September 5, 2020
By Fred Liggett
FredL@lstribune.net
The last time we saw the Kansas City Chiefs in action they were playing on a BIG stage in a BIG game they eventually won thanks to making some BIG plays. The Chiefs, now Super Bowl 54 Champions, continued doing BIG things throughout the off season.
Following a celebratory parade, the Chiefs set out to keep the core of their Super Bowl winning team intact. Being able to keep key players along with key assistants on the coaching staff would be a BIG undertaking for any NFL team. Most championship teams have to fend off others trying to lure away top talent but just five weeks later a BIG event got in the way of a normal NFL off season. All NFL teams were ordered to stay away from team offices and facilities due to the COVID 19 pandemic.
Despite a very abnormal off season the Chiefs went about their business in completing their goals. By the time training camp started a month ago at Arrowhead Stadium the team had been successful in reaching these goals and producing BIG news along the way. First up was the team being able to keep Offensive Coordinator Eric Bienemy after interviewing for several head coaching jobs. Then came the biggest news maker a 10-year contract given to starting QB and Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes. The deal when completed after the 2031 season could be worth a total of $503 million dollars.
Following those deals the Chiefs were not done with BIG moves that made BIG news across the NFL. The Chiefs extended All-Pro TE Travis Kelce for four years and even with a salary cap to contend with somehow kept DE Chris Jones happy with another four year deal. Before the Chiefs were done they gave extensions to both Head Coach Andy Reid and General Manager Brett Veach that last through the 2025 season.
Just about every year the NFL and its fans see the defending Super Bowl Champions lose top assistants and their rosters raided by rivals. Now that the Chiefs have made BIG news off the field it’s time to make some more on the field. They will have many chances to do that thanks to a season opener on a Thursday night at Arrowhead against Houston. Then it’s off to a BIG new stadium to play division rival LA Chargers in what is called the SOFI stadium. The next game is a Monday Night affair in Baltimore. Later in the season the Chiefs will spend a Thursday night in Buffalo and make their first trip out to Las Vegas to play the team formerly known as Oakland Raiders on a Sunday night.
The 2020 Regular season starts on Sept. 10 and runs through January 3, 2021. The Chiefs front office showed during the off season they can produce some BIG news. Soon the players and coaches will show they can make BIG plays in some BIG games to achieve some BIG results. I believe Chiefs fans are about to see a successful season filled with fun days and nights watching their favorite team return to a BIG game played in South Florida. That’s What I REID Into it for this season.
