MIAMI -- Look past the star power in Super Bowl LIV and you'll see two teams that made a series of smart decisions that contribute to winning. From late-round surprises to impact free-agent pickups, the rosters of the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs are well-stocked with success stories.
"The George Kittles and all that, the (Raheem) Mosterts, the Matt Breidas, Ben Garlands...we take a lot of pride in our synergy between the coaching staff and the front office and working together and seeing things the same way, and being very explicit in what exactly we're looking for," 49ers general manager John Lynch said. "I think that communication is where we've found success."
And when you find that synergy, flood the zone with long hours to make sure the pieces fit. That's the front-office plan of the Chiefs, whose quarterback brilliance sometimes overshadows the talent assembled around Patrick Mahomes.
"I don't think anybody is harder on what we do than ourselves," Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said. "We'll analyze every move we made, the directions we could have went. ... If we find talent, we're not shy to develop it."
Those are just a few reasons why both teams are positioned for future playoff runs. But sustaining a roster built for January requires a lot of patience, a lot of money and a bevy of tough decisions.
For the last entry of ESPN's Overhaul Tiers, here's a deep breakdown of how the 49ers and Chiefs got here, and where they go next:
