Kyle Larson got an up-close look at the Kansas City Chiefs this week before taking on Kansas Speedway. He walked away from the visit with a new appreciation for NFL players and teams.
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As he learned during the once-in-a-lifetime experience, it's a ton of work to become a team capable of contending for the Lombardi Trophy every single season.
"I just look at big buff football players, and I'm like, 'Oh, they just probably have a couple meetings during the week, a couple practices, and just lift and get big and strong,'" Larson told media members at Kansas Speedway.
"But it sounds like their weeks are really long. There's a lot of prep work; sounds like a lot of meetings. I would say by game day, they're extremely prepared, so that was really neat to see, and just how much effort goes into prepping for a single game.
"Like I said, that was just eye-opening and really cool to see. It's neat to see the culture and leadership that goes on there, and it makes sense why they're so successful."
Just a couple all-time greats chopping it up, nbd. pic.twitter.com/qbMXrZA9Tr
— Sunday Night Football on NBC (@SNFonNBC) September 27, 2025
This particular visit with the Kansas City Chiefs featured Larson meeting quarterback Patrick Mahomes and tight end Travis Kelce. He brought along crew chiefs Cliff Daniels and Rudy Fugle, the latter of whom is a "big Chiefs fan."
This group didn't simply rub elbows with NFL elite; they sat in the quarterback room ahead of practice and saw some of the work required by the group of AFC West players. Larson also took part in a "jersey swap." He left with Mahomes' No. 15 jersey while Mahomes left with a blue HendrickCars.com firesuit.
"I think they're such a big deal, right, like Mahomes, Kelce and even Brett Veach, that a lot of people, whether you cheer for that team or not, they have a lot of respect for those athletes," Larson added while discussing the response to this visit.
"So yeah, I think everybody was pretty surprised and thought it was cool I got to hang out there."
What led to this meeting with the Chiefs and a facility visit earlier in the season? The answer is simple — Chiefs General Manager Brett Veach is a big NASCAR fan.
Thanks to the @Chiefs and Brett Veach for the hospitality! #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/xOwpmgdm5x
— Kyle Larson (@KyleLarsonRacin) May 9, 2025
"I'm a Hendrick Motorsports guy," Veach told Chat Sports reporter Tyler Jones ahead of Super Bowl 59. "Had a chance to play in Charlotte (in 2024), got to meet Rick (Hendrick) and Jeff Gordon and see the shop. That was amazing.
"Those guys, first class, and you can see why they've been successful because that's a group of people that do things the right way. I'll be rooting for the Hendrick Motorsports team, and I'm a big Kyle Larson fan, so I'm always excited to see Kyle run."
Veach has had numerous opportunities to see Larson perform in big moments, and he has seen the veteran deliver in the biggest moments. Now that Larson has gotten a look at the Chiefs' biggest stars, he has his own appreciation for what it takes to succeed every year in one of the world's biggest sports.
