The Kansas City Chiefs are chasing history. Only the Philadelphia Eagles are standing in their way.
The Chiefs are the NFL ninth team to win back-to-back Super Bowls and are trying to become the first to win three straight championships in the Super Bowl era when they meet the Eagles on Feb. 9 in New Orleans for Super Bowl LIX (6:30 p.m. ET, Fox).
Kansas City went 15-2 during the regular season, tying for the best record in the NFL with the Detroit Lions. It was still underwhelming at times. Eleven of the Chiefs’ wins came by one score, and they ranked 11th in point margin per game at 3.47.
But they managed to win a ninth straight AFC West championship, clinch the AFC’s top playoff seed and earn the conference’s only first-round postseason bye. Playing both of their playoff games at Arrowhead Stadium, the Chiefs beat the Houston Texans 23-14 in the divisional round before winning the AFC Championship Game over the Buffalo Bills 32-29.
The victory over the Bills was the 17th straight for the Chiefs in games decided by one score. The streak is an NFL record and dates back to 2023 when they won their final three postseason games by seven points or fewer.
Ahead of Super Bowl LIX, we assess the biggest questions surrounding this Chiefs team. — Adam Teicher
How well can the Chiefs defend the Eagles’ tush push?
Judging solely by how they defended the play against the Bills in the AFC Championship Game, the Chiefs have reason to believe they can hold up well. Allen and Buffalo tried it six times against the Chiefs but converted twice. One stop came on fourth down at the Kansas City 41 in the fourth quarter when the Chiefs trailed by a point. They used the favorable field position to score the go-ahead touchdown, though the Bills would eventually score a TD of their own to tie the score at 29-29.
“The [defensive] line has to be dominant,” defensive tackle Chris Jones said after the game on how the Chiefs defended the tush push. “Your two [nose guards] and your two ends have to be physical on the inside. We were very successful tonight in limiting Josh Allen on the QB sneaks.”
Kansas City hasn’t fared as well in defending quarterback Jalen Hurts on the tush push. He used it to score two touchdowns against the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII two years ago. Hurts also used it to score the winning touchdown against Kansas City in the fourth quarter of a Week 11 regular-season game last season. — Teicher
How does Eagles running back Saquon Barkley change the game plan for Chiefs offensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo?
I expect Spagnuolo to get an additional defender in his front against Barkley, which would reduce the split-safety shells the Chiefs like to use. Whether it happens with pre-snap alignment or a safety spinning down late, Kansas City simply needs more bodies in the box. That means playing a heavier dose of man-free coverage and three-deep zone coverage to add the cut-off defender near the line of scrimmage.
Plus, the Chiefs must win the edges to limit the Eagles’ run game. Philly will use pin/pull concepts to get Barkley on the perimeter, often from condensed sets. Spagnuolo can put his defensive ends in a wide-9 or 7-technique, which won’t allow the Eagles to crack or pin inside as easily. It also means matching on the backside to take away the run-pass option throw for quarterback Jalen Hurts. — Matt Bowen
What is different about this Chiefs team than the past two Super Bowl teams?
Kansas City won the past two championships with much different styles. This season’s group is much closer to the 2023 team. The Chiefs, for the second straight season, are far less explosive offensively than they were in many of the years since Patrick Mahomes became their starting quarterback in 2018.
In 2023 and 2024, Kansas City ranked 15th in the league in scoring, averaging 21.8 points per game and 22.65, respectively. In contrast, the 2022 Chiefs led the NFL in scoring at 29.2. The Chiefs’ defense was second in scoring defense (17.3) in 2023 while they were fourth in 2024 (19.2). And after a sluggish start to the season in rushing the opposing quarterback (21 sacks in the first 11 games), the Chiefs turned things around with 28 sacks in the final eight games, counting their two playoff matchups. They sacked Texans QB C.J. Stroud eight times in their divisional playoff win over Houston. — Teicher
It’s natural to wonder how the Chiefs’ wideouts will fare against the Eagles after Hopkins, Brown and Smith-Schuster were held without a catch in the Chiefs’ playoff win over the Texans. None were able to consistently shake free of coverage, and Mahomes didn’t often have time to wait for them to get open, which could also be a problem against Philadelphia’s pass rush.
Kansas City hasn’t been able to get many big plays down the field during the season, though protection problems have played a part in that. While the Chiefs might lack a high-end wide receiver like the Eagles’ A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, they make up for it in depth.
Worthy, Hopkins and Smith-Schuster have all had turns with big games for the Chiefs. Worthy, the Chiefs’ first-round draft pick this season, has come a long way since training camp, and his development suggests he could become one of the league’s most effective wide receivers in time. He has evolved from a deep threat to a well-rounded receiver the team has come to count on for yards after the catch. Smith-Schuster delivered the Chiefs’ two longest pass plays of their AFC Championship Game victory over the Bills, one of 31 yards and the other 29. Both featured yards after the catch. Brown, after a preseason injury, played in just four games, including two in the playoffs. He barely missed connecting with Mahomes on a pair of big plays in the playoffs, suggesting his turn to provide big plays isn’t far off. — Teicher
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How will the Chiefs’ offense adjust to attack the Eagles’ defense?
The same way they’ve attacked every defense this season: very, very precisely. One week after Travis Kelce‘s divisional round performance deemed “Playoff Kelce” is back like he never left, he had two catches for 19 yards against the Bills. In that same game, Mahomes had two rushing touchdowns for the first time in his career. His 11 carries were also a single-game high for him. The Chiefs, who now have accumulated an impossible wealth of postseason experience and a deep bag of offensive styles, are ridiculously good at finding a few things that opponents will struggle with, then relentlessly turning those screws.
Against the Eagles in Super Bowl LVII, the Chiefs took advantage of predictable man coverage in the low red zone, throwing multiple touchdown passes off the same pre-snap motion meant to put the Eagles’ secondary in communication binds. I wouldn’t be surprised if much of the same occurs on the interior this time, where backup linebacker Oren Burks and starting safety Reed Blankenship have been the most tested Eagles defenders. And, of course, Mahomes’ legs will never fail him in the postseason. — Ben Solak
Could this be Kelce’s final game?
It could be, but I bet it’s not. While it would be fair to say the 35-year-old Kelce has lost a step — his 8.5 yards per reception and three touchdown catches were his lowest regular-season totals since his 2013 rookie season when he had zero catches — he remains incredibly productive.
Kelce’s 97 catches in 2024 marked his seventh consecutive season of 90 receptions or more, and he remains a fundamental piece of coach Andy Reid’s offense. His 117-yard outing against the Texans in the divisional playoff round shows he can still turn it on when it matters most. Kelce’s chemistry with Mahomes is also difficult to quantify — his presence frees things up for Kansas City’s talented receiving corps in ways that are not always perceptible. Plus, Kelce is under contract for 2025 and stands to collect $17.25 million. Even with an potential acting career in his future, it would be tough for Kelce to walk away from that kind of cash as well as a chance at a possible four-peat. — Jeremy Fowler