The Kansas City Chiefs are back in the Super Bowl for the third time in the last five years. While you would think not much has changed since they won the championship, it has been over three years since this happened.
What was happening in sports and around the world when the Chiefs last won the Super Bowl in February 2020?
COVID-19 takes the world by storm after the Kansas City Chiefs victory
The Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl on February 2, 2020, and within two months of that occurring, the world was in a much different situation. On March 15, states began shutting down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
It was one of the most unprecedented times in the last century as the world came to a complete and sudden halt. All of the sports in the United States of America stopped and it was eerily quiet for nearly four months.
NASCAR was the first sport to resume activity two months after the shutdown without any fans present in the stands. Then, the rest started to resume, including the NBA in the famous Bubble.
Related: Top takeaways from Chiefs comeback over 49ers in Super Bowl LIV
Kobe Bryant’s tragic death
On January 26, 2020, Kobe Bryant, Gigi Bryant, and seven others tragically died after a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. Bryant, the Los Angeles Lakers legend, was 41 years old at the time of his death.
The former NBA player was in attendance when LeBron James passed him for No. 3 on the NBA career scoring list in Philadelphia the previous night. That would mark the last time Bryant was publicly seen as the tragic accident occurred the next morning.
Everyone across the country mourned the loss of Bryant and the victims while paying tribute to them. It was an emotional and dark day that no one will forget anytime soon.
Related: Mourning Kobe Bryant three years after NBA legend’s tragic death
Tom Brady signs with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tom Brady finished off his contract with the New England Patriots after a loss to the Tennessee Titans on Wild Card weekend. There were rumblings of a possible departure; however, those rumors became a reality on March 20, 2020.
Brady decided to take his talents to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a move that made them one of the teams to beat in the NFL. In fact, that ended up being the reality when they claimed the Super Bowl only 11 months later.
It marked a bittersweet end to the best sports dynasty to ever exist. Brady spent the next three years in Tampa Bay before announcing his retirement in February 2023.
Related: Tom Brady says his broadcasting career with FOX won’t begin until 2024
George Floyd’s tragic death causes protests around the nation
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the tragic murder of George Floyd sparked protests across the nation. This stemmed from an incident in police custody by a Minneapolis police officer.
Athletes around the country stepped up and demanded change, with some of them protesting in the streets, such as Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown in Atlanta, Georgia. This carried over to the NBA’s Bubble as it became a platform for social justice.
The protests would continue and the NBA would proceed with its Bubble, even after the death of Jacob Blake which shut down the action for three days. NBA players considered ending the season but decided to go forward.
Sports championships in 2020
- College Football: LSU beats Clemson in dominant fashion for first title since 2007
- NCAA Tournament: March Madness was canceled for the first time due to COVID-19
- NHL: Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Dallas Stars in six games for second title in its history
- NBA: Los Angles Lakers beat the Miami Heat in six games, tying the record for most NBA Finals victories
- MLB: Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Tampa Bay Rays in six games for first title since 1988
- NASCAR: Chase Elliott, the sport’s Most Popular Driver, wins his first Cup Series title