MIKE BURKE

Allegany Communications Sports

So there you have it: The Kansas City Chiefs will play the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl, with the Chiefs looking to become the first team to win three Super Bowls in a row.

That’s not the first to win three NFL championships in a row – Super Bowls, as the Green Bay Packers were the last team to win three NFL titles in a row that included the first two Super Bowls to conclude the 1966 and ‘67 seasons.

The 1961-67 Packers, in fact, won five world titles in seven seasons and along with the 1970s Pittsburgh Steelers, who won four world titles (all Super Bowls) in six years, remain what I consider to be the only two NFL dynasties in my lifetime.

In the 1970s, the Miami Dolphins were also pretty good before the Steelers took over, winning two championships in a row and playing in three straight Super Bowls.

From the 1980 to 1995 seasons, there were so many great teams, with the closest to being a so-called dynasty having been the San Francisco 49ers, who won five titles in 16 seasons. Keep in mind, though, the Washington Redskins and Dallas Cowboys both won three in that time, while the New York Giants and the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders both won two titles.

In fact, the only team that won only one title in that time was the team that many still consider to be the greatest single-season team of all-time, the 1985 Chicago Bears.

It was a remarkable time for pro football and after the Denver Broncos won two in a row at the end of the 1990s, a new era began at the turn of the century when, beginning in 2001, the New England Patriots would win six championships in 18 seasons, including two in a row in 2003-04 (the actual Super Bowls being played in 2004-05).

Most fans outside of Kansas City are not Chiefs fans. In fact, despite how great they’ve been lately, most fans outside of Kansas City can’t stand the Chiefs because everywhere you turn you see one of them, they play with entitlement (is Travis Kelce the only player in the NFL allowed to taunt his opponent after every catch and not get flagged?), Taylor Swift overload and, oh, yes, the Chiefs get all of the calls in all of the big games. No, make that every game.

To the surprise of no one, it happened again Sunday night against the Buffalo Bills and without getting into specifics (what’s the point?), it’s clear that NFL The TV Show clearly wants Taylor Swift and the Chiefs at yet another Super Bowl.

Tough as it is to take and as infuriating as it is to watch, the Chiefs are still not the first dominating team of its time to benefit from over-generous (or in this case, adamant) officiating.

For instance, the 1965 Packers were gifted with the Phantom Field Goal in Baltimore.

It all started for the great Steelers with the Immaculate Reception and was further benefited by the Mike Renfro catch that was ruled a non-catch.

The New England run was launched by the Tuck Rule and Tom Brady being every bit as untouchable as Patrick Mahomes is, and Kansas City benefiting from every flag that does or does not come out of an official’s hand.

Even though the Eagles’ 55-23 win for the NFC championship was difficult for many of us here because it came against the Washington Commanders, it’s probably safe to say most of us will be rooting for the Eagles to win the Super Bowl, no matter how futile that may be, because we’re Chiefed out, and because Fort Hill’s Ty Johnson and the Bills will not be playing.

What a season it’s been, though, for the Commanders and their fans, with the team reaching the NFC title game for the first time in over 30 years and finding a career quarterback in Jayden Daniels, who may have turned in the very best season for a rookie quarterback in history.

Washington wasn’t supposed to be here. Improvement was expected with the new regime, but the NFC title game?

True optimism and joy for its football team have returned to Washington, D.C. The Commanders are legit, but it’s only going to get better. First-year general manager Adam Peters, who has to be NFL Executive of the Year, will have the third most money in the league to spend this spring as well as a full allotment of draft picks to use. With a lot of one-year deals expiring there will be room for a big-time running back, a No. 2 receiver and help on defense.

Not to imply the folks in Washington were happy just to get this far, but regardless of what happened, this has been one of the most improbable and unforgettable seasons in D.C. history.

That’s no longer the case in Buffalo and it hasn’t been for quite some time now, as no one was happy just to get this far. When you’re on the plane that the Bills have put themselves on, this isn’t nearly far enough.

But what a season for Ty Johnson. What a joy it has been to see him receive his opportunity and make the absolute most of it. The pride he continues to provide our community with is both immeasurable and heartwarming.

For him to be one game away from playing in the Super Bowl speaks for itself, but is unquestionably bittersweet. Yet, as I’ve said from the beginning, don’t bet against Ty Johnson.

I mean, did you ever think you’d see him doing an AFC Championship Game promo for CBS Sports during a nationally-televised Maryland basketball game?

You did on Sunday.

Go Terps!

Mike Burke writes about sports and other stuff for Allegany Communications. He began covering sports for the Prince George’s Sentinel in 1981 and joined the Cumberland Times-News sports staff in 1984, serving as sports editor for over 30 years. Contact him at [email protected]. Follow him on X @MikeBurkeMDT

 

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