Philadelphia ? The idea of expanding the NFL playoffs fizzled Wednesday after Kansas City withdrew the proposal because it lacked enough support.

The league’s competition committee unanimously rejected the plan to add two more wild-card teams this year, and commissioner Paul Tagliabue also opposed it.

The Chiefs, who made the suggestion along with the New England Patriots, pulled the proposal before team owners even voted on it. New England was not at the owners’ final general session.

“We are the best sport, so why should we follow other sports?” Steelers owner Dan Rooney said. “Every game in an NFL season is important.”

Rooney added he hoped the issue would not come up again, but that is unlikely. Patriots owner Robert Kraft indicated Tuesday he was setting his sights on a vote in 2004 to expand the playoffs from 12 to 14 teams.

Tagliabue said there was not enough information available after one year of the eight-division, 32-team format and revised schedule.

“We needed an additional season under our belt before we make any definitive decisions,” he said. “It may take two, three, four, five years — who knows? There is no urgency to try to fix something that is not broken and also is the best in pro sports.”