‘One more time:’ Super Bowl champion Chiefs eye a repeat victory parade in 2021
Temperatures hovering in the mid 20s, a wind chill in the high teens and light snow didn’t stop Chiefs Kingdom from showing up Wednesday morning.
If you win it, they will come, after all — and did they ever.
Thousands of overjoyed fans, a majority adorned in red, converged on downtown Kansas City for a celebratory parade honoring the Chiefs’ first Super Bowl title in 50 years.
“It’s amazing to see all Kansas City here this afternoon,” Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said. “That parade is something I will never forget. To share that joy together was one of the highlights of my life.”
Days after overcoming a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter to defeat the San Francisco 49ers, 31-20, in Super Bowl LIV, the Chiefs received a magnificent greeting.
Red and gold confetti showered the Chiefs’ convoy during the parade, which started on Grand Boulevard at 6th Street before stopping for a rally at Union Station. The Hunt family and coach Andy Reid led the parade with the Lombardi Trophy, as double-decker buses carrying players, coaching staff and front office personnel followed.
Arrowhead Stadium holds the world record for being the loudest outdoor venue in the NFL. For one day at least, downtown Kansas City might very well have been the loudest location in the world. Fans packed the sides of the streets, stood on rooftops and even climbed trees along the route to loudly cheer and get a better glimpse of the team.
The Chiefs returned the adoration.
Numerous players, including safety Tyrann Mathieu, rookie wide receiver Mecole Hardman, cornerback Charvarius Ward and right guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, stepped off the buses to dance in the street and mingle with fans.
Others, such as Super Bowl MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce, enthusiastically pumped their fists and waved to the crowd from atop their rides.
“Love you all,” Mahomes yelled into the microphone at the rally. “Thank you!’
Kelce agreed.
“This is the most beautiful scene I’ve ever witnessed in my life,” Kelce said. “I love this city to death. I promise you from here to the end, I cherish every moment with you all, and I promise you everybody here feels the exact same way.”
For Reid, the magnitude of winning his first championship as an NFL head coach and seeing the admiration from the fans left Reid with plenty of joyful moments on the Union Station stage.
He started off with a “How about those Chiefs” cheer before addressing the crowd.
“We appreciate everything that you did for us,” Reid said. “The support has been phenomenal; this parade is second to none. It’s the best in the NFL right here. You should be proud of yourselves.”
The Chiefs might not be close to done when it comes to victory parades.
From front office personnel on the business and football sides to a stable coaching staff, the Chiefs are built for the long run.
Then, there are the players.
Mahomes, 24, hasn’t entered his prime years yet, and the team’s roster is full of young stars on the positive side of 30, including Mathieu, wide receiver Tyreek Hill, running back Damien Williams, defensive tackle Chris Jones and defensive end Frank Clark.
“We’re grinding each and every day,” Hill told the crowd. “We got the best running back; we got the MVP quarterback; we got swagger Kelce; we got the Honey Badger (Mathieu); we got Frank the Tank; we got all of that. And most important, we got Andy mother freaking Reid.”
The table sets up well for the reigning NFL champions, owners of four straight AFC West titles equipped with one of the league’s top offenses and a strong defensive foundation.
And with that talent on all sides of the football, the Chiefs showed tremendous resiliency during an incredible playoff run at a league championship.
Down 24-0 to the Houston Texans in the AFC Divisional Round, the Chiefs scored seven straight touchdowns en route to a 51-31 win. In the AFC Championship Game against the Tennessee Titans, the Chiefs overcame a 10-0 deficit to win 35-24.
And in the Super Bowl with 8:53 left in the game, the Chiefs went on to score 21 unanswered points to emerge with a 31-20 win to secure the team its first league championship since Super Bowl IV.
“You want to talk about resilient, right? Down 24 against Houston, down 10 versus Tennessee and down 10 in the Super Bowl, it was no big deal,” Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said. “I will say this: Out of all the people who are resilient, the most resilient people are the Chiefs Kingdom. You waited 50 years for this and you guys deserve it.”
After Wednesday’s experience of a victory parade, the Chiefs certainly have their sights set for Super Bowl LV.
“Next year, we’re coming right back here,” Reid exclaimed. “One more time, baby. One more time.”
Hill agreed.
“You all go ahead and get your tickets because you all are going to be in this same spot next year,” the two-time All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver said.
This story was originally published February 5, 2020 at 3:28 PM with the headline "‘One more time:’ Super Bowl champion Chiefs eye a repeat victory parade in 2021."
