Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid talks to quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) before the game between the Cleveland Browns and the Chiefs at Huntington Bank Field. Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Geography may be the Chiefs' worst enemy in Super Bowl LIX

By Austen Bundy | Last updated Jan 29, 2025 8:22 PM ET

Super Bowl LIX will provide fans with an epic rematch between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs. The teams met two seasons ago in Super Bowl LVII, a last-minute 38-35 victory for the latter.

That win was the start of Kansas City's attempt at a historic three-peat. No team in NFL history has ever won three consecutive Lombardi Trophies.

Philadelphia will be looking for revenge on top of preventing the Chiefs from owning the ultimate bragging rights over the rest of the league.

Despite exiting conference championship weekend as 1.5-point underdogs (via ESPN Bet), the Eagles still have reason to be optimistic about their chances.

According to statistician Jay Cuda, every team this century that has traveled West to play in the Super Bowl (when the host city is directly in between the participants) has gone on to win the game.

in this century every time the super bowl has been played in between the 2 teams - w/ 1 team traveling east, 1 traveling west - the team traveling west has won

this year: chiefs are traveling east, eagles traveling west pic.twitter.com/zKXDwvesLb
— Jay Cuda (@JayCuda) January 27, 2025

Feb. 9 in New Orleans will be the ninth such occasion since 2000 where one team will travel East and another West to the host venue. Philadelphia will be the team traveling West this time around.

If that trend were to continue, the Eagles would be just the second NFC team to accomplish the unusual feat.

However, if you were to believe any superstition or weird pattern there are others that contradict this one.

For example, every team since 2016 that has been defeated by quarterback Kirk Cousins in the regular season failed to win the Super Bowl. Philadelphia lost to Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons in Week 2.

Whichever you trust, one wildly historic streak will be ending and perhaps a dynasty will be crowned in the Big Easy.

Austen Bundy

Austen Bundy is a journalist and sports junkie from the Washington, D. C. area

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