The Kansas City Chiefs faced a setback on Sunday night, which ended their impressive AFC West winning streak at nine games—marking it as the second-longest such run in NFL history. Meanwhile, the Denver Broncos are sitting at 11-2, boasting a five-game lead over the Chiefs, making it quite unlikely that they’ll fall behind with just four games left in the season.
Currently, the Chiefs are on the edge of securing a playoff spot, though they also risk missing out on matching the Buffalo Bills’ record of four consecutive Super Bowl appearances.
The last time Kansas City didn’t win the AFC West was in 2015, when they finished second. This successful run was initiated by Patrick Mahomes, but back then, Alex Smith was the starter in both 2016 and 2017, with Mahomes stepping in as a backup during the 2017 season. In 2015, they faced a disappointing exit in the wild card round.
To even have a shot at the playoffs as a wild-card team in 2025, the Chiefs will need quite a bit of assistance, especially if they hope to match the Bills’ remarkable feat of appearing in four straight Super Bowls.
Longest Consecutive District Title Wins in NFL History
11th Consecutive NFL Title
The New England Patriots hold the record for the longest streak of division championships, securing 11 titles in a row from 2009 to 2019. Interestingly, this streak could be longer because in 2008, they went 11-5 but missed the playoffs due to Tom Brady’s injury in Week 1. Had Brady stayed healthy, it’s likely they wouldn’t have seen another East Champion until 2019.
9th Consecutive NFL Title
The Kansas City Chiefs enjoyed a remarkable nine-season winning streak in the AFC West. Looking ahead, the Broncos and Chargers are set to square off in 2025.
7 Consecutive NFL Titles
The Los Angeles Rams of the 1970s won seven consecutive titles from 1973 to 1979. It’s worth noting that while some divisions had five teams, most of the NFC West consisted of just four.
6th Consecutive NFL Title
Three teams are tied with six consecutive division championships, and the Buffalo Bills are looking to join that group in 2025. The Cleveland Browns (1950-1955), Minnesota Vikings (1973-1978), and Pittsburgh Steelers (1974-1979) all have similar records.
In the early 1950s, the Browns dominated the NFL’s American and East Divisions, making them the only team on this list to have such a streak while faced with strong competition.
The Vikings began their journey in the NFC Central in 1973 with four teams, eventually growing to five teams after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers joined the league in 1976.
Interestingly, in 1973, the Steelers missed out on the championship in a tiebreaker, which prevented them from extending their consecutive title record.
This past Sunday, Buffalo secured a win against the Patriots, but they too require some assistance to maintain their winning streak.
