The league's recent foray into hosting the NFL Draft in cities other than New York has one Midwestern metropolis getting its hopes up.
Kansas City Chiefs president Mark Donovan told the Kansas City Star that the organization is "serious" about hosting the draft in the near future.
The annual event, which was once held exclusively in New York from 1965 to 2014, moved to Chicago in 2015 and 2016 and will be held in Philadelphia later this month.
The league's willingness to hold the draft outside of the Big Apple inspired the Chiefs to pursue hosting the event, so much so that the team is sending a delegation to Philadelphia to understand the draft's logistics.
"We'll have representatives there to look at how they do it, to make sure the league knows we're serious and we are serious about learning and making it a great experience," Donovan said. "We've been open and consistent in our communication with the league that the draft is something we definitely want to pursue, so I think we're well-positioned there."
Still, the 2018 draft location isn't quite up for grabs. The league is expected to discuss in May whether to hold the draft in Philadelphia for a second straight year, as it did in Chicago, or open the bidding to other NFL cities, like Kansas City.
While Donovan admits that a potential Super Bowl at Arrowhead Stadium is still many years away, he said, when it comes to preparation to host the draft, the Chiefs have "checked every box." Stay tuned, Kansas City.
