After three Super Bowl titles in five years, the Kansas City Chiefs should have a pretty good idea of how to throw a victory parade. Chiefs Kingdom will show its love for Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Co. this Valentine’s Day as the team processes through the streets of Kansas City on Wednesday.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid was seated at the front of one of the first double-decker buses, waving to the crowd, alongside franchise owner Clark Hunt. As the bus rolled past, Hunt had his right hand placed on the neck of the Lombardi Trophy while he waved at the crowd with his left hand.
From another bus, a staffer tossed red hats into the crowd as fans outstretched their arms to try to catch them. At the front of another, Chiefs punter Tommy Townsend, who had a busy and productive first half in Super Bowl 58, wore a light blue Kansas City Royals jersey and stood next to place kicker Harrison Butker. Chiefs linebacker Willie Gay got out of his bus, shirtless, and hi-fived fans. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, freshly inked to a contract extension, smoked a victory cigar.
Players took photos and videos with their phones, drank out of beer and champagne bottles, played catch with fans who tossed footballs their way. From the top of a few buses, some people tossed cream colored roses.
“Thank you so much Chiefs kingdom,” guard Trey Smith said in an interview with KSHB Kansas City. “This is unbelievable, we couldn’t ask for fans any better than this.”
Said receiver Mecole Hardman, the player who caught the game-winning touchdown pass in overtime: “I’m feeling great, we out here celebrating, baby, I love y’all.”
At around 11:06 a.m. local time, the buses with Chiefs players and staffers started to roll toward the route. The double-decker buses are red with plenty of signage to celebrate Kansas City’s victory in Super Bowl 58.
On the sides of most buses are decals with the Chiefs logo, above which is the wording “World Champions.” On the front, just below the windshield, is lettering that said “BACK-TO-BACK,” commemorating the team’s consecutive titles.
As the parade started to make its way through the route, a flatbed with the franchise’s cheerleaders and the team’s drumline, the Chiefs Rumble, rolled through as confetti guns blasted red and yellow streamers into the air.
It will start around noon ET, 11 a.m. local time. The parade will conclude at Union Station, where a victory rally, complete with speeches by players and coaches, will be held, starting around 1:45 p.m. ET.
The Chiefs are live steaming the parade on their website. Watch here.
There’s one thing that could make this party different from the others: a potential Taylor Swift appearance. Logistics, however, are not on her side. She has to be in Melbourne, Australia, which is 17 hours ahead of Kansas City, by 6 p.m. Friday for the first of three scheduled concerts on her Eras Tour. And the flight itself takes about 17 hours.
Regardless of whether Swift shows up, the crowd figures to be even larger than in the past because the weather will be unseasonably warm — with temperatures expected to be in the 60s. That’s in stark contrast to last year, when the mercury didn’t even crack 40, and wind chills made it feel below freezing.
Kansas City’s quest for a three-peat is already underway.
The Chiefs announced they have agreed to a contract extension with defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, who became a four-time Super Bowl champion after K.C.’s Super Bowl 58 victory. Details of the extension are not yet known.
Spagnuolo’s defense played an instrumental role in the Chiefs’ run to their third Super Bowl title in five seasons.
With just about 20 minutes left before the parade starts, players, coaches and family have started loading onto the buses that will take them through downtown to celebrate their Super Bowl title.
Not seen among them: Taylor Swift.
Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes was seen wearing his two Super Bowl rings, and Travis Kelce boarded the same bus along with his mom, Donna.
Daniel Miller is a sports fanatic who lives and breathes athletics. His coverage spans from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis for sports enthusiasts.
