Tonight, the once beloved Kansas City Chiefs are entering Super Bowl LVIII as the villains of the most significant NFL competition. On Monday, February 5, at the Super Bowl’s Opening Night at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, the Chiefs were audibly booed by fans.
When Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Isiah Pacheco, and Chiefs head coach Andy Reid were mentioned at Allegiant Stadium, fans throughout the stadium ensured that members of the Kansas City franchise could hear their dislike. When players of the San Francisco franchise were mentioned, the 49ers were met with a different reaction as fans in Allegiant Stadium showered them with cheers.
TRAV GETTIN' FIRED UP pic.twitter.com/OUj6oQ4yFR
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) February 6, 2024
The different reactions the franchises received from fans can be attributed to scheduling logistics on Super Bowl Opening Night as the Chiefs had concluded their media rounds. At the same time, the 49ers had yet to conduct theirs. Hence, numerous Chiefs fans could have left the event, but this does not take away from the fact that the Chiefs are entering tonight’s game as the Super Bowl villains.
Tonight’s matchup marks the fourth time in five years that the Chiefs will be competing in the Super Bowl, and this is their second consecutive year to do so. The Chiefs were once a beloved team for NFL fans, but the franchise is now receiving treatment similar to that of the New England Patriots when they were in their prime.
The Kansas City franchise was a fan favorite the last time they competed against the San Francisco 49ers for the Super Bowl title. At the time, Super Bowl LIV was the Chiefs’ first Super Bowl appearance in 50 years, as the last time they had competed was Super Bowl IV in 1970 against the Minnesota Vikings.
Super Bowl LIV’s fan-favorite team was captained by Patrick Mahomes, who led his team in his second year as the franchise’s starting quarterback. Mahomes played a crucial role in helping his team clinch the 2020 Super Bowl title over the 49ers when they beat San Francisco 31-20.
Since Super Bowl LIV, the Chiefs have appeared in two other Super Bowls and clinched their third title in Super Bowl LVII. As this is Kansas City’s fourth time in five years to appear in a Super Bowl, NFL fans are tired of seeing the Chiefs franchise continue to win games and prevent new teams from competing in the prestigious competition.
And it's the most in the league by six 👏 pic.twitter.com/SRinf14Qac
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) February 7, 2024
It is challenging to paint the San Francisco 49ers as Super Bowl villains when the team is led by a 24-year-old quarterback who was the very last player to be selected in the 2022 NFL Draft and has now completed his first entire season as the 49ers starting quarterback.
If the 49ers quarterback, Brock Purdy, can clinch the title for his team tonight, he will become the second youngest NFL quarterback to do so. The 49ers have appeared in the Super Bowl seven times, and the franchise has clinched five titles, with their last Super Bowl appearance occurring in 2020 when they lost to the Chiefs.
While the Chiefs are considered the Super Bowl villains, the NFL has garnered a new demographic of fans that consists of female viewers as the Chiefs tight end, Travis Kelce, has made his relationship with Eras Tour singer Taylor Swift public. Since Swift made her first appearance at a Chiefs game on September 24, 2023, female support of NFL games has reportedly increased, and the NFL is expecting this year’s Super Bowl to see a more significant number of female viewers, as seen by the various Super Bowl ads that are catered towards women this year.
Despite the increase in female viewership and support for the Chiefs due to Travis Kelce’s relationship with Taylor Swift, the Kansas City franchise cannot escape the villain narrative. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been embracing this new narrative because it means his team is winning. If the team’s narrative comes at the cost of winning, Mahomes would rather continue being a winner.
Throughout this 2023-24 NFL season, the 49ers have continuously posted the mantra “against all odds” despite being favored in each regular season and postseason game. The 49ers were favored to win each match in the NFL Playoffs, while the Chiefs were favored to win their last two playoff games. The 49ers have painted themselves as the underdogs this last year, while the Chiefs are the real underdogs entering tonight’s Super Bowl.
Against all odds 🎲
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) February 2, 2024
Next up: #SBLVIII on CBS pic.twitter.com/x3ahviUxAJ
While the 49ers are naming themselves the underdogs, stating that the odds were against them in their quest to win the Super Bowl title, they have been favored to win every game, and the “underdogs” are favored to win Super Bowl LVIII. Tonight, the San Francisco 49ers enter the game as 2-point favorites over the Chiefs. When looking at the moneyline, San Francisco is favored at -128 while the Chiefs are sitting at +108.
Despite being named Super Bowl LVIII’s villains and being favored to lose tonight’s game, the Chiefs still have a decent chance at clinching their second consecutive title. The Chiefs are no strangers to NFL odds, as the franchise was favored to lose their last two NFL Playoff games, yet they came out victorious. Tonight’s Super Bowl is guaranteed to ensure an exciting game for fans as the Chiefs compete face-to-face against the 49ers.
