KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Kansas City Chiefs next season will play in the AFC West along with the defending Super Bowl champions for the first time since 1999.
The situations have some similarities. Then, like now, the Denver Broncos were those defending champions. The 1998 Broncos had an eventual Hall of Fame quarterback, John Elway, who would retire soon after the Super Bowl victory while Peyton Manning likely played his last game in Sunday’s 24-10 championship game victory over the Carolina Panthers.
Elway’s retirement opened up an opportunity for the AFC West’s other teams because the Broncos wouldn’t win another division title for seven years after his departure.