The Kansas City Chiefs are gearing up for another Super Bowl run in 2025 as they aim to add the final pieces to their squad this offseason.
The AFC West team has made it to the last three consecutive Super Bowls, but their dream of an unprecedented three-peat was dashed by a formidable Philadelphia Eagles team, who clinched the 2024 Lombardi trophy with a 40-22 victory.
Head coach Andy Reid is determined to make changes during the offseason as the Chiefs gear up for another climb to the top in 2025, with star quarterback Patrick Mahomes leading the charge. Following the crushing loss to the Eagles, the young quarterback said that the defeat was "the worst feeling" and took "blame" for the three turnovers he committed during the match.
Despite recent setbacks, the Chiefs have seen their fair share of success. Their current winning streak is a new chapter in their history, considering they had only won one Lombardi before 2020.
Under Reid's leadership, the team boasts three rings and is already making significant moves in the free agency market to strengthen their roster.
So far, they've added defensive tackle Jerry Tillery from the Minnesota Vikings to bolster the line, signed ex-Las Vegas Raiders starting QB Gardner Minshew as Mahomes' backup and former Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Kristian Fulton has also joined the Chiefs Kingdom this month.
The Chiefs have been making plenty of impressive moves in free agency this month, with Jaylon Moore and Elijah Mitchell also joining the ranks.
It's a reminder that the NFL Draft isn't always where you find your Super Bowl stars. Indeed, some of the greatest names in NFL history found their success years after being drafted, often with a completely different team.
Here, we have looked back at some of the most successful free agency signings in Chiefs history as coach Reid and his team aim to replicate past successes this year.
Damien Williams
For many Chiefs fans, running back Damien Williams is one of the most memorable free agency acquisitions. Released by the Miami Dolphins at the end of 2017, he signed with Kansas City at the beginning of the 2018 season.
But it was during Super Bowl LIV that he truly made his mark, helping secure a last-minute victory against the San Francisco 49ers. In the championship game, Williams rushed 17 times for 104 yards, including a 38-yard touchdown, and caught four passes for 29 yards and another touchdown.
It was actually when he scored during this game, not how many times, that secured Williams' place in Chiefs history - after giving Kansas City the lead with just 2:44 left on the clock initially.
Then, with just 1:12 left on the clock, Williams rushed into the endzone on the Chiefs' next possession. This extended Kansas City's lead to 10 points and ultimately secured them their second-ever Lombardi - and their first since 1970.
Despite his heroics in his debut Super Bowl game, the former free agent chose not to return for another season with the Chiefs in 2020. He was eventually released in March 2021.
Since then, the now-32-year-old has played for the Chicago Bears, Atlanta Falcons, and Las Vegas Raiders. Most recently, he was cut from the Arizona Cardinals' practise squad in 2023.
Tyrann Mathieu
Safety Tyrann Mathieu was another recent free agent the Chiefs gave a hefty contract to bolster their struggling defense after their 2018 season ended with a defeat to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game.
Mathieu spent time at the Arizona Cardinals and Houston Texans in his first six seasons in the NFL. However, his most significant years were spent in Missouri under Steve Spagnuolo's direction after he signed a three-year contract worth a whopping $42 million in 2019.
In his three years with the Chiefs, Mathieu racked up an impressive 213 tackles and three sacks from strong safety. He won one Super Bowl and was named in the All-Pro team and Pro Bowl team twice.
His influence helped the team's defense go from being ranked 24th best in 2018 to a top-10 formation across the three years he spent in Missouri. He is widely regarded as one of the best investments the AFC West franchise has made in recent history.
Now, Mathieu is a key player for the New Orleans Saints, and his 2024 season saw him achieve 62 total tackles, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery - impressive stats for the 32-year-old veteran.
Priest Holmes
Priest Holmes joined the Chiefs as a Super Bowl champion, having signed with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent in 1997 and winning a ring in Super Bowl XXXV. In 2001, Holmes moved to Kansas City on a five-year, $11.7M contract, surpassing everyone's expectations.
In his debut season, he led the NFL in rushing yards with 1,555, becoming the first undrafted player to do so. He then had one of the best three-year runs in NFL history, amassing 4,590 yards and 56 touchdowns, making him the second-highest rusher in the entire Chiefs franchise.
He was named the NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2002 due to his career-high yardage of 1,615 and 21 touchdowns that season. Despite retiring in 2007 after aggravating a neck injury that ruled him out of the previous season, his legacy remains strong in Chiefs history to this day.
Brian Waters
Brian Waters, an undrafted free agent initially picked up by the Dallas Cowboys, had his career's best years with the AFC West team. After being cut post-training camp by the Cowboys, the Chiefs quickly signed him.
In the 2000 offseason, the Chiefs sent Waters to play with Berlin Thunder in NFL Europe, hoping to mould him into a center. He then spent 11 successful years with the Chiefs, contributing to one of the franchise's most formidable offensive lines.
Waters earned first-team All-Pro honors twice and was selected for five Pro Bowls during his time with the Chiefs. The now-48-year-old also received the Walter Payton Award, recognizing his contributions both on and off the field, before leaving Kansas City in 2011.
Post-Kansas City, Waters had brief stints with the Cowboys and the New England Patriots before announcing his retirement in September 2014.