The Kansas City Chiefs’ bid for an unprecedented three-peat in the Super Bowl era ended, losing 40-22 to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX. Despite the loss, the Chiefs have enjoyed a remarkable seven-year run. In the past seven seasons, 2018-2024, the Chiefs won three Super Bowls, made five Super Bowl appearances, made the AFC Conference Championship game seven consecutive seasons, and compiled a 90-26-0 regular season record.
To extend that even further, in the past 10 years, 2015-2024, the Chiefs have made the post-season every year and compiled a 123-41-0 regular-season record. But how does the Chiefs’ success compare to others in the Super Bowl era?
Undefeated ’72 Dolphins (photo, Sports on Earth)
The greatest single season in the Super Bowl era is an easy choice. Although there have been 59 Super Bowl champions, only one team went undefeated in the regular season and went on to win the Super Bowl, the 1972 Miami Dolphins.
Nine teams have won back-to-back Super Bowl titles: Green Bay in 1966 and 1967, Miami in 1972 and 1973, Pittsburgh in 1974 and 1975, Pittsburgh again in 1978 and 1979, San Francisco in 1988 and 1989, Dallas in 1992 and 1993, Denver in 1997 and 1998, New England in 2003 and 2004, and Kansas City in 2022 and 2023.
Of those nine teams, boosted by their undefeated season in 1972, Don Shula’s Dolphins had a 26-2 record, the best two-year run of all, for a winning percentage of .929. The 2003 and 2004 New England Patriots were the next best, going 28-4 for a winning percentage of .875.
Since no team has won three consecutive Super Bowls, the best result is to appear in three consecutive Super Bowls and win two, and only three teams have accomplished that. Miami compiled a 36-5-1 record from 1971 to 1973, with a winning percentage of .869. New England, from 2016 to 2018, had a 38-10 record, with a winning percentage of .792, and Kansas City, from 2022 to 2024, had a 40-11 record, with a winning percentage of .784.
The won-loss record indicates that the Dolphins had the most impressive three-year run.
The best four-year stretch in NFL history belongs to Jerry Jones’ Dallas Cowboys. From 1992-1995, the Cowboys were the only team in the Super Bowl era to win three Super Bowls in four years. They also made it to the conference championship game in 1994, the year they did not make the Super Bowl.
Two franchises vie for the best five-year run in the Super Bowl era. The New England Patriots, from 2014 to 2018, appeared in four Super Bowls, winning three, and lost in a conference championship game the year they failed to reach the Super Bowl. The Kansas City Chiefs, from 2019 to 2023, did the same thing, appearing in four Super Bowls, winning three, and losing in a conference championship game the year they failed to reach the Super Bowl.
So, how do you determine who had the best five-year run? The Patriots went 62-18 for a winning percentage of .775. The Chiefs were 63-20 for a winning percentage of .759. The winning percentage edge goes to the Patriots.
As for the best six-year run in the Super Bowl era, only one team won four Super Bowls in six years, the 1974-1979 Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers also made it to a fifth conference championship game during that time and made the post-season each year.
#78 Dwight White, #63 Ernie Holmes, #58 Jack Lambert (photo Steelers Wire, USAToday)
The best seven-year run also belongs to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who won four Super Bowls from 1973-1979, appeared in five conference championship games, and won seven consecutive post-seasons. Ditto for the best eight-year run in the Super Bowl era. From 1972-1979, the Pittsburgh Steelers won four Super Bowls, appeared in six conference championship games, and won eight straight post-seasons.
There is competition for the best nine-year run. The 1981-1989 San Francisco 49ers won four Super Bowls, appeared in five conference championship games, made the post-season eight times, and had a winning percentage of .724, with a record of 98-37-1, but that’s still not as good as the 1972-1980 Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers won four Super Bowls, appeared in six conference championship games, one more than the 49ers, made the post-season eight times, and had a winning percentage of .739, with a record of 97-34-1.
For the best 10-year run? From 1972-1981, the Steelers won four Super Bowls, appeared in six conference championship games, made the post-season eight times, and had a record of 105-42-1, for a winning percentage of .713. But the best decade-long run goes to the 1981-1990 San Francisco 49ers that won four Super Bowls, appeared in six conference championship games, made the post-season nine times, and had a record of 112-39-1, for a winning percentage of .742.
Travis Kelce (photo, Chiefs Wire-USA Today)
So, what’s left for the Chiefs to accomplish? If the Chiefs win Super Bowl LX, they will have three Super Bowl victories in four years and four straight appearances, surpassing the Cowboys for the best four-year run.
If the Chiefs go 14-3 in 2025 and win Super Bowl LX, here’s what that would do:
–It would give the 2021-2025 Chiefs the best five-year run in the Super Bowl era by appearing in four Super Bowls, winning three, and making five conference championship games.
–It would give the Chiefs an edge by a better won-loss record, 66-19 with a winning percentage of .776, than New England from 2014-2018 (62-18 record for a winning percentage of .775),
–It would give the Chiefs’ run from 2018-2023 a winning percentage of .759 when they were 63-20.
–It would also give the Chiefs the best seven-year run in the Super Bowl era, with four wins in seven years, two appearances in two others, and a conference championship game loss in seven seasons.
In addition, winning four Super Bowls and appearing in six total would also give the Chiefs the best eight-, nine-, and 10-year runs in the Super Bowl era.
Kansas City’s success has been incredible, but the next few years will determine whether it becomes even more historic.
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John Baranowski is a sports historian and contributor to newspapers, sports publications, and sports websites. This and other articles written by him can be found on his blog.
