February 18, 2023
By Fred Liggett
sports.lstribune08@gmail.com
As the 2022 NFL season comes to a close the NFL’s Lombardi Trophy has a “red and gold reflection” thanks to the Kansas City Chiefs 38-35 win in Super Bowl 57. Those words by Chiefs play-by-play announcer Mitch Holthus is proof of how the Chiefs just three years after winning a Super Bowl has regained the honor of being world champions.
The Chiefs finished at 17-3 with that thrilling comeback win over the Philadelphia Eagles to earn the franchise its third Super Bowl championship. The Chiefs ended the season on an eight game winning streak having their last loss coming on the road at Cincinnati back on December 4. Not only did the team fare well during Super Bowl week in Arizona but so did QB Patrick Mahomes who was named NFL MVP for the second time in his young career.
The 2022 season was not predicted to be a good one for the Chiefs as the words transition or down year was mentioned a lot. This was mainly due to the off-season trade of All-Pro Wide Receiver Tyreek Hill to Miami. The Chiefs welcomed new receivers via free agency in JuJu Smith-Schuster and trade in Kadarious Toney. Both players were looking for new opportunities and both ended up performing well for the Chiefs.
A key to the Chiefs not falling off one bit from the past few years was the performance of the team’s 2022 draft class. RB Isiah Pacheco and WR Skyy Moore both scored in Super Bowl 57. The Chiefs got massive production from DE George Karlaftis, CB Trent McDuffie and Safeties Joshua Williams and Jaylen Watson. Having such valued production from players on their rookie level contracts was one big way the Chiefs were able to continue their championship success.
The 2022 season saw the Chiefs win their seventh consecutive AFC West Division title, host their fifth straight AFC title game and reach their third Super Bowl in four years. Cue up Mitch Holthus again as he announced at the end of Super Bowl 57, “You can doubt the Chiefs, you can disrespect the Chiefs but you’re going to have to deal with the Chiefs.”
The recent draft success for the Chiefs was on full display this season, up next for the Chiefs is the 2023 NFL Draft which is set to take place in Kansas City the weekend of April 27-29. Till then Chiefs fans can reflect back on how the Chiefs have returned a red and gold reflection on the NFL’s championship trophy that once again makes its home in Kansas City. That’s What I REID Into it for this season.
