The Kansas City Chiefs’ 38-0 blowout defeat to the Denver Broncos held no consequences, as they had already clinched the top spot in the AFC and a first-round bye in the postseason. The result, however, held the fate of two AFC rivals, one of which had unintentionally provided a boost for Kansas City in 2019.
The Cincinnati Bengals and Miami Dolphins needed to win their Week 18 games and hope the Chiefs would win in Denver to clinch a spot in the playoffs. Miami would’ve qualified immediately with a victory over the New York Jets, while Cincinnati needed both the Broncos and Dolphins to lose. The Bengals’ win over the Pittsburgh Steelers wasn’t enough, as they were eliminated along with Miami.
Many Chiefs fans don’t think of the Bengals fondly due to the rivalry, but Miami didn’t hold back from showing support for Kansas City ahead of Week 18. Former Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill even sent well wishes to Kansas City on New Year’s Eve.
Happy new year especially to the chiefs
— Ty Hill (@cheetah) January 1, 2025
During his press conference last Friday, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid was asked about the thought of helping Miami with a victory over the Broncos.
“Yeah, I didn’t think of that – different head coach (2019 Dolphins). I like both guys, but that’s a – I’m not trying to help anybody out; I’m just trying to go up and do well in the game, but I haven’t thought of that,” said Reid. “I appreciate what they did. I sent them some great Kansas City steaks for doing that, yeah.”
The quarterback for the 2019 Dolphins team that upset the New England Patriots was current NFL Prime Video analyst Ryan Fitzpatrick, who reflected on that game with Chiefs Wire’s Ed Easton Jr. before the start of this season.
“Every time I see a Chiefs fan, they come up to me and say something,” Fitzpatrick explained. “I’ve been in Kansas City a few times for Thursday night football or my cousin’s wedding, but Chiefs fans in general, in the airport, I get that quite a bit still. It was a great memory for me, and obviously one that Chiefs fans really appreciate and will always remember.”
The Chiefs are now focusing on the postseason and await the winner of this weekend’s Wild Card Round.
