Chiefs looking to avoid becoming fifth defending Super Bowl champs to start 0-2 Sunday vs. Jags

The Chiefs lost in Week 1 for the first time in the Patrick Mahomes era. Now K.C. is trying to avoid becoming just the fifth defending Super Bowl champion to start 0-2 Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

There were mitigating circumstances for each of the previous four teams. Two of the four that started 0-2 after lifting the Lombardi occurred in seasons disrupted by player strikes (49ers in 1982; Giants in 1987). The 1993 Cowboys dealt with Emmitt Smith’s holdout. The 1999 Denver Broncos wobbled out of the gate after John Elway retired.

Only the Cowboys, who went on to win the Super Bowl after Smith inked his new contract, made the playoffs.

The Chiefs still have Mahomes under center but missed two other stars in Week 1. This week, Chris Jones is on track to participate at some level after ending his holdout, and Travis Kelce (knee) has been limited in practices.

Under Andy Reid, the Chiefs have not started 0-2 since 2014 (finished 9-7, missed playoffs). At the time Mahomes was a freshman at Texas Tech, and Alex Smith was starting for Kansas City.

Mahomes is 13-3 in his career after a loss. K.C. has lost two consecutive games just three times since Mahomes took over as the starter (Weeks 15-16, 2018; Weeks 5-6, 2019; Weeks 2-3, 2021). The Chiefs have not lost three straight since Weeks 9-13 in 2017, Mahomes’ rookie season.

In fact, since Mahomes became the starter in 2018, the Chiefs have never been more than a single game below .500 at any point during a season.

Mahomes is also 4-0 in his career versus the Jaguars, including last year’s playoff victory.

Not that any of these stats matter when the Chiefs and Jaguars take the field Sunday, but it’s an interesting backdrop to one of the most enticing games in the early slate.