When Patrick Mahomes stepped into the lineup in 2018 and threw 50 touchdowns, it felt explosive.
What’s happened since feels engineered.
The Kansas City Chiefs didn’t stumble into a dynasty. They constructed one. And the partnership between Andy Reid and Brett Veach is the reason this thing keeps humming long after most contenders burn out.
Start with the boldest move. In the 2017 NFL Draft, Kansas City traded up to No. 10 to select Mahomes. At the time, Alex Smith had just led the league in passer rating. The roster was playoff ready. Most teams would have stayed safe. Reid and Veach bet the future on upside.
They were right.
Mahomes sat for a year, learned the system, then detonated the league in 2018 with 5,097 yards and 50 touchdowns. MVP in his first season as a starter. But here’s where the architecture shows. They didn’t panic after the 2018 AFC Championship loss to New England. They doubled down.
In 2019, Veach reshaped the defense midseason, adding pieces like Tyrann Mathieu and Frank Clark to complement Chris Jones. The offense remained lethal with Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill stretching the field. The result was a 31 to 20 comeback win over San Francisco in Super Bowl LIV. Down double digits in the fourth quarter, calm never left the sideline. That’s culture.
Then came the real test. After the offensive line collapsed in Super Bowl LV against Tampa Bay, most franchises would have tried to patch holes. Kansas City rebuilt the entire line in one offseason. Orlando Brown Jr. arrived. Joe Thuney signed. Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith were drafted and developed into foundational pieces almost overnight.
Mahomes got protection back. The machine restarted.
When Tyreek Hill was traded in 2022, national voices declared the window shrinking. Instead, Veach pivoted. He added JuJu Smith-Schuster on a short deal. He drafted and developed young defenders like Trent McDuffie and George Karlaftis. Mahomes adjusted, spread the ball around, and Kansas City won Super Bowl LVII over Philadelphia in a 38 to 35 classic.
That’s what separates this run from others. It isn’t just star power. It’s flexibility. Reid evolves the offense. Veach layers the roster with draft picks who contribute immediately. Mahomes elevates everyone around him.
By the time the Chiefs won another title in Super Bowl LVIII, grinding out a 25 to 22 overtime win over San Francisco, it wasn’t shocking anymore. It was structural. Spagnuolo’s defense stepped up. Young receivers matured. Mahomes delivered when the moment demanded it.
Dynasties usually collapse under ego, salary cap pressure, or complacency. Kansas City keeps adapting. Since 2018, the Chiefs have hosted five straight AFC Championship Games. That isn’t luck. That’s alignment between head coach, general manager, and quarterback.
Reid designs it. Veach supplies it. Mahomes finishes it.
The rest of the league keeps trying to catch up.
Kansas City just keeps building.