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The Kansas City Chiefs are unanimous among NFL fans when it comes to the best team in the league.
But it’s not as if the competition between the teams isn’t good. In recent years, the AFC has become much more hard-fought than the NFC.
Teams have been strengthening every season and putting together squads capable of fighting with the big boys.
The NFC has some good teams, but for at least two years now, the American conference has held the upper hand.
Former NFL quarterback comments on the hegemony of the AFC in the NFL
Steve Young was one of the most iconic quarterbacks in the history of the San Francisco 49ers. After taking over as the starter in the 1990s, Young led the team to win Super Bowl XXIX in 1995.
The NFC team has gone through ups and downs and recently rebuilt the entire franchise, from the staff to the roster.
After the 1995 title, the Niners returned to the Super Bowl in 2019-20 and 2023-24, against the Chiefs, and were defeated. Since then, they’ve been one of the NFC favourites to reach the conference final.
Former NFL QB was on The Rich Eisen Show and gave his opinion on the lack of competition between the AFC and NFC in recent years.
“To be any good in the NFL you have to have one of these elite quarterbacks that can be great processors, that can get the ball out, who can run and throw it all over the field, and they’re all in the AFC. Josh Allen, CJ Stroud, Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, Patrick Mahomes. You really don’t have those guys in the NFC. And so whoever to me, the AFC guys are gonna beat each other up.”
He added: “Now, Patrick Mahomes beat those guys up the last few years. It’s gonna be Joe Burrow. It’s gonna be Josh Allen. It’s gonna be that way in the AFC championship.”
Steve Young on the Chiefs’ three-peat
Although KC is always a contender, the task of securing a third consecutive ring won’t be easy.
This year they’ll have to face, in addition to the usual tough opponents, franchises that are waking up and hunting for their space in the league.
Young spoke about what lies behind the three-peats.
“So three-peats are really about getting through those guys and then getting the NFC, and then hoping that they can continue to beat it down because the NFC… Look at the 49ers: when we play any of those guys we get beat,” he said. “Lamar Jackson came to town on Christmas day and just smoke us, right. Joe Burrow came into town and smoke us. Patrick’s beat us twice.”
Carrying the flag for the NFC as a former conference player, Steve Young wants to see them turn things around and take responsibility.
But for this year, he’s still betting on Kansas City’s historic triumph.
“The AFC is where it all happens right now. We got to prove them wrong. We have to prove them wrong, but the truth of the matter about the Chiefs three-peating: there’s only four teams in the AFC they gotta worry about. And then one or two teams in the NFC. So you have one in six chances to three-peat – it’s pretty good.”