KC Chiefs: Arrowhead Stadium is Returning to Form
The KC Chiefs have had a lot of success over the past few years, and that success has brought back their one true advantage – Playing games at Arrowhead Stadium.
Anyone who followed the Kansas City Chiefs in the 1990s or even just lived in Kansas City during that time, knows of the legend that used to be Arrowhead Stadium.
Arrowhead Stadium was a TRUE home field advantage for the Chiefs in those times. It was loud, it was crazy, it was obnoxious, and it made opponents uncomfortable.
One great example of this was when good ol’ John Elway played quarterback for the Denver Broncos. Chiefs fans were so loud during a game in 1990 when the Broncos visited Arrowhead that the referee actually had to interfere and tell the crowd to be quiet or else their team would lose a timeout.
The 90s was a great time to be at Arrowhead. Chiefs fans were revved up each and every week and the crowd noise truly made a difference. It made opposing teams uncomfortable and most of the time, resulted in them playing poorly.
Then, the rough years hit the KC Chiefs organization, and Arrowhead Stadium and the advantage it once had on enemies was an after thought.
Kansas City wasn’t consistently good for several seasons and it was difficult to get fans to get as excited at games. They’d maybe have one good season, hopes would be up for the next season, and then the Chiefs would end up losing a lot of games. Just like that – the momentum was gone once again.
Hell, during the really bad years, Chiefs games were blacked out from time to time. That’s how bad things had gotten for the Kansas City Chiefs. Their home field advantage was no longer something that opponents worried about.
Things slowly, but surely began to turn around in 2013 when John Dorsey, Andy Reid, and Alex Smith arrived to Kansas City. They rolled off nine wins to start off the 2013 regular season and broke the record for loudest stadium in a game against the Oakland Raiders that year.
I was at Arrowhead that day and let me tell you… It was loud.
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That didn’t compare to the loudness I experienced the following season on Monday Night Football.
The Chiefs were attempting to get their record back after the Seattle Seahawks had stolen it from them and did so successfully. It was pretty freaking loud that night, but I loved it.
Someone that didn’t love it was Tom Brady, who was in town with his Patriots for that Monday night game. Brady and his Patriots offense stood no chance against the Chiefs that night, as the crowd made Brady’s life a living hell.
It made me think back to a game where the two met in 2005. Brady was shouting like crazy to his offense, but ended up having to take a time out because he couldn’t hear himself shouting. He thew four interceptions that day and Arrowhead was electric.
Tom Brady probably hates playing at Arrowhead Stadium, much like Elway likely did back in the 90s.
That Monday Night Football game against Brady’s Patriots in 2014 showed the nation that Arrowhead could be a true home field advantage and that it’s starting to get back to the way it used to be.
Now, however, we’re starting to get back to the true home field advantage that was Arrowhead Stadium in the 1990s, and it’s pretty damn fun.
The Saints game a few weeks ago sounded like a playoff game. It was so loud that even one of the best in Drew Brees couldn’t make the best of it, and had to take a timeout due to the crowd noise.
We see that frequently at Arrowhead nowadays. Good quarterbacks getting flustered because they can’t even hear themselves think.
Remember Eli Manning getting irritated a few years ago because he couldn’t hear the play in his helmet? Or when the Raiders had a third and 48 due to the crowd noise getting to them?
It just goes to show everyone that when the KC Chiefs are playing good football and are putting a good product out on the field, fans will show up and be loud for their hometown team.
So far this season, the Kansas City Chiefs are 3-0 at home. Those games consisted of:
The biggest comeback win in franchise history
The defense picking off a quarterback six times
Chiefs defense getting a pick six, which ended up being the difference in the game
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The crazy atmosphere of Arrowhead Stadium likely had something to do with the victories. It’s getting to the point where opposing teams are preparing themselves for what the stadium will be like on game day.
The Chargers even held practices before their week one game against Kansas City in which they blared crowd noise and the tomahawk chop chant throughout. Of course, we know how that game turned out, and Arrowhead hasn’t been kind to Philip Rivers either.
On yet another Monday Night Football game, this time a Halloween game between the Chiefs and Chargers, Rivers made it an instant classic with his fumbling of the snap right before the Bolts were set to score. The Chiefs then won it in overtime while Rivers was caught on the sideline mouthing, “Worst day ever”.
That was five years ago, but it was a night that briefly brought the 90s vibe back to Kansas City and back to Arrowhead Stadium.
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That environment is becoming a regular thing for these fans though this season, and it’s great to see.
We’re not too far removed from when the Chiefs home games would be blacked out on television due to fans not wanting to waste their time or their money. Now, however, we’re starting to get back to the true home field advantage that was Arrowhead Stadium in the 1990s, and it’s pretty damn fun.