The Chiefs had played in one conference championship game in 20 years when Andy Reid first arrived as the head coach. Reid changed the culture at the franchise and got everyone pulling in the same direction. While they achieved moderate success, their drought didn’t end. Then in 2017, they drafted Patrick Mahomes and in his first year as a starter the Chiefs reached the AFC Championship. Since then they won three Super Bowls and on Sunday will compete in their seventh AFC title game.

The Reid-Mahomes combo not only turned the Chiefs fans from doubters to believers, but it also had a profound effect on franchise owner Clark Hunt. Ever since he took over the franchise after the death of his father in 2006, Hunt has slowly but surely turned the Chiefs into a model franchise in the NFL. Now, with his eyes set on a historic 3-peat with the franchise, he is feeling confident about his team’s chances due to home-field advantage against the Bills, but are there any pre-game superstitions that Hunt likes to keep up given their recent run of success?

On Wednesday, Hunt joined NFL Network’s “Good Morning Football,” and talked about the Chiefs’ incredible run of title-game appearances.  This discussion further led to a very important question by the host: “Are you one of these guys who likes to put his left shoe on before his right shoe, as you are in the pursuit of a third straight Super Bowl? Or you just live your life, it doesn’t matter. How do you go about maintaining good juju?”

“We’re not very superstitious,” Clark Hunt replied. “I got rid of all my lucky ties when we hired Andy Reid and drafted Patrick Mahomes. We didn’t need those lucky ties.”

When Andy Reid came to Kansas City, they were far from being the Super Bowl-winning, NFL-dominating juggernaut that we see today. Before him, three coaches had come and gone and all ended up with losing seasons. In 2012, the team was at a low point after they finished with a 2-14 record, the worst in franchise history.

They were also turned down by Peyton Manning, a free agent following his release by the Colts. Manning instead joined their AFC West rivals, the Broncos, not paying much attention to the interest from the Chiefs. There were also backroom issues, with friction between the head coaches and the general manager. Team discipline was another problem. But all that changed when Reid took the reins.

Reid turned around the culture in the locker room. He issued guidelines such as being on time to meetings, not wearing hoodies or hats to meetings, and ensuring uniforms were on properly. With Reid, tensions between the front office and the coaching department ended as he got everyone pulling in the same direction.

He then went about getting rid of players, who were becoming a problem. In 2018, the Chiefs traded Pro Bowl cornerback Marcus Peters after his disciplinary issues. Peters was picked up by the team in the first round of the 2015 Draft and led the NFL in interceptions in his rookie season. But his temper was in question. He often clashed with coaches and others in the organization and even got into altercations with fans. Reid wanted none of that and out he went. Then came another turning point when the team drafted Patrick Mahomes in 2017.

Mahomes spent his first year as a backup to Alex Smith, but after he was traded to the Redskins in January 2018, Mahomes was named as the starter, an opportunity he would grab with both hands.

Top Comment by Kenan

Only prayers will save them this time!!!

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He threw for over 5,000 yards and secured an impressive 50 touchdown passes—tying him with Peyton Manning for most touchdowns in a single season. Multiple accolades followed as he led the Chiefs to a first conference championship game at the Arrowhead Stadium and even though they lost to the Patriots in overtime, they would win the Super Bowl next season and a Chiefs dynasty was born.

With three further Super Bowl successes, it is easy to see why Hunt isn’t feeling superstitious anymore. Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid’s duo posted an 88-25 record (including postseasons). While he has done away with superstitions, Hunt has kept some of the Chiefs’ traditions alive.

For 10 seasons, the Chiefs have held nondenominational church services before Sunday noon games at Arrowhead for fans. Notably, the fans huddled with team CEO Clark Hunt and his family and prayed before the November 10 game against the Broncos.

Those who watched the game might have suspected some sort of divine intervention. Chiefs linebacker, Leo Chenal, got his hand on a field goal attempt by Broncos kicker Will Lutz with zeroes on the clock in the fourth quarter, allowing his side to escape with a 16-14 win.

Meanwhile, there are some other traditions, inculcated by Clark’s father, that he has kept going before each game.

A tradition that helps Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid’s Chiefs win?

Well, in the same episode of the show, Hunt shared some interesting traditions that his family follows before each game. Hunt shared, “We do have some traditions as a family. Before each game, we’ll get together and pray as a family.

And then my parents started a tradition that my wife and I have carried on. They would have a quick kiss before each game. So my wife, Tav (Tavia Hunt), and I do that before every game, and then we let the guys on the field determine the outcome.”

Well, that’s a sweet gesture to show support for his team.

Along with this, Clark Hunt will also be keeping up with another tradition. He will be the Drum Honoree for the event as part of a tradition followed by the Chiefs. They introduced the GEHA Deck in 2019, celebrating two home-game traditions—the Drum Honoree and the Tony DiPardo Spirit Leader.

Before this, Hunt served five times as the Drum Honoree at the AFC Championship game at Arrowhead. And now, this will be his sixth, he will be looking eager to see recent Chiefs history repeat itself when the battle commences at 6:30 pm ET on Sunday, January 26.