The Lamar Hunt Trophy is again dwelling the place it belongs after the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs celebrated Sunday night time with a 23-20 AFC Championship victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Chiefs overcame all adversity to give you the massive win, one made particularly sweeter for Chiefs proprietor, chairman and CEO Clark Hunt, who brings the trophy named after his father again to Kansas Metropolis for the third time in 5 years.
“Congratulations to (head coach) Andy [Reid], our teaching workers, [and] the gamers on an amazing efficiency tonight,” Hunt mentioned throughout his press convention after the sport. “Andy and the blokes did an amazing job and had been capable of overcome [adversity] and get it accomplished. I additionally need to point out the followers tonight. They had been unimaginable. I had a number of folks point out to me what a terrific ambiance this was, how loud it was, and the power stage. After all, that’s at all times true of any sport right here at GEHA Subject at Arrowhead, however I believed it was significantly true tonight and attending to rejoice successful the Lamar Hunt Trophy with our followers could be very, very particular to our household after which to our group.”
Sunday’s massive win served as vindication for Hunt and the Chiefs’ group. Many questioned the route of the staff after their massive offseason transfer which noticed former Chiefs star extensive receiver Tyreek Hill traded to the Miami Dolphins for a number of draft picks.
However these draft picks ended up taking part in a large position in Sunday’s final result – a lot to the delight of Chiefs normal supervisor Brett Veach, who praised this yr’s rookie draft class for stepping up throughout essential moments of the sport.
“We didn’t go into the offseason simply throwing darts,” Veach advised reporters after the sport. “We knew we had powerful choices to make, however on the similar time, we put collectively a extremely good plan and we trusted in our course of and we trusted in our teaching workers to guide these younger people.
“It was loopy tonight to lookup and see 35 (CB Jaylen Watson) has an interception, 23 (CB Joshua Williams) has an interception, 6 (S Bryan Cook dinner) has a tip, 24 (WR Skyy Moore) has the punt return, 10 (RB Isiah Pacheco) — he’s been massive all yr — and (DE) George (Karlaftis) had a sack. The entire crew stepped up, and that’s what you must do to win a lot of these video games. It’s a protracted season, it’s a must to have great depth. These guys had been superb all yr and so they’ll proceed to get higher.”
After all, none of that is potential with out the management and sheer excellence of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Coming into the sport with the high-ankle sprain he suffered only a week in the past, Mahomes hobbled his method for each yard potential, together with a late third-down scramble through which he sacrificed his physique on a giant hit to assist arrange the game-winning subject aim.
“Andy and I had been speaking about Patrick earlier within the week, and I discussed to him that the nice ones at all times discover a approach to get it accomplished, significantly after they’re going through adversity,” Hunt defined. “And Patrick actually confirmed that tonight. Large efficiency all the way in which round. Clearly, his ankle didn’t really feel superb within the fourth quarter. And the sport couldn’t have had a greater ending sequence than having Patrick make that run, get the penalty (that) put us in subject aim place that finally led to the win. Watching the play, I used to be like, ‘Effectively, Superman put his cape on and acquired it accomplished for us.’”
The night time was encapsulated with a victory celebration in entrance of a raucous Burrowhead Arrowhead crowd that lived as much as its booming repute all night time lengthy. Regardless of earlier stories of the NFL holding future convention championship video games at impartial websites, Hunt believes that the league ought to persist with its present format in order that groups can proceed to rejoice with their dwelling crowd.
Photograph by Michael Owens/Getty Photos
“I believe Andy mentioned it greatest that we’d be glad to play the sport in a McDonald’s car parking zone and that was true,” Hunt mentioned. “Andy’s groups are simply pretty much as good on the street, usually, as they’re at dwelling, so it wasn’t one thing that we shied away from. However, we had been very excited to get to play in entrance of our nice followers. One of many issues that I’ve realized over the past 5 years is how particular these championship video games are whenever you get to play them at dwelling and also you get to rejoice along with your followers.
“And I do know that my dad was a proponent at instances of taking the AFC and NFC Championship Video games to impartial websites, however I believe based mostly on our expertise, I believe it’s greatest to present the staff that earned that proper — the prospect to play the sport at dwelling.”
Trying forward, Sunday night time’s massive win formally books the Chiefs’ journey to Phoenix, Arizona, the place they’ll play in opposition to the Philadelphia Eagles on this yr’s Tremendous Bowl. Numerous the eye might be on Reid, as he faces off in opposition to his previous staff, however this will even be a reunion for Veach, who started his profession as an assistant coach and scout for the Eagles in 2004.
Though the Eagles had been among the finest groups within the league this season, Veach says he welcomes the problem that awaits them.
“It’s particular and so they’re a extremely good staff,” Veach mentioned when requested in regards to the matchup in opposition to Philly. “From the beginning of the season, they got here out of the gate and had been undefeated. They constructed that staff with a proficient quarterback, however their fronts are superb. Their offensive line is de facto proficient. Their defensive position — it looks like they’ve 30 guys who can rush the passer. It’s going to be a extremely powerful sport.
“As coach would say, ‘We look ahead to the problem.’ It’ll be loads of enjoyable.”
