By Vahe Gregorian
Kansas Metropolis Star
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A distant period again but merely 5 years in the past, the Chiefs’ playoff historical past was among the many most tormented within the NFL. And Andy Reid was a 62-year-old coach with a neon void on an in any other case stellar resume.
Via the half-century since their final Tremendous Bowl berth, the Chiefs have been 5-17 in postseason video games marked by soul-crushing losses usually underscored with a sure slapstick flourish.
The dynamic of hopes raised solely to be razed was demoralizing sufficient to make some followers query whether or not it was well worth the misery or surprise if GEHA Discipline at Arrowhead Stadium was cursed. And it appeared that Reid may properly end a distinguished profession with out the excellence of successful a Tremendous Bowl.
That’s why Reid and the then-cuddly perpetual underdog Chiefs have been the overwhelming sentimental favorites in Tremendous Bowl LIV in opposition to the 49ers. Round NFL teaching and enjoying circles, amongst nationwide pundits and even in Philadelphia, the place Reid coached from 1999-2012, that 31-20 victory was extensively celebrated as an overdue breakthrough — and maybe a form of lifetime achievement award for Reid.
A high-quality story of redemption and inspiration for all … if the Chiefs had simply had the consideration to finish it there.
Besides that second rudely turned out to be not the top for Reid and the Chiefs.
As a substitute, it was the christening of a juggernaut now in search of to increase a dynasty with an unprecedented third straight title because it prepares for the AFC championship sport in opposition to visiting Buffalo Sunday night time.
With that, the novelty of the brand new sensation has lengthy since yielded to what is perhaps thought of Chiefs fatigue for all however their very own followers — a notion maybe aptly paralleled by Patrick Mahomes showing in so many commercials {that a} current Doritos advert with Mahomes and teammates mocked his omnipresence.
Which helps clarify one other phenomenon:
Because the Chiefs are immersed in glory days approaching any of essentially the most hallowed in NFL historical past, to not point out having the temerity to let Taylor Swift in on the enjoyable, you may see indicators in every single place of how that preliminary admiration has been swamped by resentment.
Paradoxical because it is perhaps, because the Chiefs on one hand are having fun with world recognition, in addition they are “Public Enemy No. 1,” as offensive coordinator Matt Nagy put it final week.
He was talking about how they get each staff’s greatest shot all season lengthy.
However his phrases additionally replicate one thing much more widespread because the Chiefs put together for a extreme trial in opposition to the Payments.
Envy funneled into pettiness and conspiracy theories fueled by means of the net echo chamber of cynicism … and maybe an NFL broadcaster or two.
As a result of it’s apparently too difficult to fathom what the Chiefs have earned. Or too painful to just accept their success with out basically calling them frauds or cheaters.
Perhaps it’s solely human nature to need to diminish one thing that appears too good to be true and out of your grasp. So that you do what crabs in a bucket do: attempt to pull an escaping one again down with you.
“Don’t hate me as a result of I’m stunning,” the previous Pantene advert went.
However haters gonna hate, you may say.
So as a substitute of even grudging appreciation for a franchise that will likely be enjoying in its seventh straight AFC title sport, is in search of its fifth Tremendous Bowl look in six seasons and has received 22 of its final 23 video games with its regulars enjoying, the narrative has descended into tiresome and irrational rationalizing.
For some inexplicable motive, it goes, the league itself has scripted out the sensible scheme of propping up a franchise in its Twenty sixth-largest market set in so-called flyover nation. With that, referees now are required to sway video games in favor of the Chiefs.
That’s usually asserted with some cherry-picked anecdotal observations.
Nevertheless it’s additionally debunked by precise knowledge.
Let’s depend among the methods.
Since Mahomes grew to become QB1 for the Chiefs in 2018, in keeping with The thirty third Group FB, no staff within the NFL has extra penalty yards.
Within the final 5 common seasons, solely the Payments (16) have had extra touchdowns referred to as again for penalties than the Chiefs (13).
Within the 2024 season, by the way, the Chiefs tied the Dolphins for essentially the most offensive holding penalties with 31.
As for Mahomes having some form of velvet halo round him, properly, as of late December he was twenty first in roughing the passing penalties incurred per 100 move makes an attempt (0.603) amongst energetic quarterbacks; Buffalo’s Josh Allen is third (0.954).
Oh, then there’s the timeliness of the penalties, which Adam Chernoff of Proper Angle Sports activities referred to as “Delusion No. 4” in regards to the Chiefs in his evaluation: “This season, in a yr when the Chiefs are being labeled because the luckiest staff ever, within the second half of video games which can be inside one rating both approach, no staff has had extra flags thrown in opposition to them than the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs.”
That, he added, is “the exact opposite of what’s the commonest speaking level.”
A speaking level recklessly amplified final weekend.
That’s when ESPN’s Troy Aikman blasted a Houston unnecessary-roughness penalty on Mahomes (and a Mahomes flop on the sideline that Mahomes regretted, he stated Tuesday on his weekly radio look on 96.5 The Fan).
And when Houston’s Will Anderson stated, “We knew it was going to be us in opposition to the refs going into this sport.”
Hassle is, the unnecessary-roughness name and Anderson’s earlier roughing-the-passer penalty have been affirmed as appropriate to the letter of the foundations by NFL senior vice chairman of officiating Walt Anderson in an interview on the NFL Community.
When you didn’t just like the calls, in different phrases, your concern is with the foundations themselves. And, boy, is the opposite staff in your head if you happen to enter video games considering that approach.
Particularly when the information say in any other case.
However right here’s the factor:
Regardless of how you are feeling about these calls, the explanation the Chiefs dealt with Houston, 23-14, was as a result of they performed their NFL-record (at the least since 1960) eighth straight sport with out committing a turnover and sacked Houston’s C.J. Stroud eight occasions.
It was as a result of the Texans’ particular groups have been horrendous: They missed a discipline aim and an additional level and had one other field-goal try blocked. They allowed a 63-yard kickoff return on the primary play of the sport, didn’t get well the fumble and dedicated an apparent unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty to let the Chiefs begin the sport on the Houston 13-yard line.
They let Travis Kelce have his greatest sport of the season, and so they couldn’t cease a superhuman Mahomes landing move when the Chiefs wanted it most.
However certain, OK, it was due to the officiating.
And … the script.
Look, nobody is pretending officiating doesn’t matter and that there aren’t dangerous calls at occasions — to not point out infinite 50-50 ones everybody sees by means of their very own lens.
The Chiefs have some historical past themselves with bona fide bones of competition over postseason calls, from the weird interpretations of “ahead progress” within the 22-21 loss to Tennessee in 2018 to the correct-but-costly Dee Ford offside name in opposition to New England.
These have been essential performs.
However as a sensible man I do know likes to say, it’s the ballad of the loser to harp on officiating.
Was then. Is now.
Talking of these Patriots, I keep in mind naively considering alongside the best way these previous couple of years that these Chiefs wouldn’t incur the identical form of backlash that these groups did in the event that they stored successful.
In any case, there’s been no Deflategate or Spygate with the Chiefs. Reid is much extra publicly amiable than the grim Invoice Belichick was. And if you happen to see Mahomes day-in and day-out you may solely be compelled by his winsome methods versus, properly, wait, why don’t lots of people like Tom Brady?
Perhaps it’s actually so simple as Mahomes put it throughout a coaching camp interview with the Kansas Metropolis Star earlier than the 2023 season.
“It’s not as enjoyable for different folks to root for us as a result of we’ve received a lot not too long ago,” he stated. “Nobody likes when a staff is successful so much. I keep in mind rising up, and I didn’t just like the Patriots as a result of they received on a regular basis.
“All people needs change. All of them need their alternative to win.”
The Chiefs discovered that 5 years in the past. They’re studying it an entire new approach now.