The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 in Super Bowl 59. This is the Eagles’ second Super Bowl title and it means no Chiefs threepeat. Many started to discuss Patrick Mahomes in the NFL GOAT debate, but few are doing so now. Obviously, Chiefs players, fans, and staff are disappointed by the outcome of Super Bowl 59.
The Chiefs were on the verge of making NFL history by becoming the first team to win three consecutive Super Bowls. Despite this disappointment, the Eagles’ victory benefits the NFL. Without further ado, let’s discuss why the Eagles winning Super Bowl 59 benefits the NFL.
No Chiefs Threepeat Adds to the Eagles-Chiefs Rivalry
A competitive rivalry is always more interesting than a one-sided rivalry. The Eagles and Chiefs faced off in Super Bowl 57, with the Chiefs emerging victorious in a tightly-contested 38-35 game. Following that, the Chiefs won Super Bowl 58 25-22 against the San Francisco 49ers. At this point, many people used the term ‘dynasty’ to refer to this current Chiefs team.
Many speculated that the Chiefs could become the first NFL team ever to win the Super Bowl three times in a row. However, the Eagles winning Super Bowl 59 put a stop to that. This is good for the NFL because it adds to the rivalry between the two teams.
Each one of them have won a Super Bowl against each other now. Going into next season, it is more interesting to speculate about who will win the Super Bowl because the Chiefs no longer seem invincible. The Eagles-Chiefs rivalry is now far more compelling because the Chiefs will want to avenge their Super Bowl loss. This rivalry benefits the NFL because compelling rivalries are part of what draw fans to a sport in the first place.
No Chiefs Threepeat Makes the NFL Season More Interesting
There are a number of things that can make a certain sports season less interesting to follow. One of them is an unstoppable team dominating the entire league from start to finish. A good parallel for this is the Golden State Warriors’ three-year run with Kevin Durant on the team. Everything knew that if the Warriors stayed healthy, they would at least make the NBA Finals and likely win the championship.
That is precisely what happened. The Warriors won back-to-back titles in 2017 and 2018 before reaching the Finals again in 2019. They lost a competitive six-game series to the Toronto Raptors, partially due to injuries. In any case, the point is that one team being far better than all other teams in the sport makes the sport far less compelling and interesting to follow.
The Chiefs have dominated the AFC for some time and were on the verge of taking that dominance to the entire NFL. The fact that the Chiefs lost Super Bowl 59 means that other teams might be able to make a legitimate run at the Super Bowl. This adds more excitement to the season, since fans can be hopeful about their teams.
It Elevates a New Great Quarterback in Jalen Hurts
Patrick Mahomes is an outstanding quarterback. There is no denying that, even if he struggled in the Chiefs’ Super Bowl 59 loss. Mahomes is a three-time Super Bowl MVP and Super Bowl champion, in addition to a two-time NFL MVP. He has led the Chiefs to seven AFC championship appearances in a row and to five Super Bowls.
However, the lack of a Chiefs threepeat benefits the NFL because it elevates Jalen Hurts to greatness. Hurts played well in Super Bowl 59, with 221 passing yards, 72 rushing yards, and three touchdowns. A few years ago, there were some questioning if Hurts was the right quarterback for the Eagles long-term. Now, Jalen Hurts is a star quarterback and provides the fans with another compelling player to root for. Thanks to this, his jersey is more popular than ever.
It Demonstrates that Elite Defense Is Still a Viable Path to Success
Quite a few teams with the best defense in the NFL have experienced phenomenal success. However, many questioned whether or not this would be the case against a high-powered Chiefs offense led by Patrick Mahomes. The Eagles proved that elite defense is still one way to win championships in the NFL.
The Eagles shut down the Chiefs’ offense, holding them scoreless until the Eagles led 34-0 and the game was essentially already over. Because of this, other teams can believe that they have a viable path to success, even if they don’t have an elite offense. ‘Defense wins championships’ is a phrase that is often used in professional sports and this is very much the case when it comes to the NFL. The Eagles proved that by winning Super Bowl 59 by dominating with their defense.
It Establishes the Eagles as a Potential Dynasty
The Eagles have largely secured their long-term future. Now, after winning Super Bowl 59, they have the potential to create a championship dynasty of their own. This benefits the NFL because it makes the league more competitive and creates compelling storylines as other teams attempt to prevent the Eagles from establishing a dynasty.
Rooting for and rooting against a dynasty increases fan excitement. It means that fans who may have become disconnected from the NFL now have a great reason to tune in once again. A dynasty built on defense hasn’t been seen in the NFL in some time and now there is potential for one to emerge once again.
No Chiefs Threepeat Outlines a Method to Bring Down the Chiefs
As previously stated, the Chiefs under Patrick Mahomes have dominated the AFC. They have advanced to seven consecutive AFC championship games and made it to five Super Bowls, winning three of them. However, their loss in Super Bowl 59 means that other AFC teams now know how to beat them.
This could mean that the AFC is more competitive and an end to the Chiefs’ dominance in it. A more competitive AFC is more fun to watch and will increase fan interest.
The NFL Is Better Off with the Eagles Winning Super Bowl 59
It is good for the NFL that the Eagles won Super Bowl 59. Now, we can see the further development of a compelling rivalry between the Chiefs and Eagles, among other benefits. It will be interesting to see how the outcome of Super Bowl 59 affects the NFL in the long-term.