On Saturday, the Kansas City Chiefs had quite the travel ordeal as they made their way to Denver.
After a day of delays and travel chaos, they eventually arrived in the Mile High City ahead of their final regular season game against the Denver Broncos.
The Chiefs, who are the reigning back-to-back Super Bowl champions, were scheduled to leave Kansas City for Denver to face the Broncos in what would be their last regular-season game of the NFL season.
However, a severe winter storm caused major delays, leaving their flight stuck on the runway for hours.
Despite the setbacks, players like Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce were spotted walking off the plane in snowy Denver on Saturday evening.
Mahomes Takes a Rest
As the Chiefs prepare for their game on Sunday, quarterback Patrick Mahomes is expected to sit out the matchup against the Broncos.
The Chiefs have already secured the No. 1 seed in the AFC, meaning the game has less significance for them.
There had been some uncertainty about whether Mahomes would even make the trip to Denver, as he and his wife Brittany are expecting their third child “any day now.”
Although Mahomes will not play in the game, his presence on the flight shows that he made the journey with his team.
Tight end Travis Kelce, who might also rest, was also seen boarding the plane, though it’s unclear whether he will play.
Travel Delays Due to Storm
The Chiefs were initially scheduled to depart Kansas City around 2:45 PM on Saturday.
However, due to the storm, they were delayed for hours and didn’t leave until about 6:30 PM ET.
The storm led to rapid ice accumulation at Kansas City International Airport, forcing the closure of the airfield and preventing the team from taking off on time.
Typically, the flight from Kansas City to Denver takes about two hours, but the Chiefs’ journey faced multiple setbacks.
A malfunction with the airport’s de-icing machine added to the delays, and some flights were even diverted to Omaha, Nebraska, more than 500 miles from Denver.
The Chiefs’ Struggles to Adjust
Despite the challenges, the Chiefs attempted to leave earlier in the day.
However, their charter plane had also been delayed in arriving at Kansas City, meaning they had no choice but to stick to the original departure time.
By 5:30 PM ET, it was announced that the airport’s runways would soon reopen and normal operations would resume.
The Chiefs are now set to take on the Broncos at 4:25 PM ET on Sunday in a game that has no impact on their playoff position.
Nevertheless, after a travel day filled with hurdles, the team will hope to finish the regular season on a strong note.