Kansas City Chiefs News: What's At Stake Against The Patriots After So Many Years Of Coming Up Short?

Sunday’s AFC Championship Game is a battle between two NFL franchises with distinctly different histories. The New England Patriots are seeking their ninth AFC title and sixth Super Bowl victory since 2000. The Kansas City Chiefs are playing in just their second AFC Championship Game ever and this is the first time it has been played in Kansas City.

Those who cavalierly dismiss the Chiefs' decades of frustration and the irony that goes along with it, can look no further than the name of the trophy that will go to Sunday's winner.

The Lamar Hunt Trophy, given to each year’s conference champion, is named after the Chiefs' founding owner. All three of the Chiefs’ division rivals have hoisted it while the Chiefs have not. When the Chiefs last went to and won a Super Bowl in 1970, there was no AFC or Lamar Hunt Trophy.

The Chiefs have maintained a loyal fanbase, consistently bringing in above-average attendance numbers. Much like the divisional playoff game against the Indianapolis Colts, Arrowhead Stadium should be particularly raucous Sunday with the Chiefs' first conference title game at home. After such a long title drought, most Chiefs fans have never seen their team reach the Super Bowl, so it should be more than understandable for rowdy behavior.

In fact, it was at Arrowhead against the Patriots in 2014 when Chiefs fans broke the record for crowd noise at an outdoor stadium. Earplugs might be a hot seller at northwest Missouri stores this week.

It's been nearly 25 years ago since the Chiefs were in the AFC title game. An aging Joe Montana started at quarterback against the Buffalo Bills on Jan. 23, 1994, and the former San Francisco 49ers star was forced to leave the game with a concussion in the Bills' win, 30-13. The Chiefs were the AFC’s top seed in 1995 and 1997, but lost one-score games at home to the Colts and Denver Broncos, respectively, in divisional playoff games.

Sunday's victory over the Colts was just the second time the Chiefs had won a playoff game at Arrowhead since the stadium opened in 1972.

There are other narratives to consider in this game. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is the presumptive choice to win the NFL MVP award in his first full season as a starter. That award has typically been a bad omen in the postseason; no NFL MVP has won the Super Bowl since Kurt Warner in 1999.

If the Chiefs win, they would have an opportunity to reverse the MVP curse in Atlanta. It could also be considered a passing of the torch from 41-year-old Tom Brady to 23-year-old Mahomes. Sunday’s game is only the seventh time the Patriots have been postseason underdogs in the Brady era and oddsmakers expect a relatively high-scoring game.

Indeed, the stakes almost could not be higher for the Chiefs, save for the fact that a bright future may lie ahead. Mahomes and explosive receiver Tyreek Hill are both still under rookie contracts, while star tight end Travis Kelce is signed through the 2021 season. The Chiefs also have draft picks and a room to add free agents, which they can use to fill glaring holes on defense.

Still, Kansas City has only seen two major sports championships since 1970 and both were courtesy of the Royals baseball team, who are usually near the bottom of the American League Central. In small market cities, sports teams are aware the window to win titles is usually small.

The Chiefs are looking to make history. Vaulting Kansas City back to the top of the NFL after nearly half a century would undoubtedly be one of the biggest sports stories in years.