When Will The Chiefs Reach The Super Bowl?

When the New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers, New England Patriots or Baltimore Ravens are crowned champions of the NFL in a few weeks, exactly 42 Super Bowls will have passed without an appearance by the Kansas City Chiefs.

It was 1969 when Hank Stram and Len Dawson won it all in Super Bowl IV. I know that some of you are fortunate enough to remember that game. Others of you may not remember it but were at least alive. Then there are some like me. Not only was I not alive the last time the Chiefs were in a Super Bowl, my father was 12 years old!

The last time the Chiefs were in a Super Bowl gas cost 35 cents a gallon, Nixon was president and something called an Automatic Teller Machine was introduced to the United States.

Sheesh.

It’s been so long. So very long. The misery can’t last forever, can it? Are the Chiefs getting close?

It has been a long time since the Chiefs have been considered a Super Bowl contender. The last time anyone believed the Chiefs had a chance to win it all was back in 2003, when the team started 9-0 and finished 13-3. Defensive failures, however, doomed that team. The Dick Vermeil-led Chiefs fell to the Colts in the divisional round of the playoffs in the first ever NFL game without a punt. The final score: Colts 38, Chiefs 31.

Unfortunately, that was the end of the good times that KC fans had been enjoying since the early 90’s. Vermeil’s team was too heavy on aging veterans and too light on talented youngsters. Then the wrecking ball that was Herm Edwards came through the organization and, well, we all know what happened next.

These days, despite some bad press, the Chiefs appear to be moving in the right direction on the field. The team is talented enough to turn even the most turbulent of seasons into a 7-9 record and it appears the days of 2-14 and 4-12 finishes are behind them. There are no guarantees in the NFL but the general feeling seems to be that the Chiefs are primed to take the next step, which could mean playoff victories and perhaps–if they’re lucky–a trip to the Super Bowl.

But how far away are they?

There are a lot of opinions on what the Chiefs need to do to get there but I haven’t heard many folks chime in on when they thought the Chiefs might get there.

It never hurts to dream a little so let’s do that today. I’ll kick us off.

I still feel the Chiefs need a franchise QB so it is hard for me to see them reaching the big game until they acquire one. Still, the potential of the defense is fascinating to me and I figure at some point soon, if not this offseason, the Chiefs will realize they’ll have to make a play for a stud QB.

I think the Chiefs will return to the playoffs next year and I think they will win their first playoff game since I was in junior high. Still, I think they’ll suffer a couple of playoff losses before they get to the big game.

Prediction: The Chiefs will play in Super Bowl 49, in February of 2015.

They’ll be led by a group of veterans in their prime:

Derrick Johnson -32
Jamaal Charles – 28
Eric Berry – 26
Dwayne Bowe – 30
Jon Baldwin – 25
Brandon Flowers – 28
Tamba Hali – 31
Justin Houston – 25
Tony Moeaki – 27

And a QB to be named later.

Alright, Addicts. I’m going with 2015. What about you?