The Kansas City Chiefs are looking to make history this season, as the reigning back-to-back champions will attempt to complete the NFL's first-ever three-peat. There's no doubt that Kansas City is a prime candidate for another title, but what hurdles will the Chiefs have to overcome?
Conor Orr of SI created a list of his "12 teams that could actually win Super Bowl LIX," cutting the 32-team league down to a dozen contenders. Orr's list includes seven AFC teams but only one from the AFC West: the back-to-back champs.
"It would be strange for the Chiefs to not be in the conversation, though I do think they will have to figure themselves out offensively," Orr wrote. "The Patriots evolved so many times during the Bill Belichick–Tom Brady era, and now Andy Reid and Mahomes are going to have to figure out what the offense looks like without a table-setting tight end who can mask a ton of mistakes playing at the absolute highest level. Travis Kelce is still great, but it’s ridiculous to expect him to be what he was for another few seasons. Defensively, the Chiefs may be in their golden era as defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has found a harmony with the best players in his secondary and has stocked up on talented and willing role players who are young and only getting better."
I'll nitpick Orr's Kelce points on two fronts. First, perhaps semantically, I don't know what "another few seasons" from Kelce has to do with the 2024 analysis. Secondly, Kelce's much-discussed 2023 campaign ended with 93 catches for 984 yards in 15 games, and I wonder if it would be getting half as much attention if Kelce had crossed the 1,000-yard mark for the eighth-consecutive season.
It's worth knowing that Kelce's new two-year contract could be a clue to his retirement plan, but questions about his level of play have been overblown since starting the season on the sideline after suffering an injury in the final practice before the 2023 season began. Kelce may be more of an injury risk than he's been in years past, but I think it's too dramatic to say Kelce won't still be a "table-setting tight end who can mask a ton of mistakes" in '24. He did that with a worse supporting cast last season, and he peaked during KC's playoff run. The Chiefs shouldn't ask him to carry the offense on his shoulders again this season, but that's different than predicting a precipitous drop-off.
I agree that the offense will have to retool to some degree, though I think that's a welcome sight for Mahomes and Reid after a frustrating 2023. Especially with Marquise "Hollywood" Brown set to supply much-needed stability, there may even be more pressure on the Chiefs' defense to meet the high standard it set for itself last season.
