Beating Denver gave KC Chiefs a 12th win and spot on a short list of elite NFL teams
Some will say it’s too early to label the Kansas City Chiefs a dynasty during Patrick Mahomes’ time as the starting quarterback.
But with their 28-24 win over the Broncos on Saturday, the Chiefs became just the fifth NFL team to win 12 games each season in a four-year span.
The San Francisco 49ers of the late 1980s and early 1990s never did it. Ditto for the Steelers or Dolphins dynasties of the 1970s.
Here are the four other teams, per the Chiefs:
- Patriots: 2010-17 (8 seasons)
- Colts: 2003-09 (7 seasons)
- Cowboys: 1992-95 (4 seasons)
- Broncos: 2012-15 (4 seasons)
Like the Chiefs, each of those teams appeared in a minimum of two Super Bowls and won at least one.
In Alex Smith’s final season as KC’s starting quarterback in 2017, the Chiefs finished with a 10-6 record and won the AFC West, their second straight division title.
Mahomes became the starter in 2018 and the Chiefs won the West with a 12-4 record and played host to their first AFC Championship Game.
The following season, the Chiefs again had a 12-4 record, won the West and were host of the AFC Championship Game. They won the Super Bowl that season.
In 2020, the Chiefs had a 14-2 record, won the West, were home for the AFC Championship Game and advanced to the Super Bowl.
This season’s 12 victories, give the Chiefs a 50-15 regular-season record since Mahomes took over as the starter.
This story was originally published January 9, 2022 at 8:33 AM.
