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The stuff of dynasties: This Chiefs championship built on defense and perseverance

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The stuff of dynasties: This Chiefs championship built on defense and perseverance

Red, yellow and white confetti falling at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas was the confirmation of their coronation. Once again, the Kansas City Chiefs experienced the feeling only one team achieves in an NFL season, accomplishing a daunting objective that leads to an exhilarating sensation.

With their 25-22 overtime victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII, the Chiefs became the NFL’s first repeat champion in two decades. The win cemented a golden era for the franchise and its status as one of the true dynasties in the league’s 104-year history.

“It’s the start of one,” Patrick Mahomes insisted. “We’re not done.”

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To secure their third Lombardi Trophy in five years, the Chiefs had to overcome the worst regular season in the Andy Reid-Patrick Mahomes era as well as the most treacherous postseason path.

The Chiefs, the AFC’s No. 3 seed, dominated the Miami Dolphins in freezing conditions, a game in which Reid coached with icicles hanging off his mustache. Then, in the first road playoff game of Mahomes’ seven-year career, the Chiefs rallied in the second half for a 27-24 victory, their defense holding the Buffalo Bills scoreless in the fourth quarter. They reached the Super Bowl with another road victory, a 17-10 win over league MVP Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens, who entered the postseason with the NFL’s best record.

Mahomes led the winning 75-yard drive in overtime against the 49ers, capping it with a 3-yard touchdown pass to Mecole Hardman. The Chiefs rallied from a 10-0 deficit and got the score they needed on the final drive of the game.


Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman and quarterback Patrick Mahomes celebrate the Super Bowl-winning touchdown in overtime. (Stephen R. Sylvanie / USA Today)

Mahomes won his third Super Bowl MVP award, but make no mistake, defense was the backbone of the 2023 Chiefs.

“This is the best defense I’ve ever played with,” tight end Travis Kelce said midway through the season. “Honestly, they’ve been saving us in a lot of situations.”

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No opponent scored 30 points on coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s unit, which allowed the fewest second-half points in the league. Defensive tackle Chris Jones and defensive end George Karlaftis led the team with 10 1/2 sacks. Spagnuolo’s defense benefited from career-best seasons from several players, including cornerbacks L’Jarius Sneed and Trent McDuffie, safety Justin Reid and defensive end Charles Omenihu.

“Seeing this defense all year long, I’ve learned that sometimes I’ve got to let them play, let them be the show,” Mahomes said.

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Kelce yells at Reid on sideline in Super Bowl LVIII

Mahomes, the league’s most talented quarterback, demonstrated his leadership, creativity and acumen all season but played his best when the Chiefs needed it in January and February.

“It’s hard to describe someone that good,” general manager Brett Veach said. “He’s a legend. He’s a blessing.”

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Kelce, an 11-year veteran, also had his best moments in the postseason as he overcame lingering injuries to his knee and ankle to pass Hall of Fame receiver Jerry Rice for the most postseason receptions in NFL history.

“We got the best quarterback in the world,” Chiefs linebacker Drue Tranquill said. “We got the best tight end in the world. We got the best coach in the world. We got the best defensive coordinator in the world. We got the best general manager in the world.

“When you have all of that? It’s only a matter of time.”

But it took time for the defending champions to put it all together this time. The Chiefs stumbled to start the season, losing to the Detroit Lions in the league’s opening night game. All-Pros Kelce and Jones didn’t play — Kelce because of a knee injury and Jones because he was holding out. But the Chiefs lost because of eight dropped passes, the two most egregious by wide receiver Kadarius Toney. Dropped passes would be a recurring problem through the regular season as Kansas City led the NFL with 44.

Mahomes and company won their next six games and went into their bye week with a 7-2 record after shutting down the high-powered Dolphins offense in Frankfurt, Germany. But they lost four of their next six as the errors piled up. The low point came on Christmas Day at Arrowhead Stadium with an ugly 20-14 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.

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Veach is convinced that without that Christmas Day humbling, there’s no way the Chiefs would have made it to the Super Bowl.

“Something was off,” Veach said. “That loss, I think it really hit us. It allowed the whole organization to take a look in the mirror.”

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What makes the Andy Reid-Patrick Mahomes partnership as special as any great coach-QB combo?

That self-evaluation on the cusp of the playoffs resulted in Reid condensing the playbook and simplifying the game plan.

Running back Isiah Pacheco ran the ball with determination, rookie Rashee Rice blossomed into a No. 1 wide receiver and the offensive line jelled at the right time. The mistakes that hamstrung the offense during the regular season disappeared. And the Chiefs didn’t lose again.

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“We might not be the prettiest, but we’re going to battle,” Reid said. “That’s the personality of this team.”

A team that once hung its hat on high-powered offense and Mahomes’ improvisational passing, needed to change its personality this season. From day one of training camp on July 18 until the end of overtime in the Super Bowl on Feb. 11, the Chiefs maintained their status as the league’s best by earning a second consecutive championship not with flash but through gritty perseverance.

This essay is the introduction to “Undeniable: The Kansas City Chiefs’ Remarkable 2023 Championship Season” The Athletic’s commemorative book about the Chiefs’ 2023-24 season. Order a copy today for $16.95, plus shipping and tax. Books will ship the week of Feb. 19.

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How the Chiefs stack up among NFL dynasties (and a path past the Patriots): Sando’s Pick Six

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Travis Kelce, after Chiefs season under the microscope, finishes ‘on top of the world’

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Andy Reid stayed the course in Chiefs’ Super Bowl win, now numbers among all-time greats

(Photo of Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce: Patrick T. Fallon / AFP via Getty Images)

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Roman Reigns domesticates Jacob Fatu to retain World Heavyweight Championship at WWE Clash in Italy

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Roman Reigns domesticates Jacob Fatu to retain World Heavyweight Championship at WWE Clash in Italy

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Roman Reigns has been called the “Head of the Table” for a reason.

He was an undisputed WWE champion for years and leader of The Bloodline before he made his way back to the top of the company at WrestleMania 42, defeating CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship.

Since the win, Jacob Fatu has been the biggest thorn in his side. Fatu made clear he wanted everything that Reigns had. Reigns’ win over Fatu at Backlash earlier this month wasn’t enough. He challenged Reigns to Tribal Combat at Clash in Italy – a match meant to put Reigns’ title of “Tribal Chief” on the line.

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Roman Reigns delivers a spear to Jacob Fatu during Clash in Italy at Inalpi Arena in Torino di Sangro, Italy, on May 31, 2026. (Andrew Timms/WWE)

Reigns had already dispatched challengers to his place in his family when it came to Tribal Combat. Jey Uso and Solo Sikoa both tried and failed over the years. Reigns was trying to make sure that Fatu would never challenge him again in an effort to “domesticate” him. One of the strategies was to eliminate Fatu’s use of the Tongan Death Grip – a move that Fatu has pulled out over and over again.

Reigns used a toolbox to crush Fatu’s hand and, for a moment, keep the use of the Tongan Death Grip at bay. It would take way more than that to keep Fatu down. Reigns knew he needed to dig deep. He speared Fatu through a barricade, trampling security members in the process.

Jacob Fatu prepares for his match during Clash in Italy at Inalpi Arena in Torino di Sangro, Italy, on May 31, 2026. (Rich Freeda/WWE)

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He walked around the ring yelling that he didn’t need anyone’s help as he took off the turnbuckles. Fatu tried to hit another Tongan Death Grip but couldn’t synch it in. Reigns countered with a Superman Punch, but Fatu ate all of them. Reigns tried for a spear, but Fatu hit it on Reigns first.

Fatu hit a pop-up Samona Drop and then a moonsault. Still, he couldn’t pin Reigns. On the second pin attempt, Reigns hit a low blow on Fatu. The two men, leaving it all on the line, were gassed in the middle of the ring.

Reigns got up and smashed Fatu’s head on the exposed turnbuckle. Fatu was dazed and Reigns speared him through the table. Fatu got back up and Reigns hit one more spear. It was the last one he needed.

Reigns defeated Fatu, keeping the World Heavyweight Championship and remaining the Head of the Table.

Roman Reigns celebrates his win during Clash in Italy at Inalpi Arena in Torino di Sangro, Italy, on May 31, 2026. (Andrew Timms/WWE)

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Fatu must now fall in line behind Reigns and The Usos. However, Solo Sikoa, Talla Tonga and Tama Tonga were also looking on to see Fatu’s loss.

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Yoshinobu Yamamoto helps Dodgers deliver a birthday win for Dave Roberts

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Yoshinobu Yamamoto helps Dodgers deliver a birthday win for Dave Roberts

Not a cake or a ribbon-wrapped present, but the Dodgers celebrated manager Dave Roberts’ 54th birthday with a 9-1 win over the Phillies on Sunday. The Dodgers ended their homestand with a 5-1 record despite their six-game winning streak ending the night before.

“I like the prospects of winning a baseball game,” Roberts said about what he wanted for his birthday. “It seems like we always play on my birthday. It’s just like any other day. Just kind of a little bit of gratitude, obviously.”

Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (4-5) held the Phillies hitless over the first three innings thanks, in part, to the defense.

Phillies left fielder Brandon Marsh tried to steal second in the second inning, but he took off too early. Yamamoto swung around and tossed the ball to Alex Freeland, who nabbed Marsh’s hands.

Yamamoto, much like Roki Sasaki the night before, threw his pitches faster than normal. But the elevated velocity didn’t seem to affect his performance. Despite throwing his four-seam fastball 1 mph faster than usual, the pitch resulted in a strike 76% of the time.

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Philadelphia’s Trea Turner and Alex Bohm each snagged singles in the fourth inning, but little came to fruition. When Roberts pulled Yamamoto in the sixth, he had blanked his opponents with 10 strikeouts, four hits and two walks.

“Having a guy like Yoshinobu take the ball, it just gives you that extra confidence,” Roberts said. “You’re trying to win a series against a good team in the midst of 10 in a row. There’s just a lot of dependability with him.”

Yet no one — not the Phillies (30-29) nor the Dodgers (38-21) — had a harder game at the plate than home plate umpire Sean Barber, who had nine ABS challenges, three of which were upheld.

The Dodgers tallied 13 hits against the Phillies, and the runs followed close behind. In the second, Alex Freeland’s RBI double bounced off the center-field wall. As Philadelphia’s Justin Crawford rushed to track it down, Max Muncy sprinted around third and slid into home plate, avoiding the tag by catcher J.T. Realmuto.

Realmuto left in the bottom of the fourth inning with a left wrist contusion from a pitch that had hit him earlier in the game. He will undergo further testing, according to the team.

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Kyle Tucker took a step toward overcoming his recent struggles with a third-inning RBI single down the first-base line. The ball skidded against the dirt and deflected off the base over Bryce Harper’s head. Freddie Freeman scored.

Ryan Ward receives a sunflower seed shower from teammate Andy Pages after hitting a home run for the Dodgers on Sunday.

(Ronaldo Bolanos / Los Angeles Times)

Tucker was one for 17 at Dodger Stadium before he finally connected a hit off Phillies pitcher Andrew Painter (1-6).

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“I think that speaks to not being selective enough, because he is a guy that by nature can run deep counts and still be fine getting to two strikes, but it just seems like he’s much more hyperaggressive than I recall,” Roberts said before the game. “That’s just what my eyes see. But, yeah, he’s working hard to try to work through it.”

From there, the Dodgers kept scoring.

Ryan Ward and Freeland each homered to right field. It was Ward’s first home run in his first game at Dodger Stadium. Alex Call, who pinch-hit for Ward in the fifth, also drove in two runs with an RBI single to shallow center left field.

Andy Pages scored in the sixth inning on a Freeman sacrifice fly, and Max Muncy hit a seventh-inning home run.

Bryson Stott finally put the Phillies on the board with a home run in the ninth. By then, though, the Dodgers had already wrapped the bow on Roberts’ birthday gift.

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Dodgers activate Jack Dreyer

The Dodgers activated left-handed reliever Jack Dreyer from the injured list and, in a corresponding move, optioned Paul Gervase to triple-A Oklahoma City.

Dreyer had been one of the Dodgers’ most consistent relievers before he missed 13 games with left shoulder inflammation. In 20 appearances, he held a 2.08 ERA with five earned runs and 24 strikeouts.

“Really excited to be back, obviously to do what I can to help the team,” Dreyer said. “Feeling great, so just ready to go whenever my number is called.”

Blake Snell, recovering from surgery to remove loose bodies from his left elbow, is throwing plyo balls but is not on a throwing progression yet like closer Edwin Díaz.

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Super Bowl champion Joe Theismann explains why Commanders are poised to bounce back from disappointing season

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Super Bowl champion Joe Theismann explains why Commanders are poised to bounce back from disappointing season

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Super Bowl champion Joe Theismann, who spent his entire career with the then-Washington Redskins, is excited for the Commanders this season despite an underwhelming season last year.

Last season, the Commanders went 5-12 after making the NFC Championship in 2024. Theismann, 76, said the team ran out of gas last season as they dealt with injuries.

“It was a lot of injuries in key places last year. The defense, I think, was very susceptible in certain areas,” Theismann told Fox News Digital in a recent interview. “With Bobby (Wagner) getting older now, obviously, we just sort of ran out of gas. 17 games is a lot of football games, right? I mean, that that’s a lot of wear and tear on your body. I don’t care how young you think you are, your body’s going to tell you you’re not that young.”

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Jayden Daniels of the Washington Commanders looks on from the sidelines after leaving the game during the second half against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn., on Dec. 7, 2025. (Ellen Schmidt/Getty Images)

The Commanders defense struggled last season, giving up 26.5 points per game, which was 27th in the NFL. The team addressed their porous defense in the NFL Draft, drafting Ohio State linebacker Sonny Styles with the No. 7 overall pick.

“Our number one pick is going to be something special going forward,” Theismann said. “I think we added some really great pieces on defense.”

The Commanders invested heavily in their defense. Former Los Angeles Chargers pass rusher Odafe Oweh (four-year, $100 million), former Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Leo Chenal (three-year, $24.75 million), and former Houston Texans defensive tackle Tim Settle (three-year, $24 million) were among their key free agent additions.

Star wide receiver Terry McLaurin missed the majority of the Commanders’ offseason program due to a contract holdout, and Theismann pointed out he will be an active participant in this year’s program.

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SUPER BOWL CHAMPION JOE THEISMANN WEIGHS IMPACT OF JAXSON DART-ABDUL CARTER TRUMP CONTROVERSY ON LOCKER ROOM

Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Sonny Styles gets into position during the 2025 Cotton Bowl quarterfinal game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Dec. 31, 2025. (Jerome Miron/Imagn Images)

The Commanders made a change at offensive coordinator after mutually agreeing to part ways with Kliff Kingsbury. The Commanders promoted David Blough to replace Kingsbury, and Theismann noted how the offense will be called differently.

“I think David Blough will call the games a little differently than Kliff did. A Little more play action, a little more under center. And this is what Jayden (Daniels) had a chance to work on while he was not participating in the games at the end of the season. So, he’s a little bit ahead of the curve when it comes to that as well,” Theismann said.

Daniels was limited to just seven games due to injury last season, giving him the opportunity to get a head start on a new system late in the season.

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Theismann did note that while the Commanders got better, the rest of the NFC East got better as well.

“The division itself has improved. The Giants got better. I think the coaching change makes a difference. Jaxson Dart is coming into another year. Defensively, they really didn’t play to the talent that they have,” Theismann said. “The Cowboys added defensive talent. They needed some help there. The Eagles are the Eagles; they’re not going away. I mean, everybody is trying to bust on Jalen (Hurts) and all he does is show up and do the job and win football games.”

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Former player Joe Theismann speaks during the announcement of the Washington Football Team’s name change to the Washington Commanders at FedExField in Landover, Md., on Feb. 2, 2022. (Rob Carr/Getty Images)

Theismann played in the NFL for 12 seasons, spending his whole career with the then-Washington Redskins. He was named the league MVP in 1983 and made the Pro Bowl twice.

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He led the Redskins to the Super Bowl in 1982, when they beat the Miami Dolphins 27-17 in Super Bowl XVII. In his career, Theismann completed 56.7% of his passes for 25,206 yards with 160 touchdowns and 138 interceptions.

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Theismann will be competing in the American Century Championship from July 10-12 at Edgewood Golf Course in Lake Tahoe. The tournament will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock.

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