Arrowhead Pride
The Kansas City Chiefs are no strangers to the spotlight, but in ESPN’s upcoming documentary “The Kingdom,” fans will get an exclusive look inside one of the NFL’s premier franchises.
Available through ESPN, ESPN+ and Disney+ starting on August 14, the six-episode docuseries goes deep into the Chiefs’ 2024 season while also tracing the franchise’s 65-year history. It features behind-the-scenes access, personal interviews and a deep dive into what it takes to chase a Super Bowl three-peat.
While the series offers a treat for fans, participating in a documentary wasn’t exactly high on head coach Andy Reid’s to-do list.
“Our owner asked me to do it,” said Reid of his motivation on Thursday, drawing laughter from reporters. “So, it’s not really my idea. But he’s my boss, so I jumped in on it. If I’m going in, I’m going all-in.”
Typically guarded when cameras are around his team, Reid admitted he started the project with reservations — but came away pleasantly surprised by how unobtrusive the film crew had been throughout the season.
“I thought the people handled it well,” he observed. “I thought they really did a good job of not being a distraction. I worry about that — and it’s one reason why I don’t like doing those things — but I thought they actually handled themselves well; I wasn’t having to tell people to get back or get out of here. That’s not what it was. So, my hat goes off to them for handling it that way.”
Superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes echoed that sentiment, praising not only the access granted to the filmmakers, but the scope of the story they told.
“It’s a great documentary,” Mahomes noted, “and obviously the season was part of it. But it’s great to see the history of the Kansas City Chiefs. I saw stuff that I didn’t even know — and I thought I knew everything about the Chiefs. The Hunt family, the Chiefs, Disney — they all did it the right way. And for them to let me be a part of it in some way was really cool for me.”
The documentary’s release offered Mahomes a rare chance to pause and reflect on last season’s journey. He believes being part of the production (and seeing how it all came together) was a full-circle moment for him.
“Now we’re back to football,” he said, “but it [was] cool to see stuff like that done. I’ve loved those documentaries my whole entire life. Seeing how the bread is buttered? It was really cool.”
All six episodes will be available to stream Thursday, August 14 on ESPN+ and Disney+. The first two episodes will also air that same night on ESPN at 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. Arrowhead Time, with the remaining episodes set to premiere later that week.
