Super Bowl LIX is shaping up to be a highly anticipated rematch of Super Bowl LVII. Going into that big game, Kansas City will be aiming for the first-ever three-peat in NFL history, while Philadelphia will look to capture their second Lombardi in franchise history. Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is well aware of the stakes — he also knows that the Eagles are eager to avenge their loss from a few years ago.
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It’s not entirely unheard of for a team to defeat the same opponent in a Super Bowl within a short span. The Chiefs did it to the 49ers in 2020 and again in ’24. The Cowboys beat the Bills in back-to-back Super Bowls in 1993 and ’94. Now, the Chiefs are aiming to do the same to the Eagles, just like they did in 2023. But Kelce knows it won’t be easy, acknowledging on his podcast, New Heights, that the Eagles are the “best team” they’ll face this season and have plenty of motivation to beat the Chiefs.
“Man, it’s going to be electric. We know Philly’s got the sour taste in their mouth from the last one. And they’re a hell of a f*cking football team. This will be the best team we play all year.”
The game will feature many names from the previous bout on Philly’s side like Jalen Hurts, Nick Sirianni, AJ Brown, and Devonta Smith. Although, Hall of Fame lineman Jason Kelce is gone and doing pods with Travis. But have no fear Eagles fans, Saquon Barkley is here. And he could be the big difference-maker this time around.
The three-peat pressure on the Chiefs
Barkley is going to put a lot of pressure on the KC defense, there’s no doubt about that. He wasted no time in the NFC Championship, ripping his first carry for a 65-yard score.
From leaping backward over defenders to eclipsing 2,000 rushing yards, Saquon is the real deal this season. His addition to the Eagles has made them nearly impossible to defend. With the number of read options and RPOs that Sirianni likes to deploy, it’s tough to guess where the ball is going on every play. So, it’s safe to say the Chiefs won’t face the same Eagles they did back in 2023.
Then there’s the pressure of a three-peat being on the line. No team has ever managed to achieve it, and that could have a psychological impact on the defending champs.
However, Chiefs Nation shouldn’t worry, as Kelce revealed during the podcast that the team doesn’t sit around and discuss the three-peat in the locker room. Instead, they come to the field each week with a focused goal of winning the Super Bowl.
“We don’t talk about it at all… It hasn’t been mentioned one time outside of being asked about it in the media. Everybody in the building is just focused on doing their job. That’s how we got here, that’s how we got the first one and the second one. It’s the only way you win games and get to the Super Bowl — if you focus on the task at hand. And we got a huge task coming up.”
It’s not surprising to hear that the Chiefs don’t talk about the milestone they are on the cusp of reaching. Athletes and coaches are typically very superstitious, and even mentioning historic goals like that is considered taboo. Stripping the game down to focusing on the week ahead is perhaps the only way a team could achieve the white whale of a three-peat.
The Chiefs have done it the correct way up until now. Andy Reid gets this team ready to play every week and they rarely look unprepared. Because of their efforts, they’re on the verge of history. But Kelce and the Chiefs know very well that it could all vanish in an instant.
