More than 200 individuals boarded six busses bound for Kansas City International Airport on Wednesday morning, mimicking the standard procedure of an in-season road trip in just about every way. This routine, under the direction of the Chiefs' operations crew, is an exact science, but in this particular instance, the team really tested the "international" aspect of KCI's name.
Indeed, this wasn't a normal road trip to Denver, Cleveland or even Seattle. This was a near 6,000-mile journey to São Paulo, Brazil for the Chiefs' season-opener against the Los Angeles Chargers, representing a significant logistical challenge in numerous ways.
Fortunately, the Chiefs are no stranger to this exact situation
When Friday night's game against Los Angeles kicks off, the Chiefs will become the first team in NFL history to play a regular-season game in four different countries outside of the United States. Kansas City has played in the United Kingdom (2015), Mexico (2019) and Germany (2023) in recent years, winning all three contests.
In fact, a win on Friday would move the Chiefs into a tie with the Minnesota Vikings for the most international wins without a loss in league history. That success is a testament to how the Chiefs handle the unique challenge of playing a football game thousands of miles away from home.
"I think our people have a pretty good feel for it," said Head Coach Andy Reid. "It's an interesting process, but our guys have gotten pretty efficient with it over the years."
That process began with forgetting what day of the week it actually was. For example, Monday of this week was treated like a Wednesday within the walls of One Arrowhead Drive. The practice schedule mirrored what a standard Wednesday would look during a "normal" week in an effort to maintain a sense of routine amidst an otherwise abnormal challenge.
Tuesday, also known as Thursday, then followed suit before the Chiefs embarked on an 11-hour flight to São Paulo on Wednesday morning.
"I think it's just about managing the plane ride and keeping yourself moving whenever you [can] and getting your body right," said quarterback Patrick Mahomes. "The trainers and coaches have really done the research and they understand what we need to do. So, now it's just [about] going down there and playing football."
The Chiefs arrived late Wednesday night, and while a long way from home, the major difference between this year's trip and the flight to Germany in 2023 is the lack of a major time difference. São Paulo is only two hours ahead of Kansas City, so acclimation isn't a real concern. It's more about maintaining consistency within the aforementioned routine, which is why the Chiefs took part in their weekly walk-through on Thursday – also known as Saturday – at São Paulo Athletic Club.
Coach Reid and a small group of players then spoke to the Brazilian media following practice, but other than that, the team was insulated from the fanfare associated with an international contest.
Organizationally, however, the Chiefs still managed to connect with the team's Brazilian fans with a "Chiefs House" event on Thursday night that featured appearances by Chairman & CEO Clark Hunt, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and several Brazilian celebrities.
Members of the organization will also make a visit to a Ronald McDonald House in São Paulo on Friday morning before heading to the Arena Corinthians for the game that night.
It all makes for an undoubtedly special few days nearly 6,000 miles south of Kansas City, and while this week represents an extraordinarily unique circumstance, the opportunity to grow the game in a community starved for American football wasn't lost on the players those in Brazil so badly want to see in person.
"I'm super excited. It'll be a great experience, and a great chance to showcase who we are as the Kansas City Chiefs worldwide," Mahomes said. "I know the fan base in Brazil is extremely excited as well, so it'll be a cool experience, and being able to play our first game out there against a great opponent, it'll be a lot of fun."
