Write Team: Don’t hate on the Kansas City Chiefs

I understand the concept of “haters gonna hate” but I don’t always understand the reason. Most times it just comes off as sour grapes.

That seems to apply, in a big way, to the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs, led by Patrick Mahomes, finished the regular season tied with the Detroit Lions, for the best records in the NFL. The Lions choked in the playoffs, but the Chiefs have won all their playoff games and are headed back to the Super Bowl for the third year in a row. The Chiefs are a very good team.

The haters are going to claim that the Chiefs had some help along the way from the referees, who at times did seem to favor the Chiefs, but really no more than any other team. Still the conspiracy theorists will say that’s the only way the Chiefs are moving on. But as with any good conspiracy theory, the underline question to make the conspiracy a reality is why? Why would the refs and even more so the NFL conspire to elevate the Chiefs?

Money? Not hardly. The Kansas City Chiefs estimated value, according to CNBC, is about $6.7 billion. That ranks them 18th on the list of the 32 NFL teams. So, in terms of adding value to a team, 18th out of 32 plops them kind of in the middle and really doesn’t move the needle.

Some of the haters have blamed Taylor Swift for the conspiracy to which I would say, get off the poor girl’s back. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that Taylor Swift is dating Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. Kelce is one of Patrick Mahomes favorite passing targets. Kelce has been dating Swift since shortly after meeting in the summer of 2023.

They seem like a cute little couple who are often seen kinoodling after a Chief’s win. Some of the conspiracy theorists believe that it is this relationship that have inclined the referees to make calls that favor the Chiefs. But again, here you have to ask why? Money? Don’t think so. Swift’s net worth is estimated at $1.9 billion, which means she’ll have no problem buying eggs. Or anything else, for that matter.

And then there’s the NFL. What would be in it for them. Certainly not money. While the Patrick Mahomes jersey is the No. 1 selling Kansas City Chiefs item, when it comes to all other Chiefs related merchandise, they rank 29th out of the 32 teams. So, while the conspiracy theorist would say the NFL wants to increase the amount of merchandise dollars that come out of Kansas City, having the refs make lopsided calls isn’t going to sell more bobble heads or Chiefs coffee mugs.

I have often mentioned in the column my love for the NFL or even on a broader basis football in general. My love of football outweighs all other sports two or three times. So, like all other true football fans, I just want to see a great football game, with two teams that fought their way to the big game.

And, like it or not, that’s what we’re going to see in a week and a half at Super Bowl 59, Sunday, Feb. 9, in New Orleans. The Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles will square off, like they did two years, both wanting the Lombardi Trophy.

So, stop hating and just hope we see a great football game.

Jonathan Freeburg is an Ottawa transplant for the past two decades-plus and a regular contributor to 1430 WCMY Radio. He can be reached at newsroom@shawmedia.com.