Chiefs are four quarters away from NFL history

Four quarters from NFL history; that’s all that stands between the Chiefs and doing something no football team has ever done before.
Published: Jan. 22, 2025 at 5:31 PM CST
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Four quarters from NFL history; that’s all that stands between the Chiefs and doing something no football team has ever done before.

Prior to the Chiefs winning back-to-back Super Bowls, eight teams had won consecutive titles. However, none of them made it back to the Super Bowl while going for a third-straight championship.

In fact, only three of the previous eight made it to the conference championship game, the juncture where the Chiefs currently reside.

The Chiefs, playing in their seventh-consecutive AFC Title Game, must beat the Buffalo Bills to make NFL history.

“It’s just two really good teams going up against each other,” Patrick Mahomes said. “They have great players at every level on both sides of the ball and they are well coached.”

List of back-to-back Super Bowl Champions and their postseason outcome of the third season:

  • 2023-24 Chiefs -- ???
  • 2003-04 Patriots – Lost to Broncos 27-13 in Divisional Round
  • 1997-98 Broncos – Missed playoffs
  • 1992-93 Cowboys – Lost NFC Championship to 49ers 38-28
  • 1988-89 49ers – Lost NFC Championship to Giants 15-13
  • 1978-79 Steelers – Missed playoffs
  • 1975-75 Steelers – Lost AFC Championship to Raiders 24-7
  • 1972-73 Dolphins – Lost in Divisional Round to Raiders 28-26
  • 1966-67 Packers – Missed playoffs

Since Andy Reid took over as head coach of the Chiefs in 2013, the Chiefs are 7-5 against the Bills – including 4-4 with Mahomes as the starting quarterback. The rivalry is beginning to feel familiar.

“I feel like we play these guys all the time,” said Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid. “They know us. We know them.”

“It feels like a divisional game,” said Chiefs safety Justin Reid. “We know them really well. They know us really well. In the offseason, both of us are preparing for each other because we know we are going to come against each other probably twice like it feels every year. It’s one of the best matchups to play because that’s such a talented football team. They have so much firepower.”

Bills-Chiefs Rivalry Since 2020

  • 2020 Regular Season: Chiefs beat Bills 26-17
  • 2020 Playoffs: Chiefs beat Bills 38-24
  • 2021 Regular Season: Bills Beat Chiefs 38-20
  • 2021 Playoffs: Chiefs Beat Bills 42-36 (OT)
  • 2022 Regular Season: Bills beat Chiefs 24-20
  • 2023 Regular Season: Bills beat Chiefs 20-17
  • 2023 Playoffs: Chiefs Beat Bills 27-24
  • 2024 Regular Season: Bills beat Chiefs 30-21
  • 2024 Playoffs -- ???

With a win on Sunday, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes would win his ninth-straight playoff game– the second-longest streak in NFL history (Tom Brady, 10). Mahomes is anxious to make history, but he knows he’ll need his best stuff to beat the Bills.

“We’ve been able to beat them in the playoffs and they’ve gotten us in the regular season,” Mahomes said. “If you look at the games, every game is close. It just shows you it comes down to a play here or there that makes the impact on the outcome.”

As of Wednesday, oddsmakers say the Chiefs are two-point home favorites against Buffalo.