Chiefs stars greet fans at local Raising Cane's after Super Bowl win

Outside a local Raising Cane’s in Blue Springs, MO — roughly 20 miles east of Kansas City — a sea of red and gold floods the surrounding parking lot. A palpable energy fills the air as Chiefs fans from all backgrounds hover in anticipation of what’s to come.

From seasoned veterans donning their favorite Chiefs gear to young children hoisted upon their parents' shoulders, every person here wears a smile of jubilation. Of course, this isn’t a normal day in this bustling Kansas City suburb.

The date is Feb. 13, 2024. It’s just two days after the Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in overtime to win their third Super Bowl in five years and their fourth in franchise history. The city is buzzing with enthusiasm and excitement. Streets are closed, and entire sections of the downtown area are blocked off as parade preparations are being made.

This isn’t a new environment for a city that has seen more championships in the last half-decade than they had in the previous 50 years combined. It’s almost become the norm. But for fans of this long-suffering franchise and residents of this beautiful, welcoming city, that doesn’t make today any less special.

Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed and Super Bowl hero Mecole Hardman are set to “work a shift” at Raising Cane’s in Blue Springs. They’ll meet up with fans, sign some autographs, take a few photos, and serve food to the patrons at the restaurant.

But before Sneed and Hardman even arrive, Chiefs Kingdom — as the fan base is affectionately known — is buzzing with anticipation, their excitement undeniable in the crisp morning air. The line of fans stretches outside the shopping center. Some of them have been waiting outside since the early morning hours for a chance to meet their Chiefs heroes.

The air is electric with excitement, crackling with the energy of a community united to celebrate their beloved gridiron stars. It’s a testament to the unwavering dedication and boundless enthusiasm of this loyal fan base.

One woman, Loretto Ray-Kaub, has seemingly been declared the unofficial cheerleader of the event. She stands in the bed of her pick-up truck, proudly sporting an Eric Berry jersey, as she leads the crowd in various Chiefs chants. Her voice ringing out with pride and passion: "How 'bout those!" — and in perfect harmony, the crowd echoes back, "Chiefs!"

Ray-Kaub has lived in Blue Springs since 1988 — the same year she became a Chiefs fan. She’s lived through the Brodie Croyle years. She was watching habitually in 2012 when the Chiefs won two games. To her, those years of losing just make this recent stretch of success “even sweeter.”

“We never gave up hope,” Ray-Kaub remarked about this year’s Chiefs team. “They’re the cardiac kids.”

This Chiefs fan base has embraced the team’s role as the big, bad bullies of the NFL, but they’ve simultaneously adopted an underdog mindset as well. Almost half the teams still alive in the Divisional Round of the playoffs had better odds of winning the Super Bowl than the Chiefs. This fan base welcomed the hate and thrived on the skepticism. 

Just ask Terrance Williams, a longtime resident of Kansas City who has been a Chiefs fan his entire life. Williams’s wife told him about the event at Raising Cane’s, and he rushed out of his house to hopefully catch a glimpse of his favorite Chiefs player, the aforementioned Sneed.

Williams tells me about how all the NFL analysts were against the Chiefs before the game, and he reveled in seeing their reaction as the evening went on. He’s still getting accustomed to the hostility, but it’s safe to say he embraces it.

“It’s a mixed feeling,” Williams insists, regarding the Chiefs’ recent achievements. “We have the success, but we’re not used to the hate.”

In the wake of their historic success, the Chiefs have inevitably assumed the role of the NFL's villains, their dominance and worldwide fame making them a target of envy and ire across the league. In many ways, they’ve become this generation’s New England Patriots.

“The Patriots used to be the dominant team, and everyone hated them,” says Chiefs fan Clayton Garrett. “Now, it’s the Chiefs, but I’m fine with that. We can keep on winning Super Bowls.”

Garrett is attending the event with his fiancée, Ashley Huff, both lifelong Chiefs fans. The couple are the very first people in line — a result of waiting in the parking lot since around 7 am. Garrett recalls going to Chiefs games with a paper bag over his head. Despite enduring seasons of disappointment and frustration, their loyalty never wavered.

Now, as they stand at the forefront of this new era of Chiefs greatness, their journey from despair to triumph feels all the more remarkable.

The crowd roars with excitement as Hardman arrives in his matte black 2023 Dodge Challenger. He revs his engine to get the fans fired up before stepping out to an onslaught of enthusiasm from the Chiefs faithful. These are their rock stars — their larger-than-life icons.

The fans show their appreciation for Hardman with screams of admiration as the three-time Super Bowl champion high-fives his way into the building. A few minutes later, Sneed arrives to a similar reaction. Sneed is quieter and more reserved than his bolder, outgoing teammate, but he still smiles and waves to the crowd as he makes his way to the restaurant.

There’s definitely a big brother/little brother dynamic between Hardman and Sneed, even if Hardman is technically younger. The former frequently pokes fun at the fact that he has one more Super Bowl ring than his less experienced teammate. While Hardman cracks jokes with the workers and plays to the crowd, Sneed is content letting his fellow Chiefs teammate do most of the talking.

Nonetheless, Hardman and Sneed embrace their role as superstars. It’s not just the fans who are starstruck, either. Local media members and police officers monitoring the event stop to request autographs and take photos with the Chiefs players. They’re local celebrities — heroes to an entire community.

Hardman’s journey back to the mountaintop in Kansas City has been extra meaningful. The former second-round pick signed a one-year contract with the New York Jets in the offseason. It was a bittersweet moment for Hardman, who left the only city he had called home in the NFL for what he hoped would be greener pastures, literally and figuratively, in New York.

Things didn’t exactly go as planned, as an offseason injury saw Hardman lose his role in the Jets’ offense. He became an afterthought on a losing team, and after appearing in just five games for the Jets, Hardman was shipped back to the Chiefs for the remainder of the season.

As fate would have it, Hardman would be on the receiving end of one of the most famous and significant touchdowns in NFL history just a few months later. Today, he’s a Super Bowl hero. A three-time champion who overcame countless adversity to return to the pinnacle of the sport.

Hardman referred to his Chiefs return as “a sigh of relief.” He called the last 12 months “an emotional roller coaster” for him and his family. But as he stands behind the counter of a Raising Cane’s on this breezy February afternoon, Hardman has no regrets.

“Everything happened like it’s supposed to,” he tells me.

Hardman loves this city and this fan base. He insists he’s “eternally grateful” to them for how he’s been welcomed back and supported, even through his lowest of lows this season. “Chiefs fans are the best fans in the world,” Hardman says.

The event itself only lasts for about an hour, but Hardman and Sneed hang around for nearly double that time, signing autographs and greeting as many fans as they physically can. Hardman tells the crowd that today is his son’s first birthday, but that he wasn’t going to miss an event like this for anything.

That’s how much this city and these fans mean to him. He gets emotional before insisting that he hopes to be back in Kansas City next season. It’s a business at the end of the day, but there isn’t a city in the world that Hardman would rather call home than this one.

The crowd eventually disperses as Hardman and Sneed say their goodbyes, but not before taking a few more photos on their way out, of course.

There’s still a general aura of enthusiasm surrounding the city, though. Downtown Kansas City is pulsating with a fervent energy that infects all of its residents — whether they’re fans or not. From Uber drivers to local construction workers to random civilians on the street, everyone is talking about the Super Bowl.

The Chiefs aren't just a football team to this city — they're a symbol of pride, unity, and resilience. The franchise is embedded in the very fabric of Kansas City’s identity. They’re the ultimate unifier — a bond that transcends the typical boundaries of sport. This event helped showcase just that.

For as long as the heart of Kansas City beats, the Chiefs will continue to serve as a beacon of hope and resilience for this vibrant, endearing city.

A mass shooting occurred in front of Union Station during the Chiefs’ Super Bowl celebration less than 24 hours after I left Kansas City. One person was killed, and many others were seriously injured.

Just one day earlier, the city was buzzing with anticipation for the parade. Still, there was a sense of tranquility permeating throughout the downtown area. It was calm. Peaceful.

I spoke to multiple complete strangers on the street. One stopped me to ask for the time. Another witnessed me taking a photo of a Patrick Mahomes cutout on the back of a construction truck. The gentleman called me over and asked if I wanted to take a “real” picture. He pulled out a Chiefs Super Bowl banner from the back of his construction vehicle and took my photo as I posed with it.

These interactions happened directly in front of Union Station — the same location as the horrific tragedy that occurred less than 24 hours later. The sudden shift from peacefulness to violence is almost incomprehensible. However, amidst this tragedy, Kansas City’s kind and genuine spirit shines through.

This community, defined by its strong sense of unity and resilience, will undoubtedly come together to support one another in the face of adversity. While the events are unfair and unimaginable, if any city can overcome and move forward, it’s this one.