The Kansas City Chiefs are atop the football world. Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes and the rest of the roster were able to travel into the desert and come out of it with their third Lombardi Trophy in franchise history after taking down the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII. This is the second title under the Reid-Mahomes regime as they look to be a budding dynasty, and it appears like the rich will keep getting richer.
As we now turn our attention to the offseason, there's an interesting wrinkle that actually may make these Chiefs even stronger than some of the previous Super Bowl champions. In a typical offseason, the last team standing is given the last spot at the NFL Draft. While that is the case here with the Chiefs, they do not own the No. 32 overall pick in the first round as those who've worn the title belt in the past have. They actually move one step up.
With this win, Kansas City is officially locked into the No. 31 overall pick at the 2023 NFL Draft later this spring.
The reason why the Chiefs are in the unique position of moving up a spot at the draft is due to the Miami Dolphins having their first-rounder stripped by the league last summer. That loss of their first-round pick was due to the organization having "impermissible communications" with Tom Brady while the quarterback was still under contract with the Patriots and Buccaneers. The NFL investigation also found Miami had "impermissible communications" with Sean Payton's agent, as they reportedly tried to lure both the quarterback and coach to the Dolphins illegally.
So, the first round of the draft will only have 31 picks in it this go around, which slots K.C. one step above where they'd typically be, setting them up to draft a player that would otherwise be off the board if they were picking at their usual spot at No. 32.
This isn't totally uncommon, however, as the league has stripped teams of first-rounders in the past.
You have to go back to the 2016 NFL Draft to find the last time there were 31 picks in the opening round, despite having 32 teams in the league. That was due to the Patriots losing their first-rounder thanks to the Deflategate saga. That year, the Super Bowl 50 champion Denver Broncos held the 31st pick and traded up to No. 26 to draft quarterback Paxton Lynch. There were also 31 selections in the 2008 NFL Draft after New England was punished for Spygate. That year, the defending Super Bowl champion Giants from Super Bowl XLII drafted defensive back Kenny Phillips at No. 31.
It may not be a seismic leap for these Chiefs, but it is a noteworthy jump that has them in a draft position that normally they wouldn't have, which is a nice little bonus to go along with another Super Bowl title. As for who they may take to keep this championship train rolling into the future, CBS Sports Senior NFL Draft analyst Ryan Wilson has K.C. claiming Oregon State tight end Luke Musgrave in his post-Super Bowl mock draft.