Times around One Arrowhead Drive have changed since the team brought a couple of championships to Kansas City. Before, the Chiefs were viewed as the lowly midwestern club whose glory days came and went during the cusp of the 1960s, with the finale being the historic win over the Vikings in Super Bowl IV.
Over the next 50 years, the Chiefs franchise has gone through various stages. They have been considered the clowns of the league at times and others the bridesmaids, but never the bride. For a long time, watching Chiefs football was a fun way to spend a fall afternoon. However, the fun would typically end heartbreakingly as the team often failed to make it past the first round of the postseason.
In 2019, everything changed for Chiefs Kingdom when quarterback Patrick Mahomes led them to their first Super Bowl journey and won the Lombardi Trophy. This was a momentous occasion for many Chiefs fans who never thought they would see their team win the championship. After this victory, the Chiefs became a team that other fans from across the league congratulated. But only briefly.
Fast forward six seasons later, the Chiefs are on top of the football landscape, appearing in their fourth Super Bowl and aiming to secure their third Lombardi to cement their status in the record books as a dynasty. The funny thing is that Kansas City has accomplished so much in such a short period and done so with almost the entire football world rooting against them.
It’s like the old Harvey Dent quote from Christopher Nolan’s ‘Dark Knight’; “You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.”
After winning Super Bowl 54, the Chiefs are the villains and have quickly become one of the most despised teams in the NFL today. That’s not just from an opposing fan’s perspective. No team has received more disdain from the national media than the Chiefs have. This was an issue defensive tackle Chris Jones pointed out during his media availability in Las Vegas on Monday.
“For some reason, everybody used to love us,” the veteran recalled. “We used to be one of the most favorite teams, and now everybody’s like, ‘We’re ready for the Chiefs to lose.’ I don’t know why [or] what changed. What dramatic incidents happened to where everybody felt like we should lose now, but that’s okay. They can continue hating.”
Jones isn’t the only player embracing the role of the villain; teammate Travis Kelce has also dealt with his fair share of hate this season. Whether it be his success with the Chiefs, his performance during the regular season, or his personal life, the All-Pro tight end has been a target. Kelce chimed back at 49er fans in attendance on Monday for booing him as he spoke on the public address microphone.
“Y’all are firing me up, making me want to play right now,” shouted Kelce. “I love the boos more than I love the cheers. Keep them coming, Niner’s gang, keep them coming.”
The playful banter from Kelce shows the Chiefs aren’t intimidated by the opposition rooting against them. If anything, they see it as a challenge to prove they are the best team in the world and aren’t going anywhere. The last two postseason victories on the road over the Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens confirmed the team’s resilience and mental toughness to handle hostile environments.
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