For how the NFL produces such thrilling parity each season, dynasties are naturally a rare feat. Teams aren’t supposed to stay at the top. This Super Bowl matchup between the Chiefs and 49ers is a battle of the outliers to that rule.

The Chiefs have played in the AFC Championship game for six straight years and are seeking their third Super Bowl victory in that span. They are the team of this era in football, a modern dynasty led by Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes. The 49ers have played in the NFC Championship game four of the last five years and hope to finally break through by hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.

These two teams have become models of stability and pillars of excellence in their respective conferences, though they are built with vast differences.

As the Bears and general manager Ryan Poles look to rise as a legitimate championship contender in 2024, there are lessons to be learned from the Chiefs and 49ers – and the opportunity in place this offseason to follow their respective blueprints.

The Chiefs – Franchise Quarterback-Driven Success

Back in 2019, when Mahomes counted his fingers to 10 as he beat the Bears at Soldier Field, it wasn’t just a reminder that they passed on drafting him. He was also making it clear that Chicago won’t soon be able to accept that misstep until it gets the quarterback position right.

Mahomes is the greatest quarterback in the NFL today, and one could argue he will become the best of all time. He’s a six-time Pro Bowl quarterback, a two-time league MVP and two-time Super Bowl champion, vying for his third Lombardi Trophy on Sunday in Las Vegas.

Just nine active players remain on the Chiefs’ roster from their Super Bowl LIV championship in February of 2020. Mahomes is the beating heart behind this team’s success, both then and now.

With their conviction on Mahomes in the 2017 draft, the Chiefs set themselves up for likely more than a decade of success and perhaps more Super Bowl titles to come.

One can only wonder how the Bears’ fortunes would’ve changed if they had selected Mahomes over Mitch Trubisky in the 2017 NFL Draft, an ill-fated decision that has haunted this franchise ever since.

But the Bears have found a gift from the football Gods this offseason in landing the No. 1 overall pick from the Panthers (2-15), who sent that selection to Chicago last March as part of the blockbuster deal involving the first overall pick in 2023. The Bears have the opportunity to draft a player in Caleb Williams (USC) who has drawn comparisons to Mahomes. Put on the tape and the similarities are evident.

The Bears have the opportunity to select the prized Williams at the top of this draft and potentially – finally – land their franchise quarterback. In doing so, they can aspire for the type of success that the Chiefs have sustained ever since selecting Mahomes.

Thirteen of the 67 quarterbacks to start a Super Bowl were selected with the No. 1 overall pick in a draft, while 21 others were drafted in the first round.

Poles was the Chiefs’ director of scouting as their front office went to Reid with their firm belief in Mahomes. They scouted him as a sophomore at Texas Tech and began to see the potential. This wasn’t just some whim in Kansas City that revealed great fortunes – the Chiefs had collective faith in Mahomes’ future and were willing to trade up to the 10th pick and land him, even with Deshaun Watson still on the board.

Poles may well know what he’s doing in scouting the quarterback position and searching for the Bears’ franchise arm. At the very least, he knows how it can transform a franchise.

The 49ers – A Complete Team

An argument can be made against picking a quarterback first overall because of one who was chosen last.

Brock Purdy has led the 49ers to the Super Bowl in his second NFL season after being the very last selection in the 2022 NFL Draft. Mr. Irrelevant has become a franchise quarterback in San Francisco, an unlikely story that reminds of underdog stories like Tom Brady and Kurt Warner.

The 24-year-old Purdy may be just getting started in quarterbacking the 49ers on the championship stage, though this is a team that’s great across the board.

Nine players from the 49ers roster were selected to the Pro Bowl this year, while 12 more were appointed as alternate selections. That’s nearly 40% of San Francisco’s roster being recognized among the game’s best.

The 49ers have talent all over the depth chart. According to Pro Football Focus grades, San Francisco has a top 10 player at quarterback, running back, wide receiver, fullback, tight end, tackle, guard, edge rusher, linebacker and cornerback.

49ers general manager John Lynch deserves credit as one of the best talent evaluators in the league, while head coach Kyle Shanahan has done excellent work installing his scheme and instilling a culture.

The Bears could hope to form such a complete roster if they elected to deal away the No. 1 overall pick once again and seek a massive haul of draft capital in return. Poles could command a minimum of three first-round picks as the baseline for these negotiations, creating a bidding war with teams like the Commanders, Patriots, Falcons and Raiders.

The Bears already have a budding roster in place, with core pieces like Jaylon Johnson, Montez Sweat, DJ Moore, T.J. Edwards, Tremaine Edmunds, Darnell Wright and more. This is the foundation on which Chicago hopes it can contend next season. Now, there’s the opportunity to add even more talent this offseason.

But the Bears could only deal away the first overall pick if they’re confident in the future of 24-year-old quarterback Justin Fields. The most important priority with the top pick is to emerge in some form with a franchise quarterback.

Oddly enough, the 49ers jeopardized their future by trading away three first-round picks to the Dolphins in 2021 and selecting Trey Lance with the No. 3 overall pick. San Francisco was seeking its future at quarterback. Miami converted those three picks into Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and Bradley Chubb.

But the 49ers struck gold at quarterback with Purdy as the last pick in the draft, reminding that championship teams are never one in the same.

Hester’s Call to the Hall

When the football was kicked into the air, Jason McKie would pause from the Bears’ sidelines, spot the kick in the air and anticipate something great, knowing well what could be coming with Devin Hester back to return. Because he was sensational enough to change the game at any time.

As one of the most iconic moments in NFL history unfolded 17 years ago this month, McKie stood alongside teammate Thomas Jones and watched as Hester hauled in the opening kickoff of Super Bowl XLI and returned it 92 yards for a touchdown.

For all of Hester’s NFL record 20 returns – each one so uniquely great – the opening play of Super Bowl XLI will be cherished unlike the rest.

“It was pandemonium,” said McKie, a Bears fullback for seven seasons and the team’s current radio sideline reporter.

The greatest returner in NFL history, Hester was selected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Thursday night as part of its 2024 modern-era class. After falling short as a finalist the last two years, Hester finally is getting his rightful call to Canton.

In each of the previous two Hall of Fame decisions, voters struggled over the concept of a primary specialist being selected. But the argument for Hester is different. As a returner for the Bears, he forced opposing teams to alter their game plans hoping to avoid him. In fact, Tony Dungy and the Colts planned to kick away from Hester to open Super Bowl XLI.

Simply put, Hester is by far the best to ever return in the game of football.

“God made only one Devin Hester,” said Bears special teams coordinator Richard Hightower.

Former Bears head coach Lovie Smith believed that Hester should’ve been a first-ballot selection, sentiments shared by many who knew his game well.

“Whenever you say that somebody is the best at a position in the NFL, when you say they’re the best, the greatest of all time, he should be in the Hall of Fame,” Smith said after Hester’s retirement in 2017.

Hester will be inducted into the Hall of Fame alongside former Bears teammate Julius Peppers – better known for his 10 years as a star pass rusher with the Panthers – along with franchise icon Steve ‘Mongo’ McMichael, voted in as a senior candidate. The Bears’ special occasion in Canton late July could also be marked by playing in the Hall of Fame Game to open the preseason.

As those close to Hester found the news of his selection into the Hall of Fame, they reflected not on those electrifying returns but the individual who always had their great admiration.

“It’s good to see such a good human being like Devin,” McKie said. “The end of his story is going to be enshrined in Canton.

“When you’re the GOAT of your position, you have to go in.”

‘Really something special about downtown Chicago’

When the Vikings formed their plans to construct a state-of-the-art new stadium 13 years ago, there were attractive options both in downtown Minneapolis and in the suburbs.

The Vikings sought to potentially break ground on a 400-acre property in northwest suburban Arden Hills, a plan that was initially considered their preference. But that all changed when the city of Minneapolis stepped up with a proposal that simply made sense.

The Vikings’ chief operating officer at the time was Kevin Warren, who led that team’s stadium project and helped construct beautiful U.S. Bank Stadium in the heart of Minneapolis. Warren is now the Bears’ president/CEO and in a similar position in overseeing a stadium project.

The Bears have shifted their focus for a stadium future back to the city of Chicago, even though the team closed last February on the $197.2-million purchase of the 326-acre Arlington Park property.

Warren and the Bears have struggled to reach an agreement with three Arlington Heights school districts on property tax assessment for the Arlington Park property, which has led them to the brink of calling off their plans and staying put in the city, as Crain’s Chicago Business first reported last week.

Warren’s past actions with the Vikings are proof that this is not a negotiating ploy against Arlington Heights. There is serious consideration that could come to fruition this year – breaking ground on the south lot of Soldier Field and constructing a state-of-the-art new stadium along Chicago’s lakefront.

The Bears declined comment on the Crain’s story. Last month, Warren expressed interest in the team staying put in Chicago.

“What intrigues me about downtown is I strongly believe Chicago is the finest city in all of the world,” Warren said. “Very rarely do you get the opportunity to have such a beautiful downtown with a vibrant business community, with an absolutely beautiful lake and the energy that goes along. I always focus on, what’s a way that we could bring together the beauty of the lake, the beauty of downtown, the business community, all the art exhibits, to bring that together for an environment — because it’s always about the fans. How can we create an environment that they really enjoy?

“I live downtown. I love the city. And I just think we’re blessed to be able to live in a city like Chicago. It has many pluses. I’m a big proponent of the Chicagoland area. I’m a big proponent of Arlington Heights, but there’s something that’s really special about downtown Chicago.”

When the Bears reached an agreement to purchase Arlington Park back in September of 2021, Ted Phillips served as the team’s president/CEO and Lori Lightfoot was mayor of Chicago. Phillips’ preference with this project was in the suburbs, while Lightfoot created a tense relationship with the Bears.

Warren is now leading this project with a different perspective and first-year Chicago mayor Brandon Johnson has created a more prosperous connection to the Bears.

Under the watch of Warren, the Bears could soon solidify their plans to remain in Chicago.

Getsy gets another shot

While the Bears believed Luke Getsy was part of their problem offensively, the Raiders hope he can be their solution.

After being fired by the Bears last month, Getsy was hired as the Raiders’ offensive coordinator this week. He will work alongside newly appointed head coach Antonio Pierce, once again serving as the chief figure to an offense.

Getsy was coveted by the Raiders, along with several other teams, in part because many around the NFL believe that the Bears’ inconsistencies on offense stemmed from the quarterback Fields more than the play caller. Chicago’s offense finished 18th in scoring and 20th in yardage last season, including second in total rushing.

The Bears replaced Getsy with new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron, tasked alongside head coach Matt Eberflus to oversee this offense.

Getsy will get another opportunity as an offensive coordinator, and the chance to redeem himself after being fired by the Bears.