FOXBORO, Mass. — The Chiefs faced quite the crisis Sunday afternoon.
Kansas City’s equipment for about 35 of its players did not make it to Gillette Stadium and accidentally was sent to New Jersey. The Chiefs would have had to forfeit their Week 14 game against the New England Patriots if it didn’t arrive in time. But the crisis was averted and Massachusetts State Police escorted what was missing in time for kickoff.
It certainly was something that doesn’t happen often, but head coach Andy Reid didn’t think it was too much of a big deal.
“Everybody stayed calm,” he said after the Chiefs’ 26-13 win over New England. “It happens. Not a big deal.”
OK, but did he think there was even the slightest chance it wasn’t going to show up?
“No, not at all. I think everybody did a good job getting it back here,” Reid said.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes was one of the players whose equipment was not at Gillette when he got there, forcing him to practice beforehand in different equipment.
“That is crazy. I love the equipment guys,” he said. “It was kind of a weird thing that happened there. But they let us know that it would be here before we went out there. Might have had to share helmets if it didn’t get here.
“Mine was not here so I had to warm up in some different stuff. … They took care of us and found a way to make it work.”
It certainly worked out as the Chiefs got all their equipment and earned the AFC West title with the victory.
