NFL: How Did This Year’s Final Four Fare In Their Most Recent Trips To The Super Bowl

The NFL Conference Championships are a time of excitement and anticipation for football fans everywhere. It’s the last chance to watch the best teams in the NFL face off and determine who will be headed to the Super Bowl. This year’s final four are a talented bunch, with the Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals, San Francisco 49ers, and Philadelphia Eagles all vying for the Lombardi Trophy.

In the divisional round, there were some shocking results, and some less so. The biggest surprise was delivered to us by the Bengals. They traveled to the Buffalo Bills with many experts expecting them to get beaten by Josh Allen’s attacking powerhouse.

But there is one golden rule that all football fans should have learned over the past two seasons, never write off the Bengals. They turned up at Highmark Stadium and ripped the script, with quarterback Joe Burrow shining as his side romped to a 27-10 victory. The statement-making victory has prompted online sportsbook Bovada, which provides Super Bowl odds and offers, to slash prices on Cincy going all the way for the first time in franchise history.

Elsewhere, the Kansas City Chiefs met expectations with victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars however, it didn’t come easily. A late interception ensured the victory, with the Florida-based outfit looking to tie the scores at 27-27 deep into the fourth quarter.

The Eagles showed no mercy as they beat the New York Giants 38-7. Many of the Giants faithful thought they could be on for another fairytale run similar to the one they had back in 2007 however, Jalen Hurts and co. ended those dreams in dominant fashion.

The Eagles will face off with the 49ers in the NFC Championship game. San Francisco ground out a hard-fought 19-12 victory over the Dallas Cowboys at Levi’s Stadium and ensured that their stellar postseason record continues.

Now we have our final four set in stone, let’s take a look back at each team’s performance in their most recent Super Bowl appearances.

Kansas City Chiefs – Super Bowl LV

This season marks The Chiefs’ fifth consecutive AFC Championship game, and second consecutive meeting with the Bengals. Out of the four conference championships they’ve already contested, they have reached the Super Bowl twice, with the most recent coming in 2021.

They headed to the Raymond James Stadium as heavy favorites after a 14-2 regular season. But unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be. They were beaten by Tom Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-9, who became the first time to play the Super Bowl in their own stadium.

Spurred on by raucous home support, the Bucs managed to defeat the traveling Chiefs in a dominant performance. The Chiefs had a great offense all season, but their defense was unable to contain Tom Brady and the Bucs’ explosive offense. Such was the stellar nature of his performance, TB12 picked up his record-breaking fifth Super Bowl MVP award.

San Francisco 49ers – Super Bowl LIV

It’s not all bad news for the Chiefs, however. While they did suffer defeat in 2021 to the Buccs, that year they were aiming to become the first team since the New England Patriots of the early 2000s to successfully retain the Lombardi Trophy. That’s because at Super Bowl LIV in 2020, the Chiefs picked up their first Super Bowl victory in 50 years.

The unlucky team that lost that year was the San Francisco 49ers. They finished as runners-up at Super Bowl LIV, losing to the Kansas City Chiefs 31-20. The 49ers had a great season, but the Chiefs were simply too much to handle.

The 49ers had a strong defense, but the Chiefs’ offense was too powerful. Patrick Mahomes was able to lead the Chiefs to victory with a number of impressive plays.

Philadelphia Eagles – Super Bowl LII

The Eagles are the only one of our four conference championship contestants to have actually tasted success on their most recent trip to the Big Game. They were crowned champions at Super Bowl LII, defeating the New England Patriots 41-33.

The Eagles had an up-and-down season, but they played their best when it mattered most. The team was able to contain Tom Brady and the Patriots’ offense, while their own offense was able to move the ball effectively. Nick Foles was named MVP of the game for his performance, leading the Eagles to their first-ever Super Bowl victory.

Cincinnati Bengals – Super Bowl LVI

The Bengals reached the Super Bowl last season for the first time in 33 years. In fact, they hadn’t even won a postseason game in 31 years, but in quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, Cincy has a pair of superstars in their ranks. They stunned everyone – including the Chiefs in the AFC Championship game – as they reeled off three consecutive victories to seal their spot at Super Bowl LVI.

They met the LA Rams at SoFi Stadium – home of the Rams – and it looked as if they had them beaten deep into the fourth quarter. Unfortunately for the Bengals however, they succumbed to a late Cooper Kupp touchdown, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.