The Chiefs’ best moments of the season, ranked, before this year’s NFL playoffs begin
Editor’s note: The following is a glimpse of what you’ll find in our Sunday, Jan. 10 special section entitled “Run it Back” — a celebration of the Chiefs 14-2 regular season ...
The year 2020 didn’t exactly unfold as one big party after the Chiefs won the Super Bowl in early February (thanks, COVID), but the season that followed their NFL championship certainly produced its share of sweet moments.
Here, before the Chiefs’ Run it Back campaign hits playoff overdrive, we’ve assembled our Top 20 moments of 2020 as determined by KC Star staff who cover the team.
1. Bling in the Kingdom
The Chiefs receive their Super Bowl LIV championship rings in a special ceremony livestreamed from Arrowhead Stadium to fans on Sept. 1, nine days before their season opener there against the Houston Texans.
2. No. 1 with a vengeance
The Chiefs secure the AFC’s No. 1 seed with a 17-14 home win vs. the Atlanta Falcons. Tanoh Kpassagnon gets a finger on a field-goal attempt that would’ve sent the game to OT. Also huge: Tyreek Hill runs down a probable pick-6.
3. 87 and running
Travis Kelce hauls in the game-winning 22-yard touchdown catch from Patrick Mahomes Nov. 22 as the Chiefs outlast the Raiders (notably, the only team to have beaten them at this point in the season). Final score: 35-31 at Vegas. Revenge is sweet.
4. Too much Tyreek
Tyreek Hill has a historic first quarter in the Chiefs’ Nov. 29 win at Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay Bucs: 203 receiving yards and two TDs. He finishes with 13 catches for 269 yards as Patrick Mahomes completes 37 of 49 passes for 462 yards and 3 TDs.
5. Buttkicker special
Harrison Butker becomes just the second man in NFL history to boot two 58-yard field goals in the same game. His second and third provide the game-winning points in OT as KC beats the Chargers 23-20 at L.A.
6. Best all-time
Travis Kelce retakes the NFL record for most receiving yards in a season by a tight end from George Kittle. His seven catches for 98 yards as the Chiefs beat the Atlanta Falcons 17-14 at Arrowhead Stadium gives him 1,416 yards with one game to play.
7. High rollers
Patrick Mahomes signs a record half-billion-dollar contract in an offseason that also produces new deals for DT Chris Jones, coach Andy Reid and GM Brett Veach, among others in the organization. Mahomes then proceeds to play like an MVP.
8. How the West was won (again)
The Chiefs’ 22-16 win at Arrowhead on Dec. 6 wraps up their fifth straight AFC West title. The victory, fueled by big plays, is their 11th in a row over the Broncos. If you’re a fan of the team in orange ... ouch for you.
9. Catch & Release
Big-man TD alert! O-lineman Eric Fisher hauls in the first scoring pass of his NFL career. He’d reported as an eligible receiver on the nifty play designed by Andy Reid and showed sure hands in cradling Mahomes’ pass at Baltimore Sept. 28. Oh, and the Chiefs dispatched the Ravens 34-20. So, why “Catch & Release”? Big Fish. Fishing. You get it.
10. Ferrari? Right!
Andy Reid continues his blitzkrieg of football convention with a play that seems too crazy to work, yet surely does: Mahomes goes in motion before the snap against Carolina, then fires a TD to Demarcus Robinson. ... WHAT?!
11. Dirty Dan the man
Safety Daniel Sorensen makes life miserable for Lee’s Summit and Mizzou product Drew Lock, stepping in front of the Denver Broncos quarterback’s pass and returning it 50 yards for a pick-6 touchdown. Mormon Missile, in effect.
12. Opening a can of ....
We’re just gonna come out and say it: When Byron Pringle’s in the game, and he gets his hands on the ball, good things tend to happen. Such was the case at Denver in Week 7, when the K-State product returned a kick 102 yards for a score.
13. Smoked Sausage
Anthony Sherman, nicknamed The Sausage, was the beneficiary of this piece of Andy Reid trickery. On a misdirection screen pass near the Ravens’ goal line on Sept. 28, No. 42 hauls in Mahomes’ underhand shovel for six.
14. See Clyde run
Clyde Edwards-Helaire, the Chiefs’ top draft pick this year, shows up and shows out in his first game as a pro. The LSU product breaks ankles (figuratively speaking) on a bruising 22-yard TD run in the third quarter against Houston.
15. Close in NOLA
Billed as potential Super Bowl preview, the Dec. 20 Chiefs-Saints showdown in New Orleans didn’t disappoint. While Drew Brees looked rusty, the Saints’ D was on point. But the Chiefs completed their perfect road season with a 32-29 victory.
16. Thank you very much
Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu helps put the finishing touches on a 26-10 victory over the Patriots at Arrowhead on Oct. 5, intercepting a Jarrett Stidham pass intended for Julian Edelman and scoring a high-stepping pick-6.
17. Comeback kids
The Chiefs leave no doubt that they’re going to pick up where they left off in February, when they came back to beat the 49ers in Super Bowl LIV. After falling behind 7-0 in their home and season opener vs. Houston, it‘s all Chiefs as the champs win 34-20.
18. Ground and pound
The Chiefs’ rushing game goes off to the tune of 245 total yards against a good Bills team on the road. With his line opening gaping holes and a relentlessly slashing style, rookie Clyde Edwards-Helaire leads the way with 161.
19. He gone
Playing in the Miami Gardens, Fla., stadium in which they won Super Bowl LIV, the Chiefs get a huge boost late as Mecole Hardman returns a Dolphins punt 67 yards to paydirt. Darius Harris and Chris Lammons make big blocks to spring him.
20. A solid-gold hit
Before a fourth-quarter snap vs. the Jets, Patrick Mahomes calls out “Rolex, Rolex” at the line of scrimmage. After the snap, Mahomes loops a beauty to Tyreek Hill: TD, 41 yards. The rout is on.