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“I’m sorry. I’m sorry that this happened yesterday,” Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas told KCTV. ”I and we worked hard to put on an exceptional parade. We spent millions on it. We did a lot of things. But we failed yesterday to keep everybody safe. And that’s something I have great guilt over.”
… The success of local sports teams is one of the few things remaining that can bind a city’s residents together. The championship parade is the ultimate example. Instead of buying an expensive ticket to see your favorite athlete play a game, anyone can get a front-row seat for a glimpse along the parade route as long as you’re there early enough.
But now, it’s far too easy to envision city-wide championship celebrations becoming an exclusive affair in the name of safety. Without the ability to reasonably ensure gun-free zones along a parade route, teams could opt to host celebrations at their own arenas or stadiums in lieu of a parade. Capacity would be extremely limited compared to a city-wide celebration, and to get in, fans would have to go through security just like they do on game days.
It’s a solution that benefits no one outside of the lucky few who would be able to attend.
Hours before the shooting, as I stood along the start of the parade route with my dad, we talked about how we wanted to be at every parade. The Chiefs have now won four Super Bowls. Wednesday was his fourth Super Bowl parade. It was my third. We vowed to not choose to be home if we were lucky enough to have the chance to attend one again, whether it was next year or in any year after that. And we both hoped that what we were about to watch wasn’t going to be the last we saw together.
Little did we know, it might have been our last parade. And it’s all for reasons that have nothing to do with the Chiefs’ future on-field success.
Helping Kids Navigate the Tragedy of the Super Bowl Parade Shootings | Children’s Mercy
For all of us, the horrific events that took place after the Chiefs parade and rally at Union Station hit too close to home. We know that many families were directly impacted by these events, especially children who were at the parade and witnessed terrifying things. Our city has been through a trauma.
It’s never easy to talk about senseless violence with our kids. With your guidance, they can find a safe space to process what’s happened. Children’s Mercy wants to help.
How parents and caregivers can help
Put your own oxygen mask on first
After an event like this, you are likely experiencing all sorts of emotions: shock, sadness, anger, frustration, helplessness and more. Give yourself time to process your own reactions, by yourself or with a trusted friend or counselor. By creating space for yourself, you will be better able to help your kids express their feelings without mixing them up with your own.
Ask questions before giving answers
Just as you have an initial reaction when you learn about something horrible happening, kids will have their own reactions, too. This is especially true for kids who were at the parade or watching the live coverage. They may share some of your thoughts and feelings, or they may have completely different concerns. Before you jump in with information and advice, start by asking what they have heard. Then, ask them if they have any questions. The more listening you do, the better.
Let your child know they are safe
Unexpected, traumatic events can cause a child to worry and be scared. It is common for children to think something bad may happen to them following a scary event. Let them know you are there for them. They will be comforted by extra hugs and extra time spent together. Let them know that you and safety officials are working to keep them safe and secure. Older kids may express distress that shootings keep happening, and it’s reasonable to acknowledge they have reason to be frustrated. If appropriate, make a safety plan together as a family.
NFL rookie grades, AFC West: Rashee Rice stars for Chiefs; Raiders’ crop shows potential | NFL.com
Total picks: 7 · 2023 record: 11-6
Round 1
(No. 31) Felix Anudike-Uzomah, DL | 17 games/0 starts
Round 2
(55) Rashee Rice, WR | 16 games/8 starts
Round 3
(92) Wanya Morris, OL | 14 games/4 starts
Round 4
(119) Chamarri Conner, S | 17 games/7 starts
Round 5
(166) BJ Thompson, DL | 1 game/0 starts
Round 6
(194) Keondre Coburn, DL | 1 game/0 starts (4 games w/ TEN)
Round 7
(250) Nic Jones, CB | 9 games/0 starts
Notable Free Agent Signees
Cam Jones, LB | 17 games/1 start
The Chiefs hoped Anudike-Uzomah would offer a boost in pass-rush situations this season, giving him significant snaps off the bench early in the year. He was used sparingly in the second half of the year, though, until the regular-season finale (when the team rested its starters), and he was inactive in the postseason until recording a tackle for loss on one of his seven snaps in Super Bowl LVIII.
Rice became the team’s No. 2 option in the passing game as a rookie, paying off general manager Brett Veach’s move to select the former SMU star in the second round. He really turned on the juice in the final two months of the season, finishing with seven touchdowns during the regular season to beat out star tight end Travis Kelce for the team lead. The Chiefs picked Morris to provide depth at tackle, which they needed when Donovan Smith went out due to injury. Morris struggled in pass protection at times, as most rookies do, but he kept things rolling for the Chiefs before suffering a concussion in Week 18. He’ll get a chance to show in 2024 whether he’s a future starter or swing tackle.
2024 NFL offseason: Free agency, draft questions for all 32 teams | ESPN
Can the Chiefs keep their defense together?
Kansas City ranked second in scoring defense this season but could be losing several key players. Defensive tackle Chris Jones, end Mike Danna, linebackers Willie Gay and Drue Tranquill and cornerback L’Jarius Sneed are free agents, and the Chiefs won’t be able to retain them all. They wouldn’t give Jones the contract extension he sought last year when he was holding out, so there’s no reason to believe they would do it in March, meaning Jones — who will turn 30 in July — could be moving on. — Adam Teicher
Chiefs’ CB L’Jarius Sneed has one message for GM Brett Veach: ‘Pay me’ | Yahoo! Sports
… The 27-year-old just finished playing on the final year of his rookie contract, and he said it’s time for Kansas City to show him the money.
“Pay me,” Sneed said as he laughed. “Pay me, pay me. That’s what I’ve got to say — pay me.”
Kansas City Chiefs cornerback L’Jarius Sneed is looking for a major payday after another strong season and winning his second Super Bowl with the Chiefs. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
For Veach’s part, he’s already one step ahead and addressed both Sneed’s contract, as well as defensive tackle Chris Jones’ deal expiring. One step Veach has already taken to reconstruct the championship roster was signing defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo to an extension on Wednesday.
Sneed and Jones are the top priorities for Veach now that the team is in the offseason, he said during Super Bowl media days. Both players were instrumental to Kansas City’s back-to-back titles, and Veach has been open acknowledging their importance to the Chiefs.
NFL Network floated the idea that Kansas City could elect to use the franchise tag on Sneed to allow it more time to figure out a long-term deal. The anticipated figure for that is around $18.8 million for the one year.
What are the biggest offseason needs for all 32 NFL teams? O-line, QB, edge rushers top list | The Athletic
Kansas City Chiefs
Biggest offseason need: Reliable receivers
We all know this one. The Chiefs need more viable, reliable receivers, especially a veteran or two to help the team’s offense reclaim its juggernaut status. Last season proved the Chiefs have the coaching staff (Andy Reid), quarterback (Patrick Mahomes) and two strong pass catchers (tight end Travis Kelce and receiver Rashee Rice) to help maintain their status as the league’s champions. But the continual arms race in the AFC is only going to intensify this offseason. The Chiefs need to counter by acquiring better receivers for Mahomes. — Nate Taylor
6 NFL Teams Brandon Aiyuk Would Explode with If 49ers Trade WR in Offseason | Bleacher Report
Kansas City Chiefs
OK, so it’s hard to envision the 49ers sending Aiyuk to the team that beat them in their last two Super Bowl appearances. However, business is business, and if the Kansas City Chiefs made the right offer, San Francisco may be willing to play ball.
Though the Chiefs and 49ers are scheduled to play in 2024, San Francisco wouldn’t have to worry about seeing Aiyuk in the playoffs unless it meets Kansas City in the Super Bowl for a third time in six seasons.
Kansas City could certainly use a receiver of Aiyuk’s caliber. While Rashee Rice flashed as a rookie, the Chiefs still lack a proven No. 1 wideout. Tight end Travis Kelce has filled that role in the two years since Tyreek Hill was traded, but Kelce will also turn 35 in October…
The Chiefs are eager for a three-peat, and Aiyuk is much more of a “sure thing” than they’re likely to land with the final pick in the first round.
Potential Trade Package: 2024 first-round pick (32nd overall), 2024 second-round pick (64th overall)
Around the NFL
The meticulous mind of Shane Steichen: How his obsessive approach helped revive the Colts | The Athletic
When Steichen was hired almost exactly one year ago, he didn’t like what he saw (literally), so he changed it. The bare walls of his office were filled with photos of Colts legends, the team’s two outdoor practice fields repainted to include one of his four pillars — character, preparation, consistency and relentlessness — written in each end zone.
If the Colts wanted to be great, they needed to be reminded of their standard.
“It can’t live on a wall,” Steichen said early in the season. “So, when we’re watching practice, guys are seeing that everywhere. It’s up in the meeting rooms, it’s on the field.”
Defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo got a preview of Steichen’s standards in one of his first team meetings in training camp.
“I knew that motherf—er was serious when he was sitting in the training room,” Odeyingbo said. “He was like, ‘If the training room opens at 7 a.m., that means breakfast starts at 6:30. So, you need to get up and get breakfast before the training opens, not when it opens.’”
“I forgot to weigh out of practice three times,” wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. said, laughing and shaking his head. “I’m never late for practice or anything like that, but even something as small as that, he wasn’t messing around.
“They fined me the first time, and I was like, ‘Damn.’ Then they fined me the second and third times, and was like, ‘Damn! Damn!’ That’s when I knew he was all business.”
That level of consistency from Day 1 made it easier for players to believe in Steichen throughout a tumultuous, remarkable season — despite his controversial play call that ended it.
Mike Vrabel
If Vrabel still has that itch to coach in a different capacity, could the opportunity to win a championship attract him to San Francisco? There is risk associated with taking the job — Vrabel would be a premier head coaching candidate if he sat out, whereas regression from the 49ers’ defense might reflect poorly on him — but the 49ers’ defense is so deep that the risk isn’t too significant.
One factor worth considering from the 49ers’ standpoint, however, is that Vrabel has one season of experience as a pure defensive coordinator, and the Texans’ defense clearly regressed in that lone season. Houston finished 32nd in points, allowing more than 27 per game.
Vrabel’s leadership ability helped land him the job in Tennessee, and he did have a large role in the Titans’ defensive success over the past six years, but Shanahan’s priority might be finding someone who can nail down the finer details on the defensive side of the ball rather than a coach whose best quality is leadership.
In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride
The latest on the Super Bowl Champions Parade shooting
As of Wednesday evening, one person — local DJ Lisa Lopez-Galvan — was confirmed dead. 22 other people were wounded, and that number includes 11 children.
The Chiefs and the NFL released statements, and Chiefs players, such as Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, took to their official X accounts to react and share thoughts on the incident. Other teams around the league, including the team’s AFC West rivals (Broncos, Chargers and Raiders) sent out messages of support.
Kansas City confirmed that all Chiefs players, coaches and staff members were uninjured during the incident. On Thursday morning press conference, Mayor Quinton Lucas and Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves shared what we know right now:
It’s January 14th, 2012. We’re at Candlestick Park in San Francisco. With 14 seconds to play, down three, and facing a third down, the 49ers need a score to keep their playoff hopes alive – without needing to roll the dice in overtime. The Saints meanwhile can end this here with a takeaway and head to the NFC Championship Game themselves. To understand how we got here and to appreciate everything this moment represents, we need to rewind.
There was no connection to “terrorism” or “homegrown violent extremism.” The incident now appears to have been a dispute between several people that ended in gunfire.
The 22 victims range between 8 and 47 years old.
At least half of the victims are under the age of 16.
Subjects have been detained, including two juveniles.
The police have recovered several firearms.
There was only one location tied to the shooting.
Kansas City police are still investigating the incident and continue to look for tips on what happened at the parade. Those with information are being asked to call 816-413-3477.
We need to hear from anyone in the vicinity of the parade shooting today that directly witnessed the shooting incident, has any video of the shooting incident or who was a victim of the shooting who has not yet reported being shot to please call this dedicated line 816-413-3477
— kcpolice (@kcpolice) February 15, 2024
The FBI Kansas City branch is inviting tips to this webpage. Both the FBI and KCPD are requesting any videos from the shooting and any video of the shooters attempting to flee the scene. Jackson County prosecutor Jean Peters Baker shared that she would “use every tool at my disposal under Missouri law that allows me to address this tragedy.”
For those seeking support, Lucas also supplied two phone numbers: The Youth Violence Prevention Support Line (816-799-1720) and the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (988).
Social media to make you think
We are so moved by the outpouring of support to help yesterday’s victims, their families & our team members. If you wish to send an inspirational message, make a donation to our emergency fund or donate goods, please call 1 (833) 524-4837 or donate at https://t.co/4WhwW9ucoD. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/P7DWrrVfOc
— Children’s Mercy (@ChildrensMercy) February 15, 2024