top team.
Head Coach Hank Stram remained steadfast in believing he could defeat the Vikings. He was so confident that he agreed to let NFL Films record his sideline comments during the game, provided he received a small payment in return.
The Chiefs’ offense steadily advanced against the Vikings’ defense until the fourth quarter. Dawson threw a short pass to Otis Taylor, who sidestepped a tackle and high-stepped into the end zone, securing the Chiefs’ 23-7 victory.
Now, the Chiefs return to the Big Easy to play this game at the Superdome, though they’ve practiced all week at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, which hosted Super Bowl LIV.
Does that mean anything?
It might not mean much to a generation of Chiefs fans who only know the success of the Mahomes era, but it certainly does to those who endured disappointment for five decades between Super Bowls.
Playing in the city where the Chiefs won their first World Title—Kansas City’s first championship—should remind us how challenging it is to win one Super Bowl. The fact that the Chiefs are on the verge of making history by becoming the first Three-Peat champions in the Super Bowl era is not only improbable but also illogical.
Consider the number of games the Chiefs have won over three regular seasons to reach this point. They achieved forty regular-season victories and nine consecutive playoff wins during that period to advance to Super Bowl LIX.
They have faced the most demanding challenges from every team, and in those crucial games, they have triumphed. It’s hard to believe we’ve come this far since Mahomes was drafted in 2017.
Yet, here we are, and the opportunity to accomplish the impossible, which stood at less than two percent when the Chiefs entered the 2022 postseason, is now a fifty-fifty chance.
However, I can’t help but be reminded of the Super Bowl IV team and the heroes from that cherished group who have passed away. Hank Stram, Otis Taylor, Len Dawson, Fred Arbanas, Jim Lynch, Buck Buchanan, Curley Culp, Jim Kearney, and many others will keep their spirits alive in New Orleans on Sunday.
Undoubtedly, they’ll cheer for Mahomes and the Chiefs, but they should also feel proud of their historic upset on January 11, 1970. This Sunday, the Chiefs franchise can achieve a similar feat by breaking an NFL record that may never be surpassed again.
