Fifty Years Is A Long Time…But So Worth It For A Lifelong Chiefs Fan
Feb 4, 2020, 3:13 PM | Updated: 3:16 pm
Armani Watts #23 of the Kansas City Chiefs reacts after defeating San Francisco 49ers by 31-20 in Super Bowl LIV at Hard Rock Stadium on February 02, 2020 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
(Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Fifty years is a long time and for Kansas City Chiefs fans, 50 years is a really long time – but that wait ended on Sunday night when the Chiefs became world champions.
Believe me, Rusty Keys, I know how long fifty years feels – but now, 50 years after winning their first Super Bowl my Kansas City Chiefs are champions once again.
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January 11, 1970
The Chiefs beat the Vikings in Super Bowl IIII. I’m four years old. My mom assures me I watched the game with my Dad, but honestly, I don’t remember. I mean come on… I was only four years old. The videos of Coach Hank Stram pontificating about the way ‘’the boys’’ needed to ‘‘matriculate the ball down the field’’ make me feel as if I do remember it.
December 25, 1971
My first real Chiefs memory. Christmas Day saw the Chiefs and the Dolphins in the playoffs in what is still the longest game in NFL history – double overtime, lasting 82 minutes and 40 seconds. Miami won with a 37-yard field goal. Six-year-old me cried then started yelling ‘’CHRISTMAS STINKS!”
Who knew that after that game, the Chiefs wouldn’t make the playoffs again until 1986.
50 years…it’s a long time!
September 9, 1975
I saw my very first game at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs versus the Jets with Joe Namath at the end of his career. Watching Broadway Joe walk onto the field was painful, but WOW, if he didn’t play well that day – Chiefs lost.
The ’70s & ’80s
The dark years. I only went to Arrowhead with friends once. The Chiefs were so bad, you could just walk up to the box office, buy upper bowl tickets only to have the ushers tell you as you walked in ‘’to sit anywhere you want in the lower bowl, it’ll look better for tv.”
1983
The year of the quarterbacks. Six quarterbacks were taken in the first round. A class made up of John Elway, Jim Kelly, Dan Marino, Tony Eason, Ken O’Brien and Todd Blackledge. Elway was the #1 pick. The Chiefs drafted at #7. Future Hall of Famers Jim Kelly and Dan Marino are available and the Cheifs chose … Todd Blackledge.
WE GOT ONE FOR BIG RED 😭 pic.twitter.com/rWCyufQAag
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) February 4, 2020
After 4 years, the Blackledge experiment ends. It scarred the Chiefs, they wouldn’t select another quarterback in the first round until 2017, trading up to the tenth spot to take Patrick Mahomes.
50 years….it’s a long time!
1989
The silver lining that every dark cloud has begun to shine brightly as Marty Schottenheimer is named Head Coach. Marty Ball came to Kansas City. There’s a great defense headlined with Derrick Thomas and Neil Smith while offensively, it was 3 yards and cloud of dust with The Nigerian Nightmare and Marcus Allen slicing through the smallest of openings to get into the endzone and the great Joe Montana. This is when the legend of Arrowhead begins – the tailgating, the bbq, the loudness, the hope, the playoffs… the heartbreak.
1993
Montana leads the Chiefs into Buffalo and the AFC Championship Game only to see Montanna go down with a concussion. The Chiefs don’t win another playoff game until 2015.
The in-between featured some excruciating playoff losses. In 2003, a 38-31 loss to Peyton Manning and the Colts where neither team punted. In 2014, The Colts were Chief’s kryptonite again completing the second-biggest playoff comeback in history – trailing by 28 in the third quarter, the Colts win 45-44. In 2018 the Titans comeback to win 22-21 in a game that saw Marcus Mariota having a pass knocked down, right back into his arms and he takes it in for a touchdown. I mean seriously?
For a third-straight time this postseason, we found a way to rally back from a double-digit deficit to not only win but to win by double-digits.
📝 – STORY
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) February 4, 2020
2018
The Chiefs won their first-round playoff game and hosted the AFC Championship game. The first half was not pretty. In the second half Mahomes, Reid and company figure the Patriots out and stormed back. The Chiefs took the lead. Brady, under pressure, threw an interception. WE’RE GOING TO THE SUPERBOWL… or so I thought. Then my nephew pointed out the flag on the field. It was against the Chiefs.
We never get the ball in overtime.
50 years…it’s a long time!
2019
The first playoff game started bad. The Chiefs were down 0-24 to the Texans. In the second quarter, Chiefs score 28 points and win 51-31.
There's never enough baby content 👼 pic.twitter.com/bza6Blla2u
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) February 4, 2020
Second playoff game, Chiefs started slow to the Titans and went down by 10. The Chiefs won 35-24.
Super Bowl LIV. The 49ers own five Super Bowl trophies. The game was tied at half, 10-10. By the end of the third quarter, the Chiefs were losing 10-20. Mahomes was playing one of the worst games of his short career. The defense can’t stop the run.
50 years…it’s a long time!
There are seven minutes and sixteen seconds left in the game when the Chiefs came alive. Mahomes hit Hill for 44 yards. Then a touchdown pass to Kelce. The Chiefs went up, 17-20.
The defense finally made a huge stop. Mahomes the hits Watkins for 38 yards. Then Mahomes to Williams and the Chiefs took the lead, 24-14.
Next, the Niners had the ball, driving to the Chiefs 49. Frank Clark got a sack on 4th and 10 with only 1:25 left and the ticking of the game clock feels so slow. Now, second and 6 and Damian Williams takes the ball from Mahomes, following fullback Anthony Sherman around the left side – he broke through the hole. This running back, who could be the fastest guy on most NFL teams, but with the Chiefs, he’s only the fourth-fastest guy, hits the gas and outruns everyone to the endzone. TOUCHDOWN KAAAAANSAS CIIITY!
This is exactly what we envisioned when we brought him in 🍯🦡 pic.twitter.com/JMTE3HfAH0
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) February 4, 2020
50 years…it’s a long time!
I high fived everyone around me. Then it hit me – the Chiefs are going to win the Super Bowl.
My phone blew up with texts from friends, family and co-workers. The clock ticked down…the red and yellow confetti erupts into the air!
THE KANSAS CITY CHIEFS ARE SUPER BOWL CHAMPIONS.
Later that night…
Everyone’s in bed. I was sitting on the couch watching Super Bowl highlights. I started to think about the Chiefs game I watched with my dad. I think about the football sent to me from the 1970 training camp by my favorite Chief of all-time, Willie Lanier. It has the names of 8 Chiefs who are in the Hall of Fame.
I reminisced about going to Arrowhead with my friends, my wife…tailgating, cheering – fun.
I realized that even the heartbreak through 50 years with the Chiefs is full of wonderful memories.
For the first time that night I started to tear up.
WE GOT ONE FOR BIG RED 😭 pic.twitter.com/rWCyufQAag
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) February 4, 2020
I smile and quietly say…
“My Chiefs are Super Bowl Champions! 50 years…It’s long time!”
