Kansas City Chiefs: Top stories from 2016

The season is over, but it’s not to be forgotten. It’s time to go back and look at some of the top stories from the Chiefs 2016 season.

Much sooner than anyone would have liked.

If I had told you the winner of the Chiefs vs. Steelers game didn’t score a touchdown but made six field goals. You probably would’ve guessed the Chiefs won. The Chiefs got their revenge game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but instead of getting beat by Le’Veon Bell, Antonio Brown, and Ben Roethlisberger. The Chiefs were beat by the fourth killer B, Chris Boswell who made 6-for-6 field goals.

The hopes of a Chiefs Super Bowl dashed in front of their home crowd. But it’s time to move on. The season is over, but there are many fond memories to remember it. So relax, take a seat, and let us go back to the many special moments we Chiefs fans had in 2016.

Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

The Comeback Kid

What better way to start than to remember our Week 1 win against the San Diego Chargers. Before the Chargers began building their IR all-star team. The Chargers were trashing the Chiefs through nearly three full quarters. With 6:02 left in the 3rd quarter Josh Lambo kicked a 29-yard field goal to give themselves a 24-3 lead. The Chiefs only points had come in the first five minutes of the game on a 47-yard Cairo Santos field goal.

After another Josh Lambo field goal at the beginning of the 4th quarter the Chiefs scored 17 consecutive points in eight minutes and 15 seconds to tie the game at 27-27. In over time the Chiefs won the coin toss and never looked back. The Chiefs proceeded to matriculate the ball down the field and ended it with a two-yard Alex Smith touchdown run to win the game. Spencer Ware led both teams in receiving with seven receptions for 129 yards.

It was the perfect start to the magical season it would become. You can catch the highlights of the game here.

The Heart Break

The first meeting with the Steelers felt similar to the last. This is what most coaches would refer to as a “throwaway game.” A game to be forgotten and moved on from quickly. The Steelers dominated the Chiefs throughout the entire game. The Chiefs did not score their first points until the beginning of the fourth quarter and ended the game 43-14.

Knowing now how the season ends makes this loss no easier to swallow. The Chiefs will face the Steelers again next season at home. This story may not quite be over just yet.

Gale Sayers 2.0 On SNF?

In Week 12, Tyreek Hill truly hit the spotlight when he became the first since Gale Sayers to have a rushing touchdown, receiving touchdown, and a returned touchdown. In total Hill managed 169 all-purpose yards and 3 touchdowns to help the Chiefs beat Denver 30-27 in overtime.

Hill’s touchdown catch came in the final 15 seconds of the game. The Chiefs then converted the necessary two-point conversation to tie the game with a Demetrius Harris catch. The rest is history.

You can watch it all happen here.

The Eric Berry Game

It was Berry’s first time back in his hometown of Atlanta since he had finished his chemo therapy in his fight against Hodgkin’s lymphoma. In Berry’s homecoming was perhaps the best game of his entire career. With the Chiefs and Falcons hitting each other back blow for blow Eric Berry became the difference maker.

With 37 seconds left in the first half Eric Berry returned an interception for 37 yards and a touchdown. The ball went to none other than his mother who was sitting just a few rows up from the end zone. After giving his mother the ball he reportedly told her, “I’ll be back” and boy did he deliver.

With 4:32 left in the game the Falcons managed to score a touchdown to go up by one point. The Falcons were trying to make it a three-point game when Eric Berry intercepted the two-point conversion for his own two points. It was the fastest comeback in NFL history. Fulfilling his promise, Berry gave the ball to his dad who was also sitting in the stands alongside his mother. Truly a game that will live on in Berry’s mind forever.

You can catch the highlights here.

The Conclusion

I’ve already mentioned the Chiefs loss to the Steelers in the playoffs. So I wont talk about that here.

The season didn’t quite end the way we may have hoped, but to me it wasn’t a failure. As a fan it was perhaps one of the most entertaining and fun seasons I’ve ever witnessed. The comebacks against the Chargers and Broncos, the emergence of Tyreek Hill, and the heart displayed by players like Eric Berry will be memories for a lifetime. I want to thank everyone in the Chiefs organization for doing their best in making this the best season possible. I have faith that there are many more good memories to be made.

Thank you, and a good day to you all.