Dominate the Super Bowl

In 1966, the American Football League (AFL) officially merged with the National Football League (NFL), and each year, the champions of the respective leagues climbed to the top of Huashan to duel, with the victor becoming the season's overall champion. This was the birth of the Super Bowl.

That year, football officially entered the Super Bowl era.

The Kansas City Chiefs, unquestionably a team with a long-standing football tradition, although not established until 1959—a full half-century behind those traditional powerhouses—were a strong team from the start.

Everything was because of the team's founder, Lamar Hunt.

This businessman not only founded the Kansas City Chiefs but was also one of the founders of the American Football League (AFL). Interestingly, he was inspired by his daughter's super ball toy, hence the championship game between the two leagues became known as the Super Bowl.

Without a doubt, he was a significant figure with a lasting impact on modern football.

Due to Hunt's reputation, the Kansas City Chiefs were a strong team from their inception, crowned American Football League champions in 1962 and 1966, and went a step further by winning the fourth Super Bowl in 1969.

When people talk about Super Bowl champions, they should not forget the champions of the first and second Super Bowls, the Green Bay Packers, yet often overlook that the Green Bay Packers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs in the first Super Bowl showdown.

However, that was all— Find your next adventure on empire

Since the 1969 season, the Kansas City Chiefs had not been able to recapture their glory days. Not to mention Super Bowl Champions, even the threshold of the playoffs had become insurmountable, fluctuating in the lows for many years.

It was not until 2012 that the team finally found direction when former Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid took over the Kansas City Chiefs and, from a trade with the San Francisco 49ers, acquired former first overall pick quarterback Alex Smith, gradually bringing the Kansas City Chiefs back into the competitor's row.

As mentioned earlier, the NFL is divided into the National and American leagues, and each league is further divided into four divisions: North, South, East, and West, with four teams per division.

Currently, the Kansas City Chiefs are in the AFC West, alongside teams such as the Los Angeles Chargers, the Oakland Raiders, and the Denver Broncos.

In the previous seasons, the Denver Broncos, undoubtedly led by Manning, were the divisional overlords, but the other three teams also possessed strong competitiveness. This was undoubtedly one of the most contentious divisions in the American League, until Manning retired, leading to a reshuffling of the division overnight.

In the past two seasons, the Kansas City Chiefs have consecutively topped the AFC West, prompting speculation that perhaps the reign of the divisional overlord was finally changing hands?

However, the playoff curse still plagued the Kansas City Chiefs and even head coach Reid faced mounting skepticism:

On the list of the best and top coaches who had never won the Super Bowl, Reid was at the forefront, leading experts to lament, "Perhaps Reid is just lacking that little bit of championship mettle."

In a blink, Reid was in his sixth season with the Kansas City Chiefs, and although the overall performance was decent, he had never been able to break through in the playoffs—

Last postseason, the only victory was a "30-0" rout of the Houston Texans, which felt like a dream, providing a brief moment of happiness before awakening to question if the dream had even happened.

Now, Reid was also facing the turmoil and shock of generational change, needing to find the key to continue leading the team amidst change and skepticism.

Looking back at this year's draft, with the Kansas City Chiefs making consecutive bold moves, one can see that Reid too deeply felt the crisis:

They needed to change.

Of course, Reid couldn't predict the future, nor know where they stood—all that could be said was it was about timing—

In 2012, along with Reid, team manager John Dorsey, a former Green Bay Packers scouting director who had never before held the role of team manager, was given an opportunity and time by the Kansas City Chiefs.

However, Dorsey did not meet expectations, and as the Kansas City Chiefs were still unable to advance in the playoffs, he was let go this offseason.

Veach, the successor of Dorsey, repeatedly sought advice from Reed because it was his first time as a team manager and he was absolutely panicked in such a big event.

At the same time, since being selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the third round of the 2008 draft, Charles, a reliable and loyal starting running back, had to be let go due to a serious injury, causing the Chiefs' dependable ground attack to start over.

Moreover, the age of Quarterback Smith was an evident issue.

One factor after another collided, prompting Reed to take risks at the draft, choosing not only Li Wei but also Mahomes.

Both choices were trades up, aggressively and boldly going after targets. Once aimed, he decisively made his move, showing exceptional audacity that was rarely seen.

But, gambling is such a thing—

Win, and everyone says you're brilliant and visionary.

Lose, and everyone calls you foolish and lucky.

Reed had made his choice, taking unimaginable huge risks, yet he did not know whether these risks were wise or foolish—only time could prove that.

From the current situation, the Kansas City Chiefs, because of their risky moves, were taking fire from the entire league, and many believed Reed was sensing a crisis in his position as head coach so he recklessly made a last-ditch effort; however, it was merely a death struggle, very likely becoming Reed's death knell.

If the season's performance is poor, or if they fail to win in the playoffs again, Reed might be the next one the Chiefs fire.

Reed was hanging by a thread.

It was in such a tense and unstable atmosphere that the NFL spring training camp began.

The Kansas City Chiefs' spring training camp had been held since 2010 in the small town of Saint Joseph, Missouri, at the Missouri Western State University training base, far from Kansas City and away from the media's noise and clamor, with only a few of the most dedicated fans making their way to Saint Joseph to cheer for the team.

Squeak.

Mahomes parked the car in the parking lot and patted Li Wei, who was sleeping in the passenger seat, "Li Wei, we're here. Help grab the luggage; I can't carry it all by myself."

The two had traveled together to Saint Joseph, so Li Wei hadn't driven; one car was enough for Mahomes and they had arrived at Missouri Western State University without any issues.

Just as he opened the car door, Li Wei was stretching when he saw another car enter the parking lot and reflexively looked over.

A brand new cobalt blue BMW shone under the sunlight, clearly just picked up from the dealership without needing any words to describe it.

"Beep!"

Mahomes let out a whistle.

The car door opened, and Kareem Hunt, wearing sunglasses, stepped down, seemingly not noticing Li Wei and Mahomes at all, walking past them with an expressionless face toward the direction of the training camp—

The attitude could not have been clearer.

Li Wei and Mahomes exchanged a look, and Mahomes chuckled, "Li Wei, the training camp hasn't even started, and you're already being watched."

Li Wei, however, remained unfazed, "I think it's not just this one."