In sports (especially in North America), a three-peat is winning three consecutive championships or tournaments. The term, a portmanteau of the words three and repeat, originated with the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association, during their unsuccessful campaign for a third consecutive championship during the 1988âÂÂ89 season, having won the previous two NBA finals.
Origin
The Oxford English Dictionary credits an Illinois high school senior, Sharif Ford, with the earliest published use of the word in the March 8, 1989, edition of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Ford's quote uses the term in a sporting context and serves to provide a clear etymology as well:
<blockquote> The Lincoln High Tigers say they want to "three-peat". "You know, kind of like repeat, except doing it for the third time", senior Sharif Ford said. </blockquote>
In a comedic context, the same play on words, additionally incorporating the name "Pete", is known to have been used as early as 1930 on the radio program Empire Builders. The episode of that program broadcast on December 29, 1930, featured a trio of singers dubbed "The Three Visiting Firemen: Pete, Re-Pete, and Three-Pete".
Trademark
The term is a registered trademark owned by Pat Riley, the Lakers' head coach from 1981 to 1990. The original owner and assignor of the underlying THREE-PEAT "mark" was Bijan Khezri, former president of P.d.P. Paperon De Paperoni, a Delaware corporation. Khezri submitted in November 1988 a trademark application for the use of three-peat on shirts, jackets and hats. Around that time, the phrase was being used by members and fans of the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team, of whom Pat Riley was the head coach, regarding the Lakers' quest that season to obtain what would have been a third successive NBA championship. According to Riley, it was Laker player Byron Scott who cited the term in reference to the team's goal for that season.
After Khezri assigned the trademark to Riley, it remained an entity of Riley's company Riles & Co.. In 1989, Riles & Co. successfully registered the trademark under U.S. Registration Number 1552980. The Lakers did not win a third consecutive NBA championship in 1989, but the Chicago Bulls did in 1993, and Riles & Co. collected royalties from sports apparel makers who licensed the phrase for use on merchandise commemorating that accomplishment.
Riles & Co. subsequently obtained additional registrations expanding the trademark to cover many other kinds of merchandise in addition to apparel. The company then went on to reap additional profits by again licensing the phrase to merchandisers when the Bulls again won three consecutive NBA championships from 1996 through 1998, as well as when the New York Yankees won three straight World Series championships from 1998 through 2000 and when the Lakers won three straight NBA championships from 2000 through 2002. It was the Lakers' second three-peat in franchise history and only their first since moving from Minneapolis. As of 2025, the Lakers are the last team of the four major American professional sports (NHL, MLB, NFL, NBA) to achieve a three-peat. Incidentally, Pat Riley was the head coach of the losing teams (New York Knicks in 1992 and 1993, Miami Heat in 1996 and 1997) that were eliminated by the Bulls during their 1991-93 and 1996-98 three-peats of NBA Championships. Phil Jackson was the head coach of the Bulls for both of these three-peats, and serving in that same capacity for the Lakers when they achieved their second three-peat.
While originating in the United States, the three-peat has been replicated all over the world across different sports. In recent times, Spanish association football club Real Madrid notably became the first club of the modern era to win three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles (2015âÂÂ16, 2016âÂÂ17 and 2017âÂÂ18). The American Rugby club the New England free jacks would become the first team to win three consecutive MLR titles (2023, 2024, 2025). They would also be the first North American team to complete a three peat since 2002.
The trademark registration for three-peat has been challenged over the years by those who argue that the term has become too generic in its usage for the trademark to continue to be applicable. However, such arguments have yet to succeed, with the registration continuing to be upheld by the United States Patent and Trademark Office as recently as 2001, in the case of Christopher Wade v. Riles & Co. This challenge documented the transfer of assignment from Khezri to Riles & Co., and upheld the validity of the trademark as originally conceived.
In 2005, a group of individuals attempted to trademark the phrase Three-Pete in anticipation of the (ultimately unsuccessful) attempt that year by the 2005 USC Trojans football team to win a third consecutive national championship. The change in spelling was a reference to the team's head coach Pete Carroll. However, the Patent Office ruled that the change in spelling was not dissimilar enough from Riles & Co.'s three-peat, and denied the registration. Later that year, USC fan Kyle Bunch began selling his own "Three-Pete" T-shirts. He discontinued sales once he was notified that he was infringing upon the Riles & Co. trademark.
Three-peats in North American leagues/championships
There have been numerous instances of teams winning three or more consecutive championships in the National Basketball Association, National Hockey League, Major League Baseball, National Football League, and Australian Football League, most of which occurred prior to the advent of the term three-peat.
North America: professional sports
- 1946âÂÂ1949 Cleveland Browns (4-peat) (also won 1950 NFL title)
- 2020âÂÂ2022 Boston Pride (2020 co-champions with Minnesota Whitecaps)
United States: College Sports
NACDA Director's Cup (overall collegiate athletics)
NAIA National Football Championship
NAIA National Basketball Championship
NCAA Division I Baseball
- 1970âÂÂ1974 USC (5-peat)
NCAA Division I Softball
NCAA Division I Men's Volleyball
NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball
NCAA Division I Football
Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS)
*1934âÂÂ1936 Minnesota (Toledo Cup)
*1944âÂÂ1946 Army West Point
Football Championship Subdivision (FCS)
*2005âÂÂ2007 Appalachian State University
*2011âÂÂ2015 North Dakota State University (5-peat)
*2017âÂÂ2019 North Dakota State University
NCAA Division I Men's Basketball
- 1967âÂÂ1973 UCLA (7-peat)
NCAA Division I Men's Water Polo
- 2008âÂÂ2013 USC (6-peat)
NCAA Division I Women's Basketball
NCAA Division I Men's Cross Country
NCAA Division II Women's Basketball
NCAA Division III Women's Basketball
NCAA Division I Women's Soccer
NCAA Division II Football Championship
NCAA Division III Football
U.S. National Collegiate Club Rugby championships
United States: tabletop games
Warhammer 40k American Team Championships
- Team Happy 2015âÂÂ2017
United States: marching arts
Three-peats in domestic leagues/championships
Australian Football
Australia
West Australian Football League
AFL
Germany
Australian Football League Germany
American Football
Costa Rica
Costa Rica, American Football 1st Division:
Association Football
Argentina
First Division (association football)
Belgium
Belgian Pro League
Brazil
Brazilian Championship
Bulgaria
Bulgarian A PFG
Chile
First Division (Association football):
Croatia
Croatian Football League
Denmark
Danish Superliga
Egypt
Egyptian Premier League
Egypt Cup
Egyptian Super Cup
England
English football First Tier
FA Cup
Football League/EFL Cup
FA Charity/Community Shield
Finland
Veikkausliiga
- 1998–2000 Haka
- 2009–2014 HJK (6-peat)
- 2020–2023 HJK (4-peat)
France
Ligue 1
Germany
Bundesliga
DDR-Oberliga
Iran
Persian Gulf League
Iran Super Cup
Iraq
Iraq Stars League
Iraq FA Cup
Umm al-Ma'arik Championship
Iraqi Super Cup
Iraq Central FA Premier League
Israel
Liga Leumit
Israeli Premier League
Italy
Italian Football Championship
Serie A
Coppa Italia
Japan
J1 League
Mexico
Liga MX
Netherlands
Eredivisie
- 1897–1899 RAP Amsterdam
- 1900–1903 HVV (4-peat)
- 1911–1913 Sparta
- 1966–1968 Ajax
- 1986–1989 PSV (4-peat)
- 1994–1996 Ajax
- 2005–2008 PSV (4-peat)
- 2011–2014 Ajax (4-peat)
Norway
Tippeligaen
- 1972–1975 Viking (4-peat)
- 1992–2004 Rosenborg (13-peat)
- 2015–2018 Rosenborg (4-peat) (2015-2016 Tippeligaen, 2017-2018 Eliteserien)
Philippines
National Men's Championship
- 1915âÂÂ1922: Bohemian Sporting Club (7-peat, no tournament held on 1919)
- 1930âÂÂ1933: San Beda Athletic Club
PFL
Portugal
Primeira Liga
Russia
Russian Football Premier League
Scotland
Scottish football league system first tier
Scottish Cup
Serbia
Serbian SuperLiga
Slovenia
Slovenian PrvaLiga
Spain
La Liga
Copa del Rey
South Africa
South African Premier Division
South Korea
K League 1
Sweden
Allsvenskan
Turkey
Süper Lig
USSR
Soviet Top League
United Arab Emirates
UAE Pro League
Yugoslavia
Yugoslav First League
Baseball
Puerto Rico
Baseball
Japan
Nippon Professional Baseball
South Korea
KBO League
Taiwan
Chinese Professional Baseball League
Basketball
Argentina
Liga Nacional de Básquet
Czech Republic
Czech National Basketball League:
France
LNB Pro A
Germany
Basketball Bundesliga
Iraq
Iraqi Professional Basketball League
Iraqi Basketball Perseverance Cup
Israel
Israeli Basketball Premier League
Italy
Lega Basket Serie A
New Zealand
National Basketball League (Australia)
Philippines
In the Philippines, a similar concept of a grand slam, winning all 3 conferences (tournaments) in sequence in a single season exists. Leagues such as the PBA, PVL, and formerly PBL and MICAA had used this format.
A conventional definition of three peat, winning a conference championship in three or more consecutive seasons, can also be applied:
PBA
PBA D-League
Puerto Rico
BSN basketball
Russia
Russian Basketball Super League 1 (1992âÂÂ2010)
Russian Professional Basketball League
VTB United League
Russian Women's Basketball Premier League
Slovenia
Premier A Slovenian Basketball League
Spain
Liga ACB
Spanish Basketball Cup
Spanish Basketball Super Cup
Switzerland
Swiss Basketball League
Turkey
Basketball Super League
Vietnam
VBA
Canadian Football
Canada
Canadian Rugby Union (pre 1958) / Canadian Football League (post 1958) (Grey Cup):
Collegiate women's basketball
Cricket
Australia
Queensland Premier Cricket T20
India
Indian cricket's Ranji Trophy
New Zealand
New Zealand cricket's Plunket Shield
Futsal
Brazil
Taça Brasil de Futsal
Iraq
Iraqi Futsal Premier League
Portugal
Campeonato Nacional de Futsal
Taça de Portugal de Futsal
- 2017âÂÂ2022 Sporting CP (4-peat) (2017âÂÂ18, 2018âÂÂ19, 2019âÂÂ20, 2021âÂÂ22)
Taça da Liga de Futsal
Russia
Russian Futsal Super League
Russian Futsal Cup
Spain
Primera División de Futsal
Copa de España de Futsal
Copa del Rey de Futsal
Supercopa de España de Futsal
Gaelic football
All-Ireland Senior Football Championship
Handball
Iraq
Iraqi Handball Premier League
Slovenia
Slovenian First League of Handball
- 1991–2001 Celje (10-peat)
- 2002–2008 Celje (6-peat)
- 2013–2020 Celje (7-peat)
Russia
Russian Handball Super League
Spain
Liga ASOBAL
Copa del Rey
Hurling
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
National Hurling League
- 1934–1938 Limerick (5-peat)
- 1959–1961 Tipperary
- 1968–1969 Cork (1967–1968, 1968–1969, 1968–1969 Home Final)
- 2012–2014 Kilkenny
Ice Hockey
Australia
Australian Ice Hockey League
USSR
Soviet Championship League
Rugby Union
Australia & New Zealand
Super Rugby (Union)
England
Men's Premiership Rugby
Premiership Women's Rugby
Women's Premiership
Rugby League
Australia & New Zealand
New South Wales Rugby Football League/Australian Rugby League/National Rugby League
England
Northern Rugby Football Union/Northern Rugby Football League/Rugby Football League/Super League
Volleyball
Philippines
PVL
South Korea
V-League
Three-peats in continental and international championships
Olympics
Athletics
- 1956, 1960, 1964, 1968 Al Oerter, Men's Discus throw (4-peat)
- 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996 Carl Lewis, Men's Long jump (4-peat)
- 1992, 1996, 2000 / Jan Ã
½elezný, Men's Javelin throw
- 2008, 2012, 2016 Usain Bolt, Men's 100m
- 2008, 2012, 2016 Usain Bolt, Men's 200m
- 2012, 2016, 2020 Anita WÃ
Âodarczyk, Women's Hammer throw
- 2016, 2020, 2024 Nafissatou Thiam, Women's Heptathlon
Basketball
Equestrian
Fencing
Field Hockey
Football
Handball
Sailing
Shooting
Swimming
- 1956, 1960, 1964 Dawn Fraser, Women's 100 metres freestyle
- 1988, 1992, 1996 Krisztina Egerszegi, Women's 200 metres backstroke
- 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016 Michael Phelps, Men's 200-metre individual medley (4-peat)
- 2012, 2016, 2020, 2024 Katie Ledecky, Women's 800 metres freestyle (4-peat)
Volleyball
Water polo
- 1908, 1912, 1920 Great Britain, Men's Water polo tournament
- 2000, 2004, 2008 Hungary, Men's Water polo tournament
- 2012, 2016, 2020 USA, Women's Water polo tournament
- 2016, 2020, 2024 Serbia, Men's Water polo tournament
Curling
Ice Hockey
- 1920, 1924, 1928, 1932 Canada, Men's Ice Hockey tournament (4-peat)
- 1964, 1968, 1972, 1976 Soviet Union, Men's Ice Hockey tournament (4-peat)
- 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014 Canada, Women's Ice Hockey tournament (4-peat)
3 Peat 1984-1987-1991 Canada Cup
Chess
Unofficial Championships (before 1886)
Pre-FIDE World Championships (1886âÂÂ1946)
FIDE World Championships (2006âÂÂpresent)
Association Football
Athletics
World Athletics Championships
- 1983, 1987, 1991 Carl Lewis, Men's 100m
- 1997, 1999, 2001 Maurice Greene, Men's 100m
- 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015 Usain Bolt, Men's 200m (4-peat)
- 2019, 2022, 2023 Noah Lyles, Men's 200m
- 2005, 2007, 2009 Allyson Felix, Women's 200m
- 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999 Michael Johnson, Men's 400m (4-peat)
- 1995, 1997, 1999 Wilson Kipketer, Men's 800m
- 1991, 1993, 1995 Noureddine Morceli, Men's 1500m
- 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003 Hicham El Guerrouj, Men's 1500m (4-peat)
- 2011, 2013, 2015 Asbel Kiprop, Men's 1500m
- 2011, 2013, 2015 Mo Farah, Men's 5000m
- 1993, 1995, 1997, 1999 Haile Gebrselassie, Men's 10000m (4-peat)
- 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009 Kenenisa Bekele, Men's 10000m (4-peat)
- 2013, 2015, 2017 Mo Farah, Men's 10000m
- 2019, 2022, 2023 Joshua Cheptegei, Men's 10000m
- 1983, 1987, 1991 Greg Foster, Men's 110m hurdles
- 2019, 2022, 2023 Grant Holloway, Men's 110m hurdles
- 1991, 1993, 1995 Moses Kiptanui, Men's 3000m steeplechase
- 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015 Ezekiel Kemboi, Men's 3000m steeplechase (4-peat)
- 1983, 1987, 1991, 1993 United States of America, Men's 4 ÃÂ 100 m relay (4-peat)
- 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015 Jamaica, Men's 4 ÃÂ 100 m relay (4-peat)
- 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015 United States of America, Men's 4 ÃÂ 400 m relay (6-peat)
- 2019, 2022, 2023 United States of America, Men's 4 ÃÂ 400 m relay
- 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013 United States of America, Women's 4 ÃÂ 400 m relay (4-peat)
- 2017, 2019, 2022 United States of America, Women's 4 ÃÂ 400 m relay
- 2017, 2019, 2022 Mutaz Essa Barshim, Men's High jump
- 2015, 2017, 2019 Mariya Lasitskene, Women's High jump
- 1983, 1987, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997 / Sergey Bubka, Men's Pole vault (6-peat)
- 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001 Ivan Pedroso, Men's Long jump (4-peat)
- 2015, 2017, 2019 Brittney Reese, Women's Long jump
- 2015, 2017, 1999 Christian Taylor, Men's Triple jump
- 2017, 2019, 2022, 2023 Yulimar Rojas, Women's Triple jump (4-peat)
- 1987, 1991, 1993 Werner Gunthor, Men's Shot put
- 1995, 1997, 1999 Astrid Kumbernuss, Women's Shot put
- 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013 Valerie Adams, Women's Shot put (4-peat)
- 1991, 1993, 1995, 1997 Lars Riedel, Men's Discus throw (4-peat)
- 2009, 2011, 2013 Robert Harting, Men's Discus throw
- 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2022 Pawel Fajdek, Men's Hammer throw (5-peat)
- 2001, 2003, 2005 Yipsi Moreno, Women's Hammer throw
- 2013, 2015, 2017 Anita Wlodarczyk, Women's Hammer throw
- 1991, 1993, 1995 Dan O'Brien, Men's Decathlon
- 1997, 1999, 2001 Tomas Dvorak, Men's Decathlon
- 2003, 2005, 2007 Carolina Kluft, Men's Heptathlon
Cricket
Cricket World Cup
- 1999âÂÂ2007 Australia (ICC ODI World Cup every 4 years)
ICC Women's T20 World Cup
Cycling
Tour de France
General Classification
Points Classification
Mountains Classification
Young Rider Classification
Team Classification
Darts
BDO World Darts Championship
PDC World Darts Championship
Gary Anderson could have made a three-peat in 2015âÂÂ2017 but lost 7âÂÂ3 to Michael van Gerwen in the final of the 2017 World darts championship.
BDO Women's World Darts Championship
Esports
Counter Strike
League of Legends
Competitive eating
Men
- 1988-1990 Jay Green (1990 tied with Mike DeVito)
- 1993-1994 Mike DeVito (1993 Independence Day, 1993 One-on-one Challenge with Japan, 1994 Independence Day)
- 1996-1998 Hirofumi Nakajima (1996 One-on-one Challenge with Japan, 1997 and 1998 Independence Day)
- 2001-2006 Takeru Kobayashi (6-peat)
- 2007-2014 Joey Chestnut (8-peat)
- 2016-2023 Joey Chestnut (8-peat)
Women
Nathan's Famous Lemonade Chug Contest
Futsal
FIFA Futsal World Cup
UEFA Futsal Championship
- 2005, 2007, 2010, 2013 Spain (4-peat)
Intercontinental Futsal Cup
UEFA Futsal Champions League
South American Futsal Championship / Copa Libertadores de Futsal
Golf
Handball
International rules football
International Rules Series
International rules football games are held sporadically, hence the eight-year gap between 1990 and 1998.
Motorsports
Formula One World Drivers' Champion
Motorcycling
MotoGP
Motorboat racing
Formula 1 Powerboat World Championship
Rugby
Rugby Union
Women's Rugby World Cup
Rugby League
Rugby League World Cup
Women's Rugby League World Cup
Surfing
IPS World Circuit World Champion
ASP World Tour World Champion
ASP World Tour World Champion
Winter X Games
Winter X Games SuperPipe
Tennis
- 1903âÂÂ1906 British Isles
- 1907âÂÂ1911
- 1920âÂÂ1926 United States
- 1927âÂÂ1932
- 1933âÂÂ1936 Great Britain
- 1946âÂÂ1949 United States
- 1950âÂÂ1953 Australia
- 1955âÂÂ1957 Australia
- 1959âÂÂ1962 Australia
- 1964âÂÂ1967 Australia
- 1968âÂÂ1972
- 1976âÂÂ1982
- 1983âÂÂ1985 Czechoslovakia
- 1993âÂÂ1995 Spain
Men's singles
Women's singles
Men's doubles
Women's doubles
Men's singles
Women's singles
Men's doubles
Women's doubles
- 1909âÂÂ1912 Jeanne Matthey and Daisy Speranza
- 1920âÂÂ1923 Suzanne Lenglen (4-peat: her partners were Elisabeth d'Aryen in the 1920 tournament, Geramine Pigueron in 1921âÂÂ22, and Didi Vasto in 1923)
- 1932âÂÂ1934 Elizabeth Ryan (her partners were Helen Wills in the 1932 tournament, and Simonne Mathieu in 1933âÂÂ34)
- 1936âÂÂ1939 Simonne Mathieu (4-peat: her partners were Billie Yorke in 1936âÂÂ38, and Jadwiga JÃÂdrzejowska in the 1939 tournament)
- 1936âÂÂ1938 Billie Yorke (her partner was Simonne Mathieu, see above)
- 1950âÂÂ1953 Doris Hart and Shirley Fry Irvin
- 1961âÂÂ1963 Renée Schuurman (her partners were Sandra Reynolds in 1961âÂÂ62, and Ann Jones in the 1963 tournament)
- 1964âÂÂ1966 Margaret Court (her partners were Lesley Turner Bowrey in 1964âÂÂ65, and Judy Tegart in the 1966 tournament)
- 1967âÂÂ1971 Françoise Dürr (5-peat: her partners were Gail Chanfreau in 1967 and 1970âÂÂ71, and Ann Jones in 1967âÂÂ68)
- 1984âÂÂ1988 Martina Navratilova (5-peat: her partners were Pam Shriver in 1984âÂÂ85 and 1987âÂÂ88, and Andrea Temesvári in the 1986 tournament)
- 1991âÂÂ1995 Gigi Fernández (5-peat: her partners were Jana Novotná in the 1991 tournament, and Natasha Zvereva in 1992âÂÂ95)
- 1992âÂÂ1995 Natasha Zvereva (4-peat: her partner was Gigi Fernández, see above)
Gentlemen's singles
Ladies' singles
Gentlemen's doubles
Ladies' doubles
Men's singles
Women's singles
Men's doubles
Women's doubles
- 1894âÂÂ1898 Juliette Atkinson (5-peat: her partners were Helen Hellwig in 1894âÂÂ95, Elisabeth Moore in the 1896 tournament, and Kathleen Atkinson in 1897âÂÂ98)
- 1909âÂÂ1911 Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman (her partners were Edith Rotch in 1909âÂÂ10, and Eleonora Sears in the 1911 tournament)
- 1912âÂÂ1914 Mary K. Browne (her partners were Dorothy Green in the 1912 tournament, and Louise Riddell Williams in 1913âÂÂ14)
- 1915âÂÂ1917 Eleonora Sears (her partners were Hazel Hotchkiss Wightman in the 1915 tournament, and Molla Mallory in 1916âÂÂ17)
- 1918âÂÂ1920 Marion Jessup and Eleanor Goss
- 1937âÂÂ1941 Sarah Palfrey Cooke (5-peat: her partners were Alice Marble in 1937âÂÂ40, and Margaret Osborne duPont in the 1941 tournament)
- 1937âÂÂ1940 Alice Marble (4-peat: her partner was Sarah Palfrey Cooke, see above)
- 1941âÂÂ1950 Margaret Osborne duPont (10-peat: her partners were Sarah Palfrey Cooke in the 1941 tournament (see above), and Louise Brough in 1942âÂÂ50)
- 1942âÂÂ1950 Louise Brough (9-peat: her partner was Margaret Osborne duPont, see above)
- 1951âÂÂ1954 Shirley Fry Irvin and Doris Hart
- 1955âÂÂ1957 Louise Brough and Margaret Osborne duPont
- 1958âÂÂ1962 Darlene Hard (5-peat: her partners were Jeanne Arth in 1958âÂÂ59, Maria Bueno in 1960 and 1962, and Lesley Turner Bowrey in the 1961 tournament)
- 2002âÂÂ2004 Virginia Ruano Pascual and Paola Suárez
Singles
Doubles
Singles
Men's singles
Men's doubles
Men's singles
Women's singles
Men's doubles
Women's doubles
Men's singles
Men's singles
Men's singles
Men's singles
Men's singles
Men's singles
Men's singles
Men's singles
National Football League
In the National Football League (NFL), a Super Bowl championship three-peat has not been accomplished. Two-time defending Super Bowl champions who failed to three-peat include the Green Bay Packers (1968), Miami Dolphins (1974), Pittsburgh Steelers (twice: 1976, 1980), San Francisco 49ers (1990), Dallas Cowboys (1994), Denver Broncos (1999), New England Patriots (2005), and Kansas City Chiefs (2024). The first eight teams failed to return to the title game in the third season (indicated in parentheses); the Chiefs lost Super Bowl LIX to the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Buffalo Bills went to 4 consecutive Super Bowls as the AFC champions from 1990 to 1993, which is a feat unmatched in NFL history; however, they lost in every appearance. The Miami Dolphins (1971âÂÂ73), New England Patriots (2016âÂÂ18), and Kansas City Chiefs (2022âÂÂ24) have each won 3 consecutive Conference championships (and appeared in 3 straight Super Bowls) in their history.
In the early years of the NFL, decades before the introduction of either the term three-peat or the Super Bowl, the Packers won three consecutive NFL titles from 1929–31. This was achieved without playing any postseason playoff games, as the league title was determined at that time from the season standings. In addition, the Packers won the NFL championship in 1965, at a time when the rival NFL and AFL played separate exclusive championships. They then followed that 1965 championship with their first two Super Bowl victories in 1966 and 1967 (their Super Bowl berths were earned by winning both the 1966 NFL Championship Game and 1967 NFL Championship Game), thereby winning championships three years in a row.
Related terms
There have been efforts to come up with a similarly clever name for the potential fourth consecutive championship in the year following a three-peat. Quat-row was trademarked by Lakers fan and graphic artist Jerry Leibowitz because he felt four-peat "didn't make any sense phonetically", though it's thus far failed to catch on and the latter continues to be the primary term. Since three-peat came into usage, however, only one team in major American sports has been able to achieve at least four in a row: Hendrick Motorsports with driver Jimmie Johnson, who won five NASCAR Cup Series championships in a row from 2006 to 2010. Johnson's streak has been accordingly described as a five-peat.
There are also terms for winning three trophies in the same season:
The trifecta (also known as a tricast, triactor or tierce) is a concept in gambling in which a bettor successfully guesses the win, place and show in a particular race.
Rather than three-peat, English-speaking people may instead talk of a hat trick of championships, or simply a three-in-a-row.
References