The Chiefs finally left Kansas City International Airport for their game in Denver on Saturday after spending about four hours stranded on the tarmac amid an ice storm that blanketed the area ahead of an impending snowstorm.
The leaders attempted to go upstairs as the weather, which had been predicted all week, exposed them. But the plane they were supposed to use was slow to arrive, so the team had to stick to its mid-afternoon departure, and just before takeoff, airport officials announced that all flight operations were suspended due to “rapid ice accumulation.”
There was a brief break between the ice line that had covered Kansas City and the arrival of heavy snow, which was expected to last through Sunday. This allowed enough time to de-ice the plane, clear the runway, and get the Chiefs into the air.
Their chartered plane was the first to take off once airport operations resumed. The team’s X message, showing the players exiting the plane, was time stamped at 8:25 p.m. CT.
The Chiefs (15-1) clinched the top playoff spot and a first-round bye, making their regular-season finale moot for them. But the game has important meaning for Denver, which could clinch its own playoff spot with a win.
Earlier this week, Chiefs coach Andy Reid said he plans to rest quarterback Patrick Mahomes, meaning backup Carson Wentz will get the start. The Chiefs also declared right tackle Jawaan Taylor (knee) and running back Isiah Pacheco (ribs), while stars such as defensive tackle Chris Jones and tight end Travis Kelce were expected to start the game.
The Chiefs will have to wait to find out their playoff opponent. The earliest they would play in the divisional round was on January 18th.
