Assistant Sports Editor Gabbi Lumma reflects on the season as a Kansas City Chiefs fan and what she will miss during the NFL’s offseason.
As a fan of the Kansas City Chiefs, otherwise known as the winners of Super Bowl LVII, it saddens me to say the end of the football season has come. The now 18-week long season, plus a month of playoffs, always seems to come and go faster each year but the end of this season especially caught me off guard.
When I was 8 years old, I vividly remember sitting in the back of my dad’s car listening to him and my brothers talk about fantasy football. I remember thinking I would love to know more about football, as it would be so cool to impress my family with my knowledge. Though my love for football didn’t come that year or the next, I can happily out-smart both of my brothers, and sometimes my dad, about football today.
High school was when I really decided to get more into the sport after standing on the sidelines with the dance team every Friday at the games. I began to analyze the game more, watching the offense and defense craft their plays on the field and decompress on the sidelines with a whiteboard and the occasional cuss words, realizing what I’d been missing out on for the last 14 years of my life. Over time, football was the only sport I could talk about.
As a Kansas City native, I was naturally born into a family full of Chiefs fans. Even when they sucked while I grew up, my uncle and my dad always made it a point to go to games and offer to bring me. Though I refused almost every offer, they kept coming back until I agreed. My senior year of high school, I finally said yes to attending a game. And let me tell you — it was one of the best experiences of my life.
From the moment our car entered the 220-acre parking lot at Truman Sports Complex, home of GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, I could feel the energy of the fans. Thousands of people blasting unofficial Chiefs theme songs by the Beastie Boys, AC/DC and the occasional Tech N9ne song on their speakers while eating barbecue — if it’s not Gates, Jack Stack or Joes I don’t want it — was an incredible sight to see.
I remember watching our beloved quarterback Patrick Mahomes for the first time in-person, engaging in the infamous tomahawk chop — a chant all KC fans and enemies know — all while being surrounded by some of the best fans in the NFL. Needless to say, my dad and uncle never had to ask if I wanted to go back — they knew I did.
During the 2022-23 NFL season, I unfortunately didn’t make it to any games in Kansas City but continued to cheer my team on and admire my family from afar who were lucky enough to attend. My support never wavered, though many chirped in my ear about how the Buffalo Bills were better and the Chiefs were nothing without Tyreek Hill. Spoiler alert, we are.
Watching the Chiefs play through the playoffs up to the Super Bowl made me remember why I love football so much. I had friends from high school reach out through Instagram or Snapchat celebrating the wins with me, I Facetimed my parents and siblings after the AFC Championship and the Super Bowl screaming in excitement and happiness, along with witnessing my hometown come together to support the team we all love. It’s one of the most amazing feelings and experiences to go through. Even though all teams can’t be winners every year I hope everyone reading this gets to experience that someday.
For the next six months, I will miss sitting on my couch in my Travis Kelce or Mahomes jersey, screaming at my TV, the excitement and rush I get after Harrison Butker kicks a winning field goal and receiving videos and pictures from my family at games. I might even miss getting pestered by Bills or Bengals fans about our AFC rivalries. I will keep reminding the haters of how great the Chiefs are next time we win the Super Bowl.
Until August — football season, you will be missed.
