What the Chiefs’ dynasty means for the Broncos
The Kansas City Chiefs have solidified their status as one of the best teams in the history of the league. Denver’s fiercest adversary has grown into the NFL’s newest dynasty, winning three Super Bowls in the previous five seasons. Already among the best quarterbacks of all time, Patrick Mahomes is poised to become not only an NFL legend but also a symbol of American sports culture. For fans in Broncos Country, who have watched a club nicknamed “the Chefs” grow into an almost unbeatable team, this is a bitter pill to swallow, but maybe this dynasty is the kick in the butt Denver needs to return to the top of the NFL.
The Broncos have played with the mindset that they are only a few components away from challenging for a championship for the past eight seasons. It’s reasonable to argue the Broncos underestimated their potential as a club given that they have made no playoff appearances during that time. Denver’s current situation—an overall talent-deficient club that jeopardized its future in an effort to take short cuts to the top—is the result of a multitude of mistakes made by various front office leaders, from Case Keenum to Russell Wilson.
Leaping forward and expecting to succeed is not the ideal approach, as the Broncos have discovered the hard way. There is only one Peyton Manning, but the Peyton Manning era in Denver gave Broncos Country the sense that one key player is all it takes to go from bottom-feeder to contender. The Broncos after Manning have had to face a hard reality: true contenders usually take a lot of time, patience, and continuity to develop; players like Manning do not come along every day.
Observing a division competitor establish a dynasty with players they drafted and groomed may be instructive for the Broncos organization as well as a source of inspiration. For the next ten years, the Broncos will have to contend with this Chiefs team. The Broncos need to dedicate themselves to creating a club capable of long-term success, even if it takes a few more years to get there. There is no short cut or easy solution.
Sean Payton makes most of the choices, which is good news for the Broncos. Having built two successful teams in New Orleans, Payton knows what it takes to create a competitive club that can compete for many years. After just one season in Denver, Payton’s influence can be seen across the Broncos franchise. Fans should be eager to see how he continues to mold this squad in its second season, as he has already contributed to changing the culture.
Living in a world where the Chiefs are the NFL’s elite team is agony for the Broncos. For the foreseeable future, Kansas City appears capable of competing for Super Bowls, but dynasties do fall, sometimes in the most unexpected ways. This is valid for global history as well as sports history.
