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No NFL team has ever won three Super Bowls in a row.
The 2024 Kansas City Chiefs are looking to change that.
The return of two-time reigning Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes, nine-time Pro Bowler Travis Kelce and head coach Andy Reid has the Chiefs are eyeing yet another season as one of the most dangerous teams in the NFL.
Here’s a breakdown of the Chiefs’ 2024 schedule, and what matchups are likely to matter most during their bid to make NFL history.
2024 Kansas City Chiefs Schedule
Kansas City Chiefs @Chiefs
This season’s slate. <a href=”https://t.co/SGbSOE62V4″>pic.twitter.com/SGbSOE62V4</a>
Full schedule information available on the team’s official website
Analysis
The Chiefs enter the 2024 season with some uncertainty surrounding the availability of wide receiver Rashee Rice, but have added two speedy targets in free agent Marquise Brown and first-round pick Xavier Worthy.
Kansas City will also hope to improve their run game as the team looks for the next step from running back Isiah Pacheco, who finished last regular season just shy of 1,000 rushing yards.
The Chiefs re-signed defensive tackle Chris Jones to retain a key part of last season’s defense, but will need to retool their secondary after losing cornerback L’Jarius Sneed in a trade with the Tennessee Titans.
The availability of defensive end Charles Omenihu, who recorded a career-high seven sacks in 11 games before suffering a torn ACL during February’s AFC Championship Game, adds more uncertainty to the Kansas City defense.
These questions will have to be addressed this offseason, but they likely won’t be enough to stop the Chiefs from beginning the season as favorites to win the AFC West.
After all, the Chiefs still have Patrick Mahomes, while the rest of the division’s rosters are surrounded by questions heading into 2024.
The Las Vegas Raiders are still deciding who will be their starting quarterback between Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew II, while the Denver Broncos could be testing out rookie Bo Nix at QB1.
The Los Angeles Chargers have newly-hired head coach Jim Harbaugh and quarterback Justin Herbert, but will need to see if their offseason moves to shore up the team’s run game and defensive line paid off.
Pivotal Matchups
The Chiefs will begin their Super Bowl defense with a rematch of the 2023 AFC Championship Game.
The Baltimore Ravens, who lost that game 17-10, will be looking for revenge when they arrive in Kansas City for Week 1.
After adding four-time Pro Bowl running back Derrick Henry, the Baltimore offense led by Lamar Jackson will present an immediate test for the Chiefs’ defense.
Things won’t get any easier in Week 2, when the Chiefs face travel to face the Cincinnati Bengals for the fourth straight season.
The Chiefs may have triumphed 25-17 over the Bengals in these two teams’ last clash in Week 17 of the 2023 season, but this time Cincinnati is hoping to bring a healthy Joe Burrow to the contest. The quarterback, who missed last season’s matchup with a wrist injury, has a 3-0 regular season record against Kansas City.
As last season’s top team in the AFC West, the Chiefs are also set to match up with the AFC East champion Buffalo Bills, AFC South winner Houston Texans and NFC West champion San Francisco 49ers.
At home, the Chiefs will play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which Kansas City fans remember as the team that held Patrick Mahomes without a touchdown in Super Bowl LV. The Bucs have improved this offseason and are aiming for title contention behind quarterback Baker Mayfield.
The Chiefs will play a rematch of Super Bowl LVIII— and Super Bowl LIV— on the road against San Francisco. Brock Purdy and the 49ers are looking to defeat Kansas City for the first time in the Mahomes era after last winning this matchup in 2014.
Kansas City will meet up on the road with a few teams retooling behind veteran quarterbacks, including the Russell Wilson-led Pittsburgh Steelers as well as Kirk Cousins and the Atlanta Falcons.
The Chiefs will likely be the heavy favorites to defeat the rebuilding Carolina Panthers in Charlotte, while Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills are likely to present one of the toughest road opponents of the season.
Kansas City will have the chance to make league history with a third consecutive title run as they prepare to face these opponents this fall.
