The Chiefs... are underdogs?
A Cinderella story?
That's the narrative a Kansas City TV station, KMBC, was pushing after the Chiefs' 27-24 AFC Championship Game loss to the Bengals on Sunday. The station tweeted out a graphic with Patrick Mahomes thanking the team for the ride, saying that "we were never supposed to be here" and they were "never meant to make it this far."
AGAINST ALL ODDS: We were never supposed to be here. We were never meant to make it this far. But against all odds, we did. What a season. Thank you for the incredible ride. We will always be #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/8agbxm8W6y
— KMBC (@kmbc) January 30, 2022
The Chiefs didn't have the best start to the regular season, beginning the campaign 3-4. However, they won their next eight games and landed the No. 2 seed in the AFC. They have been heavy favorites to win each playoff game, including historic favorites over the Steelers in the wild-card round, and were seven-point favorites against the Bengals.
According to Pro Football Reference, the Chiefs entered the season as a heavy favorite to win the Super Bowl at +450, with the reigning Super Bowl champion Buccaneers second at +700. In every game this season, the Chiefs were favored to win.
There's also the fact that the Chiefs had been in four straight AFC championship games and were looking to reach their third straight Super Bowl.
Needless to say, to say the Chiefs reached the AFC championship "against all odds" is a bit of a stretch.
After all, the Chiefs were a heavy favorite to advance to yet another Super Bowl, at -335 odds.
Following its tweet, KMBC was getting blasted for its framing of the Chiefs as underdogs, as well as its usage of "we" throughout the message.
Lol at “counted us out.”
— Zak Keefer (@zkeefer) January 31, 2022
Also, who is “we”? You’re supposed to cover the team not cheer for them. https://t.co/swozxwS0qP
Preseason Super Bowl favorites who many talked about going 17-0, discuss how much they achieved in spite of their underdog status. https://t.co/1PVxwgRJ0l
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) January 31, 2022
You just lost to a team that won 4 games last year. https://t.co/apvbvvn5cs
— John Cooper (@thejcoop) January 31, 2022
The Chiefs were the Super Bowl favorites (+450) before the season started https://t.co/LlnAf8WzfF
— BetMGM 🦁 (@BetMGM) January 31, 2022
Da hell you talkin’ about? https://t.co/rZYDNp7XOp
— Colin Cowherd (@ColinCowherd) January 31, 2022
Yep those gritty, gutty Chiefs. What an amazing Cinderella story. No one ever expected the team that last made the AFC Championship game in (checks notes) 2021 and (checks notes) 2020 and (wait, is this right?) 2019 would ever make it to the AFC Championship game again in 2022. https://t.co/CtvLGdNzu5
— JJ Cooper (@jjcoop36) January 31, 2022
🔥🔥 Silence those critics. Crickets. https://t.co/vPUQOb2pZz
— Freezing Cold Takes (@OldTakesExposed) January 31, 2022
Nice try, KMBC.I think WE need to learn how odds work. https://t.co/kmAVDprzWR
— Will Brinson (@WillBrinson) January 31, 2022