Chiefs Have Dominated NFL’s Final Four Since 2018

Florida and Houston played a thriller to decide the men’s college basketball national championship Monday night in San Antonio. The Gators, who ultimately prevailed, hadn’t been to the Final Four in 11 years. Houston, meanwhile, had been there just once over the previous 40 seasons.

The Kansas City Chiefs have been to the NFL’s final four in seven consecutive seasons. In other words, the Chiefs have played in seven straight AFC Championship Games, and they’re 5-2 in those contests. It’s a stretch nearly unprecedented in league history.

This season, the Chiefs have the opportunity to match the NFL record held by the 2011-18 New England Patriots, who earned eight consecutive berths in a conference championship game.

Throughout the Chiefs’ current streak, only the Bills and Bengals have appeared in multiple AFC title games (two each). The Ravens, Titans, and Patriots made one appearance in that period (2018-24).

In the NFC since 2018, the 49ers have four appearances in the NFL’s version of the final four. The Packers, Rams, and Eagles each have two, while the Lions, Buccaneers, Commanders, and Saints each have one.

Perhaps even more impressive, the Chiefs have hosted six of those seven conference title games, leading many to refer to the contest as the Arrowhead Invitational.

The streak coincides with Kansas City trading up to take Patrick Mahomes 10th overall in the 2017 NFL Draft. Mahomes, as a rookie, sat behind Alex Smith until starting the regular-season finale, then won NFL MVP honors in leading the Chiefs to a berth in the 2018 AFC Championship Game.

Five of those seven conference title games have been decided by one score or less, including last season’s 32-29 victory over the Bills. The only time in the stretch the Chiefs had to travel to play the game was 2023, a 17-10 victory at Baltimore.

This season, Kansas City is attempting to become just the second team ever to reach four straight Super Bowls. They’d join the Bills, who lost all four of those games over the 1990-93 seasons.

Kansas City (2019-24) and New England (2014-18) are the only NFL teams to appear in four Super Bowls over five years. The Pittsburgh Steelers played in four Super Bowls over a six-year stretch, from 1974-79.

This season, Kansas City can become the first team ever with berths in five Super Bowls over a six-season stretch.