Super Bowl loss stings, but these aren’t the Abandoned Grill days for Chiefs fans

The Forward Progress Game. The No Punt Game. The No Touchdown Game.

Chiefs fans of a certain age will recognize those names. They’re all monikers for gut-wrenching playoff losses the Chiefs endured before the Patrick Mahomes Era began.

It was only seven years ago that an abandoned grill left in the Truman Sports Complex became symbolic of the Chiefs’ postseason woes. Again, there are some fans who may remember seeing this.

A former Star photographer snapped a photo of a discarded grill after one-and-done playoff appearances for the Chiefs after the 2016 and 2017 seasons. The Chiefs’ 22-21 loss to the Titans in a Wild Card game at Arrowhead Stadium, capped an absolutely dreadful period of playoff performances for Kansas City.

The Chiefs had gone 1-10 in playoff games in the previous 24 seasons, had never been host to an AFC Championship Game and had advanced that far just one time since 1970.

Here’s the thing: Those playoff struggles were the good times. The Chiefs had two-win seasons in 2008 and 2012 and missed the postseason each season from 1998 to 2002. Tyler Thipgen, Damon Huard and Brodie Croyle were among the quarterbacks tasked with leading the Chiefs.

The point is the Chiefs have come a long way since Mahomes took over as quarterback. Sure, he had a simply dreadful performance in Super Bowl LIX. But since Mahomes has become the starter, the Chiefs have won three Super Bowl championships, been to five Super Bowls and advanced to the AFC Championship Game in seven straight seasons.

They are the first team in NFL history to make the Super Bowl five times in six seasons. No franchise that had won back-to-back Super Bowls had returned to the big game the following year.

The Chiefs missed a chance to become the first team to get a Super Bowl three-peat. But they have won 17 of their last 21 playoff games.

Sunday’s loss stings for certain, but it’s been far, far worse for Chiefs fans.

This story was originally published February 9, 2025 at 9:37 PM.

Pete Grathoff

The Kansas City Star

816-234-4330

From covering the World Series to the World Cup, Pete Grathoff has done a little bit of everything since joining The Kansas City Star in 1997.