Kansas City set to celebrate Super Bowl win with parade
KANSAS CITY, MO. >> The Kansas City Chiefs returned to Kansas City on Monday as fans celebrated their Super Bowl championship.
Coach Andy Reid, carrying the Super Bowl trophy, led the team off its plane Monday afternoon before they boarded a bus caravan to return to Arrowhead Stadium. Fans were discouraged from meeting the Chiefs at the airport. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes was not with his teammates because he flew to Disney World in Orlando, Florida, to lead a Super Bowl celebration parade as part of his duties as MVP.
A parade through downtown Kansas City, Missouri, is set for 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, followed by a rally at Union Station. Several schools in the area canceled Wednesday’s classes, and the Kansas Legislature canceled that day’s session. Officials announced the celebration Sunday night, shortly after the Chiefs defeated San Francisco 31-20.
The celebration started before the game, with an estimated 20,000 people showing up at the Power & Light District in downtown Kansas City to watch the Super Bowl on a massive screen. Police said Monday 14 people were arrested and 45 were ejected from the entertainment district, and fire officials responded to 24 medical incidents. The Westport entertainment district also was packed and police reported several disturbances, but none were serious.
One man died when he tried to light commercialgrade fireworks in an improvised mortar and one of them exploded shortly after the game ended, police said in a statement. No other information was released.
Officers also will be following up on 163 reports of celebratory gunfire from 5:30 p.m. Sunday to early Monday, police said.
A newly installed sign inside Union Station proclaimed the Chiefs “World Champions!” Among those lining up to take a picture Monday were Mark and Karie Teetor, of the St. Louis area, who described a scene of pandemonium and dancing as they watched the game with friends.
“I was crying pretty much,” Karie Teetor said.