Heading into the 2024 NFL season, all eyes were on the Kansas City Chiefs.
A player who won consecutive Super Bowls. A star bigger than the game itself on the roster. Most importantly, they have the potential to become the first team in NFL history to win three consecutive Super Bowls.
The pressure was immense for this Kansas City team, but when the regular season ended, the Chiefs entered the field as the No. 1 seed in the AFC and co-owned the NFL's best record at 15-2.
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Kansas City Chiefs center Creed Humphrey celebrates after scoring against the New Orleans Saints at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. (Denny Medley Imagen Images)
But throughout the season, many fans scoffed at the repeated wins, downplayed the team's success because the wins were so close, and used the classic “umpires were on your side” conspiracy theory a lot.
So, as the Chiefs prepare to take on the Houston Texans in the regional round this week, Fox News Digital is reporting on this huge deal, even though the record ultimately speaks for itself. Amid the pressure and scrutiny, I wondered what the players themselves thought about the regular season.
What is being overlooked on this team?
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Three-time Pro Bowl center Creed Humphrey also discussed his role alongside teammates Chris Jones and Zabilly Worthy in Doritos' “Crash the Super Bowl” ad campaign. “I think it's the resiliency of this team,” he told FOX News Digital. “Tight games, games down by one score, two-minute drives to win the game, defensive stops to win the game. In all those situations, we gave it our all and played our best ball. It all comes from hard work throughout the offseason, all through training camp.
“That resiliency is something you develop in camp and other dog-monkey situations. It's something we show every week and practice well in critical situations. I'm happy to step up.”
Jones, the Chiefs' defensive captain and game-destroying defensive tackle, wholeheartedly agreed with Humphrey's opinion, especially since injuries forced many to step up during the season.
“We've had a lot of guys go down all season, a lot of key players,” Jones said, referring to the offensive line, which suffered serious injuries to Laci Rice, Marquise “Hollywood” Brown and Isaiah Pacheco. .
“We've been able to adjust and continue to build on it, but it's not an easy task. When your best wide receiver goes down, your starting running back goes down, and there are a lot of factors involved. I've been able to continue to grow and faced a lot of adversity this season.”
Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones leaves the field after the game against the New Orleans Saints at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. (Denny Medley Imagen Images)
One of those players is Worthy, the Chiefs' first-round draft pick, who set a new NFL Scouting Combine record in the 40-yard dash. Worthy's speed has been an offensive weapon for head coach Andy Reid, and while it took him some time to get used to the NFL, his chemistry with star quarterback Patrick Mahomes makes him an asset in this latest round of playoffs. I'm getting better by the week I'm heading.
Dealing with adversity in the NFL, especially when a key player goes down, means the next player has to step up. That's Worthy, ready to continue building on a successful regular season.
“I'm just trying to be myself,” Worthy said of his first playoff trip. “Continue to grow as a player in this league. I think that's the most important thing, and that's what matters to players.” [when] They compare their own journey to the end goal. I just want to do what I'm supposed to do every week. ”
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Worthy is a prime example of what Jones pointed out about this Chiefs group: strong character.
Since last season, character has been built by winning 15 consecutive one-score games like the Chiefs did. While the naysayers viewed the Kansas City game in a negative light, the team was just the opposite.
It wasn't a coincidence that he had a blocked field goal against the Denver Broncos and remained undefeated. When Nick Bolton went down at No. 4 and shortstop against the Atlanta Falcons and led the team to victory, it wasn't because he knew what was about to happen.
To be sure, the Chiefs have had some luck this season. Did Isaiah Likely put his toe out of bounds for the game-winning touchdown on the final play of the game in Week 1? Yeah, it was a bit of luck that the Chiefs won, but sometimes that happens in these crazy games. Sometimes.
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Xavier Worthy gains yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Acresure Stadium. (Barry Rieger Image)
The pressure, the naysayers, and anything else that could paint a negative picture of the Chiefs' direction will only intensify as they follow history.
But these Chiefs players will continue to have their sights set on roles that have made them New England Patriots-level villains.
“I think that gives us a competitive edge because we know that everyone is against us. We know that no one wants us to win.” said Jones. “…Personally, I feel like that gives us an advantage over everyone else because we feel the same way about the world.”
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Super Bowl commercials are always a highlight of the “big game,” but Jones, Humphrey and Worthy all agree they don't want to see them until after they air. I mean, they were playing for the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
But these Chiefs did get to see some fan-made ads that are part of Doritos' iconic Crash the Super Bowl campaign. The campaign is a contest that challenges fans to come up with a commercial that is better than the advertiser because millions of people believe they can.
These chiefs were able to preview the semi-finalists, including the three ads chosen as finalists this time around. million dollar competition.
Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones appears before the game against the New Orleans Saints at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. (Jay Biggerstaff-Imagine Images)
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“There were multiple ads that I actually thoroughly enjoyed. … I think every ad had its own special uniqueness,” Jones said. “It was a fun environment where we picked them as a team and we were able to laugh about it and critique each one, but at the same time we felt deeply involved in the process.”
Humphrey added, “Everyone in the room likes different parts of each commercial, so that's what's great about these commercials. The fans have done a great job making these commercials this year. ” he added.
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