One of the strangest NFL seasons in its 100-year existence will be starting in three days. The Chiefs will be trying to become the first team in nearly 20 years to win the Super Bowl in back-to-back seasons.
On Monday, coach Andy Reid talked about preparing to compete after a season that ended with a Super Bowl win.
“You always worry about guys celebrating and coaches celebrating and all this, well there wasn’t a whole lot of celebrating going on because we were confined to our homes,” Reid said. “The thing I can go off of now is just the way the guys have worked and they’ve worked their tail off. I’m proud of them for that. They came back with a great attitude. I think everybody -- probably around the league this is true, but everybody is just so glad to get back playing. There’s a great energy.”
He makes a good point about the pandemic keeping players and coaches from falling into the trap of self-congratulations that can lead to complacency. Also keeping the Chiefs from getting lazy: They did it the hard way last year, coming from 10 or more points behind in every playoff game to win it all.
If anything, the confidence that comes from overcoming so much adversity can boost the Chiefs this season. Throw in the fact that so many players and coaches are back, and they have another edge.
They also have the best player in football. Which creates yet another edge.
While the fact that it hasn’t happened since 2003-04 makes it a very real challenge, the planets line up for the Chiefs like they haven’t for any other team since the Patriots won consecutive titles.