It took longer than expected for the Kansas City Chiefs to be honored for the first time at the White House.
Now, it's becoming old hat.
For the second time in as many years, President Joe Biden on Friday welcomed and celebrated the Super Bowl-champion Chiefs, this visit coming after their Super Bowl LVIII overtime triumph against the San Francisco 49ers.
"Welcome back," Biden began. "Welcome back to the White House!"
Last year's ceremony was memorable for Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce making an impromptu trip to the podium before quarterback Patrick Mahomes did a spot-on secret service impression by calmly and cooly whisking away his top receiver. This time around, Biden spoke, of course, along with Chiefs owner and CEO Clark Hunt and the president called up Kelce.
"I'd have Travis come up here, but God only knows what he'd say," Biden joked. "Travis come here. It's all yours pal."
The tight end didn't skip a beat, delivering a succinct address amid laughs from teammates and the commander in chief.
"My fellow Americans, it's nice to see you all yet again," Kelce said. "I'm not gonna lie, President Biden, they told me if I came up here I'd get tased, so I'm going to go back to my spot."
Biden later handed over the dais to Hunt.
"I'm incredibly proud of our players and coaches," Hunt said. "This season, with a target on their backs, they overcame adversity and got through perhaps the toughest group of playoff opponents in league history. They have etched their names in the NFL history books as just the second back-to-back Super Bowl championship team this century."
In winning repeat Super Bowls and their third in five seasons, the Chiefs have become a dynasty and as referenced by Hunt, their latest title odyssey might well have been their most daunting.
Prior to this past season, the Chiefs had nothing but home games. But in achieving their fourth Super Bowl berth in five seasons, Kansas City went on the road for the first time in that span. During the aforementioned 2023 playoff run, the Chiefs began by defeating the Miami Dolphins in frigid temperatures at Arrowhead Stadium before traveling to defeat the second-seeded Buffalo Bills and then the top-seeded Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game.
After Hunt's speech, he called up head coach Andy Reid, who bestowed Biden with a Chiefs helmet. With players and coaches cheering along, Biden put on the helmet to a round of applause.
When Biden welcomed the 2022 Chiefs after their Super Bowl LVII win against the Philadelphia Eagles, it was in celebration of the franchise's third Lombardi Trophy, but it was the club's first-ever trip to the White House.
Super Bowl winners heading to the White House was a tradition started with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1980. Therefore, the Chiefs' 1969 Super Bowl IV squad didn't have the option. And Kansas City's Super Bowl LIV titlists likewise didn't have the option, this time because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now, though, KC has had back-to-back spring sojourns to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.
With their Super Bowl win on Feb. 11, the Chiefs became just the seventh franchise to win four Lombardi Trophies and the first since the 2003-2004 New England Patriots to repeat as champions.
"Winning back to back, I kinda like that," quipped Biden, who's running for reelection this fall.
As the 2024 NFL season kicks off in September, Kansas City will endeavor to become the first franchise to win three Super Bowls in a row. Thusly, Hunt is hoping to continue the burgeoning Chiefs tradition of spring trips to the White House.
Said Hunt: "We have greatly enjoyed our time here today and we look forward to the challenge of making this an annual trip."
