What can I say that hasn't already been said about tonight's game? What started out as a bit of a slog turned into one of the most memorable Super Bowls in a long time, and only the second to ever reach over time.
It took nearly the entirety of the overtime period, and despite the disrespect the Chiefs faced throughout the season, they're back-to-back champions.
Now, attention turns towards something that has never happened. There won't be much celebration before the Chiefs' organization immediately turns their sites on achieving an unprecedented third straight win.
Chasing history like that will start with keeping the important parts of this roster in Kansas City. And that means re-signing these key free agents.
1. Re-Sign: Chris Jones
I know we're not loving the idea of spending another offseason speculating on Chris Jones, but how can you watch this postseason and put anyone else at the top of the list?
Twice with playoff games on the line, Jones came up with a massive play, getting enough pressure to bail out the secondary for blown coverage. You can't re-sign a player based on two plays, obviously, but it's more about how indicative those are of his impact.
Jones is arguably the NFL's best pass-rusher, and he's also a unique one. While most elite rushers are almost purely EDGE defenders, Jones can do it from both the interior and the edge. He's also as consistent as they come, with pass-rush grades on Pro Football Focus north of 90.0 in three of the last four years (hitting 89.0 the only time in that stretch that he fell short of 90).
He's ninth in the NFL in tackles for loss (TFLs) and seventh in sacks over the last two seasons, and the way his impact is felt all the way up into the secondary makes him a crucial piece to re-sign, whatever it takes.
2. Re-Sign: Drue Tranquill
Drue Tranquill is another guy who's versatility and ability to have an impact that goes well beyond his own personal play gets him the second spot on this list.
But even if we just start with his individual performance, it's not hard to make the case for keeping him in KC.
Tranquill finished the regular season tied for No. 3 on the defense in snaps despite only playing 57% of the Chiefs' defensive snaps on the year due to his late-season injuries. He was thrown at in coverage 30 times, only giving up 6.1 yards per target on those looks. For context, 6.1 yards per pass attempt would have ranked No. 30 among qualifying QBs on the year. A typical throw at Tranquill this year was only about as efficient as a Mac Jones or Zach Wilson pass attempt.
And then we've got his versatility. He's not an elite run defender, but he does the job well enough, and that's really all you need from most of your off-ball linebackers in today's NFL. It's nice if they can stuff the run, but simply being average in that area is fine if you excel elsewhere. And coverage is obviously where Tranquill excels.
As mentioned above, throwing at him doesn't tend to work out well, and his impact goes beyond that. His ability to thrive in zone coverage (including taking on deep responsibilities the way you might expect a safety, not a linebacker, to do) is not easy to find at the position.
And when you pair that with an elite defensive mind like Steve Spagnuolo? Well we've seen what kind of magic they can make happen together.
3. Re-Sign: Willie Gay
Linebacker might not be a "premium position" in the modern NFL, but that's why retaining your talent at the position can be so appealing — it's not expensive to roster some real difference-makers. And Willie Gay is a terrific compliment to Tranquill.
Gay steps up as a plus run defender in a way that Tranquill doesn't, and while that's not always crucial, you do need some ability to stop the run. And we saw this season that if the Chiefs got much worse in that area it could definitely start to become an issue. And that's an issue that bleeds into your ability to defend the pass too.
The other thing Gay does that doesn't really show up on the stat-sheet on a personal level is contain rushing quarterbacks. Cleaning up plays with tackles on a QB who scrambles for 3 yards, or keeping your contain and forcing them to just throw the ball away aren't going to jump off the page the way sacks or TFLs will, but they're nearly as impactful all the same.
Gay's play meshes perfectly with Tranquill and Nick Bolton, and the talent there really feels like a key to why Spags can have so much success with this defense. His ability to put the right players in the right spots to succeed is uncanny, and the gestalt he creates by using different skill sets in perfect harmony makes linebackers feel uniquely valuable in KC.
4. Let Walk: L'Jarius Sneed
Maybe I'll catch some flack for this one, but the Chiefs can't re-sign everybody, right? Even with the high of the Super Bowl still going on full-force, I want to try to be somewhat realistic. And I want to combine what I think is realistic with what Brett Veach has shown us in the past.
And Veach hasn't exactly been known for devoting major resources to the cornerback spot.
That can really frustrate fans with the NFL being as pass-heavy as it is these days, but I also think that's an okay approach if you're doing it strategically. And keeping pass-rush talent like Jones plus outstanding coverage linebackers like Tranquill can really help cover up deficiencies at the cornerback spot in a way that is a little easier on the ol' salary cap.
So I'm not here to tell you that Sneed isn't great, or to start the sour grapes "he wasn't that good anyway it's okay he's gone" revisionist history. But knowing what we do about Veach, about the system Spagnuolo runs and about the salary cap situation the Chiefs are in this offseason?
It would be sad to see him go, but the NFL salary cap is never going to let you field a dynasty without making some tough decisions. And letting Sneed walk is one of those tough decisions you've got to just live with.
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