Watch the Kansas City Chiefs host the Houston Texans in the 2020 season opener on September 11 on the new dedicated Sky Sports NFL channel
Tuesday 18 August 2020 12:40, UK
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes says he is motivated by a "clean slate" in 2020 after his team's Super Bowl win last season.
In the past 20 years, only one franchise - the New England Patriots with Bill Belichick and Tom Brady at the helm - has managed to win back-to-back titles.
In fact, only one other team has even reached the Super Bowl two years in a row (the Seattle Seahawks won 2014 and lost in 2015) in that same span.
Simply put, it is hard to repeat success in the NFL.
The Chiefs ended a 50-year wait for a title in February, but if they are to get back to the big dance again this season, they will need to reignite the motivation that drove them to success in Miami.
Super Bowl MVP Mahomes says he won't struggle to find inspiration despite achieving so much in his young career.
"[Finding motivation] is just the love of the game," he said. "I think when you play this sport, the best thing about it is you get to start over every single year.
"Every single year, no matter if you won the Super Bowl the last year, no matter if you lost in the AFC Championship Game, no matter if you didn't make the playoffs, you get a clean slate and you get to go out there and compete every single year.
"You have to have the passion and the mindset that you're going to go out there every single day and execute every single rep so you can go out there and be on top again and be able to have those parades, be able to enjoy it with your teammates and your family and your friends.
"Once you enjoy it, you come back and do it again the next year."
Usually, after Super Bowl success, teams struggle to hold on to their top talents as free agents make big-money moves, but Kansas City have looked after their own.
According to The Athletic's Sheil Kapadia, the Chiefs have the highest 'continuity score' (which takes into account returning coaches, quarterbacks and snaps) among all 32 teams in the league.
When the Chiefs host the Houston Texans on September 11 - live on Sky Sports NFL - they will look almost exactly the same as the team that lifted the Lombardi Trophy, and they will likely be favourites to lift it again.
The Chiefs announced on Monday they intend on having fans at games at 22 per cent of capacity inside Arrowhead Stadium when the 2020 season begins.
The Kansas City organisation's statement that it plans to have fans at games in the midst of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic was made in conjunction with the NFL as well as Kansas City mayor Quinton Lucas, along with input from the city's health director and EMS medical director.
Season tickets holders will be given first priority to purchase tickets in order of tenure.
The news came as the Bears announced they will play games behind closed doors...
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