I have long awaited for this day. I knew there was a good chance it was going to happen this year, but I've been disappointed before. I didn't want to get my hopes up too high! So I'm sure that's why I was feeling nervous. Was this really happening?!?
You may think I'm talking about falling in love or a marriage proposal or maybe even getting pregnant? Nope.
MY CHIEFS ARE IN THE SUPER BOWL!!!!
For longtime fans of the Chiefs Kingdom, Sunday, January 19 was the best day ever! The last time the Chiefs were in the Super Bowl was Super Bowl IV. It's taken 50 years, my entire lifetime and then some, to get to this moment. So yeah, I'm very excited!
I remember in 1986 the Chiefs had their first playoff berth since 1971, and my dad was getting excited. I learned right then that if I wanted to hang out with my dad, I better start watching the games with him. But it wasn't until 1989 when I became a real Chiefs fan. Marty Schottenheimer became the head coach that year. Steve DeBerg was quarterback. Neil Smith and Derrick Thomas were tearing it up on defense. Tim Grunhard, Dave Szott, and Christian Okoye were names I heard often. It was a fun team and hopes were high. But we fell short time and time again. We came close in 1993 with Joe Montana as our quarterback, but lost to the Buffalo Bills in the AFC championship game.
From 2003 - 2017, we made the playoffs 7 times and only won 1 post-season game. Fans were convinced our team was cursed in the playoffs and with good reason! But I remained faithful as a fan and watched them every Sunday. My son, who was born in 2001, watched with me. He learned early how hard it is to be a Chiefs fan. But still we watched, sometimes to the bitter end. 2013 was exceptionally bitter. The Colts were trailing 38–10 after half. Indianapolis scored 35 second half points to overcome a 28-point deficit to win, 45–44, in one of the biggest comeback victories in NFL postseason history. Yes, it has been VERY hard to be a Chiefs fan.
But we all felt the momentum start to shift when Patrick Mahomes became our quarterback. We were one play away, just 4 inches even, from winning the AFC championship game last year. Heart-breaker!! The campaign to go all the way started at that very moment - with the team and the fans.
Everything started to line-up perfectly this year. We won the AFC West for the fourth year in a row. We got a first-round bye as the two-seed for the second year in a row. We launched our own comeback victory by scoring 28 points in the 2nd quarter to beat the Texans 51-31. And since the 6th seed Titans eliminated the 1st seed Ravens, we played the AFC Championship game at Arrowhead. And we won. WE WON!!! We finally slayed our playoff dragons. The Lamar Hunt Trophy now resides at Arrowhead.
Super Bowl 54 is going to be exciting! Chiefs vs. 49ers. My son and I will be watching with my dad. He's the reason that I am, and always will be, a Chiefs fan. I can't think of anywhere else that I'd rather be to watch the game.
So tell me.... How 'bout those CHIEFS!?!?!?!?!
