James Atama
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Five years ago, after the Kansas City Chiefs had just staged a comeback to defeat the San Francisco 49ers in their first Super Bowl appearance in 50 years, Chris Jones sat at a podium and reflected on the future.
At that time, Jones was a three-time All-Pro defensive tackle approaching free agency for the first time.
“Next year we’re coming back,” he said with a grin. “We’re coming back for a repeat.”
This year, the Chiefs aim for a three-peat, and Jones has been a consistent force throughout their journey.
Instead of testing free agency in January 2020, after being franchised, Jones opted to sign a long-term contract to remain with the Chiefs. He signed an even bigger deal last March, potentially allowing him to spend his entire career in Kansas City. This makes him one of six veteran players on a franchise enjoying a dynasty, preparing to compete in their seventh consecutive AFC Championship Game against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday night at Arrowhead Stadium.
“I’m getting old,” Jones, 30, said with a chuckle. “It’s fun, though. It’s a challenge. Takes a lot of hard work, commitment, a lot of belief, a lot of encouragement throughout the year. A lot of unselfish play among the team to keep that going.
“We had this message in chapel about climbing the mountaintop. You don’t want to stay up there because you can’t really breathe. The air is too thin. So you go back down. But the joy is climbing to the mountaintop.”
Few teams have succeeded in displacing the Chiefs from their pinnacle.
They have won four out of the past six AFC Championship Games, with both losses occurring in overtime: to the Patriots in 2019, their first appearance in this streak, and to the Bengals three years ago. When the Chiefs reach the Super Bowl, only Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been able to prevent Patrick Mahomes and the team from claiming the Lombardi Trophy.
Mahomes is among the six Chiefs players who have participated in all seven conference championship games. The first occurred during his inaugural year as a starter, where he set records and earned his first NFL MVP award. In that game against the Patriots, he passed for 295 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions, despite the loss.
To this day, Mahomes attributes his future success to that loss at Arrowhead Stadium.
“Obviously, you want to win three in a row,” Mahomes said, “but building those memories with the guys and with the community every single year is special. When I look back at all the different Super Bowls we’ve won, I think of special moments that we’ve had and significant games that we’ve played. We’ll try to do that again this year.
“I mean, it has been a fun journey up to this point, but we seek that ultimate goal.”
Many players on the team know how to achieve that goal.
In addition to Jones and Mahomes, four-time All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce — who had seven catches for 117 yards and a touchdown in the Chiefs’ divisional victory over Houston last Saturday — has also participated in all seven AFC title games. Additionally, Derrick Nnadi, a dependable but often overlooked defensive tackle, long snapper James Winchester, and kicker Harrison Butker have been there for the entire run.
While there have been other stars contributing along the way, such as Tyrann Mathieu, who anchored the defense early in the Chiefs’ streak, and Tyreek Hill, a vital part of their record-setting offense, several role players like running back Damien Williams and wide receiver Demarcus Robinson have contributed to the overall success.
But the six veterans who have been part of this journey? They’ve collectively played 945 games for the Chiefs, with 121 of those in the playoffs, where a single loss or mistake could have ended their remarkable run.
The value of that experience is particularly significant as January draws to a close.
“The experience helps,” Chiefs Coach Andy Reid said. “Especially with some of the younger guys, to be able to talk to them and emphasize the urgency of this thing. It’s single elimination. That’s easier said than done when it comes to mentally preparing yourself for every practice snap, to stay focused and aggressive. You just have to make sure you remain really focused and try to minimize the distractions.”
