He stood within the successful locker room three years in the past after a Super Bowl win in Hard Rock Stadium, dripping champagne and soccer knowledge, when somebody requested him to look again on the choices that gained the night time.
“I’m not good at looking back,’ Kansas City Chiefs General Manager Brett Veach said that night in 2020. “I’d rather look ahead.”
Now comes a Super Bowl with two groups, Kansas City and Philadelphia, that regarded forward from one ring to the following in two distinct methods. These are franchises that don’t come to hire the trophy. They wish to preserve it.
Their two methods of climbing the mountain didn’t contain sacrificing seasons or shedding for top draft picks — methods used not simply the Miami Dolphins but additionally by the groups they beat Sunday: Cincinnati and San Francisco. The Chiefs and Eagles are simply higher, smarter.
There are different, extra seen themes to this Super Bowl. Kansas City coach Andy Reid performs the Philadelphia franchise that fired him a decade in the past. Donna and Ed Kelce’s boys — Philadelphia’s Jason and Kansas City’s Travis — meet within the large sport.
But the bigger theme is how these groups preserve successful, yr after yr. Kansas City has been within the AFC Championship Game 5 consecutive years, successful three to go to the Super Bowl. Philadelphia has made 5 playoffs and chases its second Super Bowl title in six years.
Kansas City’s success began when a faceless scout went to observe video of Texas Tech sort out earlier than the 2016 draft. He was mesmerized as a substitute by the crew’s sophomore quarterback. He stored watching all of the tape of him on the market.
“What you watching?” Reid requested the scout in the future.
“The subsequent quarterback of the Chiefs’ mentioned the scout, Brett Veach.
Kansas City boldly traded from twenty seventh to tenth to take that quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, within the 2017 draft. Veach was promoted to basic supervisor by the point of Mahome’s second Super Bowl and first ring at Hard Rock.
Last winter introduced Kansas City’s subsequent tough determination: How to win with Mahomes off his rookie contract and on a 10-year, $450 million deal. Kansas City traded star receiver Tyreek Hill to the Dolphins reasonably than pay him. It downgraded to common receivers past tight finish Travis Kelce to go together with common operating backs.
It has two All-Pro offensive linemen. It has the seventh-ranked scoring protection regardless of paying 4 rookies. It primarily has Mahomes, who misplaced three receivers, performed on a bum ankle Sunday within the AFC Championship and was steadfast in his refusal to lose.
“You noticed once more why he’s particular and an enormous purpose why we’re going to the Super Bowl,’ Reid mentioned.
That’s one option to preserve going there. Philadelphia took an reverse path for its return journey. Since beating New England within the 2017 season, it has modified coaches, quarterbacks and many of the roster.
General Manager Howie Rosen was the fixed. So was his philosophy: Build high-priced expertise round a mean quarterback on an inexpensive contract. He gained it with Carson Wentz (and Nick Foles) in 2017. He’s again within the Super Bowl with Jalen Hurts this yr.
The Dolphins scrimmaged Philadelphia final August and left saying it was the most effective offensive and defensive traces they’d face all yr. Roseman traded for a prime receiver, A.J. Brown.
He employed a coach, Nick Sirianni, who identical to the earlier one, Doug Pedersen, is an effective coach making his identify however not a risen star like Reid. The entrance workplace is the star in Philadelphia’s method.
Philadelphia reveals the way in which to win when you can’t get a Mahomes, Joe Burrow, Josh Allen or quarterback who may turn out to be certainly one of them. It’s more durable to keep up. Mahomes, at 27, assures Kansas City will probably be a contender yr after yr.
This roster structure will get to the thought of Hall of Fame coach Bill Walsh careworn inside his San Francisco group. “You solely have to fret about eight groups,’ he’d say.
The others will beat themselves on the sphere or the entrance workplace, he was saying. There are solely eight ok and sensible sufficient to win annually.
Kansas City and Philadelphia are two of these eight. They’ve carried out it other ways: one with an elite coach and quarterback, the opposite with an excellent coach and quarterback. The widespread floor is within the entrance workplace. The basic supervisor wasn’t wanting again at success, however looking forward to the following Super Bowl.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com
