The Eagles and Chiefs have been intertwined for years now as if some centrifugal force was drawing them closer and closer together despite their best efforts to separate. And with another showdown between the two franchises on the horizon, it’s fun to take a closer look at a rivalry that is certainly starting to brew.
We’re now 10 weeks into the 2023 NFL season and there have already been plenty of twists and turns. However, the cream always rises to the top, and the two teams with the best records in football just so happen to be last years’ Super Bowl finalists.
Two teams destined to steal the show
Ever since Andy Reid signed with the Chiefs in 2013, it felt as though the Eagles and Chiefs were destined to be linked. Reid coached Philadelphia from 1999-2012 and has been with Kansas City ever since. Fans were bittersweet when seeing ‘Big Red’ lift his first-ever Lombardi trophy after coming oh-so near during his time in the City of Brotherly Love. But the Eagles wouldn’t have to wait long to lift a Championship trophy of their own…
Over the last six years, the Chiefs have featured in the Super Bowl 3 times. The Eagles have been to the big game twice, facing Kansas City in Super Bowl LVII and ultimately falling an inch short of the mark this past February. The image of Jalen Hurts walking through the red and yellow confetti has become synonymous with the quarterback’s relentless work ethic, and if you were to ask anyone whether these two teams would do battle on the grandest stage of all again soon, I’m sure the answer would be an exciting one.
The rivalry so far
In terms of the actual rivalry, the Eagles and Chiefs have faced off 10 times, with the Chiefs maintaining a 6-4 record. The Eagles have not beaten the Chiefs since 2009.
But that’s only part of the story. In Jalen Hurts’ first taste of Kansas City action, he played one of his most dominant games yet. In his second, he almost pushed his team to a Super Bowl win. We’re talking about two superstar quarterbacks who aren’t even in their primes yet and not only look set to be Super Bowl contenders for years to come, but the greatest of rivals in the process.
The connections
The Eagles and Chiefs have more in common than you might think. Of course, there’s the link between the Kelce brothers, Travis and Jason. Chiefs TE, Travis Kelce, will undoubtedly go down as one of the best tight ends in NFL history, while Jason Kelce will enter the Hall of Fame as one of the best centers to ever play the game.
The two brothers faced off in the Super Bowl earlier this year in what was a truly remarkable spectacle. Kansas City might have won that game, but Jason Kelce and the Eagles are hungry to get back to those ‘new heights’ and finish what Sirianni and the team started.
Howie Roseman is known as one of the most ruthless GM’s in all of Football, but Kansas City’s Brett Veach isn’t exactly far behind. It should come as no surprise that he once interned with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Nick Sirianni was once a member of Kansas City’s coaching staff but was ultimately let go when Andy Reid arrived and decided he wanted his own selection at wide receiver coach.
Chiefs DC Steve Spagnuolo was once a Philadelphia Eagle, serving under Andy Reid from 1999-2006 in varying roles.
While he’s no longer on the Eagles, Doug Pederson quarterbacked the Eagles, coached under Andy Reid in both Philly and Kansas City, and then helped the Eagles win their first Super Bowl as Head Coach.
The next great American Dynasty (NFL’s version)
What makes a great rivalry? Is it just two teams who play each other frequently? The answer is meaning. It’s a story. What makes rivalries so great are the endless layers, the heroes that become villains, and the redemption arcs that transcend the sport itself. The generational plays, the sensational highlights, and the ties that keep the two teams forever interlocked.
The Eagles and Chiefs have all of the above. And on the back of a Super Bowl defeat, the Eagles will ride into week 11 knowing that they have a shot at redemption. Nick Sirianni has a shot at redemption on the Head Coach who once overlooked him. Jason Kelce has a sibling score to settle, and Jalen Hurts hasn’t forgotten about that confetti.
In what could well be a preview of a true Super Bowl rematch, we might also be witnessing the birth of the NFL’s next great rivalry. Not one born from geographical proximity or conference alignments, but one born from natural greatness and a relentless pursuit of a group of hungry men to change their stars.
AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vasquez
