Fifty years ago this summer, the Chiefs entered training camp with what my friend Michael MacCambridge in his book Americas Game called a sense of purpose verging on a crusade after a 41-6 playoff loss to the Oakland Raiders.
With a coach (Hank Stram) and eight players who would later be installed in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, (including six defenders with the upcoming induction of safety Johnny Robinson), they went on to win Super Bowl IV over the Minnesota Vikings.
It remains to be seen what the collective frame of mind will be when the Chiefs report to this training camp in late July in the wake of their first whiff of a Super Bowl since, an overtime loss to New England in the AFC Championship game.
Plus, hunger and desire and all that notwithstanding, their chances of finally breaking through again to the so-called ultimate game will be greatly influenced by what comes of the thorough overhaul of a porous defense.
But if the changes arent likely to produce six Hall of Famers, it might be enough if new defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo can coax competence out of the group.
Because quarterback Patrick Mahomes stands over all this like a colossus, already their best quarterback since Hall of Famer Len Dawson led teams of that Super Bowl era.
The reigning NFL Most Valuable Player in his one full season as a starter has established himself as a revolutionary force who challenges all conventional beliefs both in terms of how the position can be played and how profoundly it can impact every game.
As the Chiefs on Thursday were shutting down until the start of camp, offensive tackle Mitchell Schwartz subtly said it all.
With Pat back there, he said, everything is looking pretty good these days.
A year after Mahomes erupted into stardom by throwing for 50 touchdowns and more than 5,000 yards, chances are that he might not be able to duplicate those gaudy numbers particularly if the indefinitely suspended Tyreek Hill is no longer part of the team.
But the more pertinent chances are that hell be an improved quarterback regardless of what the numbers say and as pivotal or more to the Chiefs Super Bowl hopes.
Because of another year of experience (with a lot more in his memory bank, as Schwartz said), his continuing emergence as a leader, an obvious ongoing zeal to improve and ever-increasing chemistry with coach Andy Reid.
Reid is known as an innovator, of course, and they realized a certain something between them from the get-go.
But imagine what you cant even imagine could be in play here as the freakishly-armed guy who makes the no-look pass routine gets more and more and more in a groove with the guy who concocted Hungry Pig Right.
He has ideas, and theyre good ideas, Reid said. So Ill listen to that and then I try to bring him a nice basket of plays and let him try to digest those.
