Chiefs Fans: The Next Generation Looks to Super Bowl LVII

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — “I mean, I knew we won as soon as we were going to the Bengals because Burrow ain’t got nothing on Patrick [Mahomes],” 12-year-old Max Own, a Kansas City Chiefs fan, said.

“I’m not a jabroni, okay? We been with it. We going to party. And we going to bring back that Lombardi,” Aitya Williams, another Kansas City Chiefs fan, said.

While Kansas City Chiefs fans get hype on the off-weekend before the Super Bowl, the team is spending their last night in KC before flying down to Arizona.

But the building anticipation is creating a powder-keg atmosphere ahead of the big game, which you’ll see on FOX4 in t-minus one week and one day.

The Kansas City Chiefs Fan Zone at Union Station experienced its longest lines so far, snaking through the giant lobby.

The space was a real family affair. It’s the passing of fandom through the generations that’s amazing to witness, going back to the very people who laid the literal foundation out at Arrowhead Stadium.

Making a human train, photo-seekers waited for their chance for a picture. Among those waiting was—son of a craftsman—Mike Mikesic.

“My dad put the piers down. He owned his own company. And he put the piers down where Arrowhead is now,” Mikesic said.

“The first year that it opened he started buying season tickets and we’ve had them ever since,” Mikesic said.

“The tickets are barely younger than you,” FOX 4’s Jacob Kittilstad said.

“Yeah, not much younger than I am,” Mikesic said.

That footing of fandom goes way back to specific moments, like birth.

“July the 4th of ’92,” Pamela Ross said, recalling her daughter Aitia Williams’ birthday.

“I just bought the clothes. She wore ’em. And then she got into it,” Ross said.

“And then they would play highlights from the games and I remember being a little girl cheering at the highlights, okay?” Williams said.

But it’s not always the parents leading the way.

One person placed a bet with their dad.

“The bet was that if we had another snow day, the next day, that he would have to give up being a Raiders fan and become a Chiefs fan,” 12-year-old Brock Hulstine said.

“Then that day he was like ‘It’s not going to happen.’ And then as soon as he said that it starts to snow and he’s like ‘Oh crap,'” Brock Hulstine said.

“It wasn’t fun,” Brock’s Dad, Nathan Hulstine, said. “Now it’s enjoyable because now I can celebrate with him instead of having to sit there and watch his smug face the whole time he’s actually playing in play-off games.”

“I’m just glad that he’s a Chiefs fan. He’s part of the good people,” Brock Hulstine said.

That mentality is more extreme among the younger fans.

One young fan—12-year-old Dominic Cooper—does Chiefs content on TikTok.

“The Eagles are frauds,” Cooper said.

“They’ve beaten like no good teams. They lost to the Commanders,” Cooper said.

“Me personally, I have a crush on Patrick Mahomes. I think he’s the best, the best quarterback in the league. And I think he should just keep playing and work hard,” 10-year-old Marly Owen said.

“Who doesn’t, right?” FOX4’s Jacob Kittilstad said.

“I don’t know. It’d be hard not to,” Owen said.

It’s a fan tradition with a strong foundation, passed down through the generations.

“You said your dad has passed since?” FOX4’s Jacob Kittilstad asked Mikesic.

“Yes, he passed about 18 years ago. So he didn’t get to see them.”

“We were all crying. We never believed that we’d see the day again that we’d win another Super Bowl,” Mikesic said.

“Have you guys ever been to one of the Super Bowls?” FOX4’s Jacob Kittilstad asked.

“No,” Mikesic responded, laughing. “No, ha! Have you seen the price of those things?”

“No,” he said with another big laugh.