Chiefs Have Become NFL’s Most Successful Franchise, Despite This Fact

Individual accolades aren't as important as wins, the Kansas City Chiefs have soundly proven.

Nov 10, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs guard Trey Smith (65) and center Creed Humphrey (52) at the line of scrimmage against the Denver Broncos during the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The Kansas City Chiefs have been to five of the past six Super Bowls, winning three. And they’ve done it despite drafting only four players since 2018 who’ve earned at least one first-team All-Pro or Pro Bowl honor.

Since 2018, the only four players in that category drafted by the Chiefs are Trent McDuffie (one All-Pro), Creed Humphrey (one All-Pro and three Pro Bowls), Trey Smith (one Pro Bowl) and Mecole Hardman (one Pro Bowl).

Still, Kansas City owns the NFL’s best winning percentages from 2018-24 in both regular-season games (90-26, .776) and regular-season plus postseason (107-30, .781). Obviously, no other team has won or appeared in more Super Bowls than the Chiefs during that span.

For context, 15 other clubs since 2018 have drafted more players who’ve gone on to earn at least one first-team All-Pro or Pro Bowl selection: Baltimore (nine players), Buffalo (five), Dallas (10), Detroit (11), Denver (seven), Houston (five), Jacksonville (seven), Miami (five), New England (five), the New York Giants (five), Philadelphia (six), San Francisco (five), Seattle (five), Tampa Bay (five) and Washington (five).

Trading up in 2017 to take Patrick Mahomes at No. 10 overall in the first round – and pairing him with perhaps one day the best coach in NFL history, Andy Reid – has taken the Chiefs to nearly unprecedented heights. And credit Reid for hiring Steve Spagnuolo in 2019 after the defensive coordinator spent a year out of football.

Give all of them credit, along with general manager Brett Veach, because those who vote for All-Pro and Pro Bowl teams haven’t widely recognized the talent they’ve drafted since drafting Mahomes. Veach’s scouts have built great chemistry with Reid’s coaches, including Spagnuolo.

Veach selected 48 players from 2018-24. Of those 48, 19 have spent at least one season as a starter at their primary positions for the Chiefs. The results have been extraordinary, producing players who have grown into significant roles even if they haven’t become instant starters. Most importantly, the Chiefs have placed wins above individual accolades.

Those results have commanded so much global attention that the NFL this month scheduled the club for eight standalone television windows, including seven in primetime, one game each on Thanksgiving and Christmas, and the first-ever NFL contest available exclusively on YouTube for free (their Sept. 5 opener in Brazil against the Chargers).

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