Kingdom Quarterback

Patrick Mahomes, the Kansas City Chiefs, and How a Once Swingin' Cow Town Chased the Ultimate Comeback by Mark Dent and Rustin Dodd

Author

Scott Johnson
February 04, 2025

❝

Sure, you could grab a drink during Prohibition in plenty of cities, but Kansas City stood out for its blatant disregard of federal law. Most of the bars weren’t even speakeasies.

EDITOR’S NOTE
Super Bowl Week

Growing up in a small town near Kansas City in the ‘90s, I never would have believed that my Chiefs would someday be playing for their third Super Bowl win in a row! As you can imagine, I’m pumped for Sunday’s game.

If you’re a history and football fan (like me), you might also enjoy the book, Kingdom Quarterback which tells the story of my hometown—once referred to as the “Paris of the Plains”—and our beloved football team.

P.S. We’re planning an event in KC at the end of February, and I’d love to meet any members of the Slightly Smarter community in the area. Reply to this email with “KC” and I’ll share the details with you in the days ahead.

We’re also hoping to organize more meet-ups in other cities soon. Let us know where we should go next!

— Scott

In Kingdom Quarterback, Mark Dent & Rustin Dodd—Kansas City area natives, college friends, and award-winning writers—show that the Chiefs’ rise to dominance isn’t just about Patrick Mahomes throwing impossible passes. They also explore the deeper story—how Kansas City’s history, struggles, and civic transformation set the stage for one of the NFL’s greatest dynasties.

It’s a mix of football, urban evolution, and the kind of behind-the-scenes storytelling that makes you see both the game and the city in a whole new way.

SMARTEST TAKEAWAYS
Kansas City and Football

🔥 A dynasty is more than a great quarterback. Mahomes is a generational talent, but the Chiefs' success is also rooted in decades of front-office strategy, city investment, and community support.

🏙️ Cities and teams rise (or fall) together. Kansas City has been fighting for national relevance for years. The Chiefs’ success parallels a broader urban revitalization effort that reshaped its economy and identity.

💡 Winning requires vision—and risk. From drafting Mahomes to revitalizing downtown, KC’s leadership bet big on the future. Those risks paid off, transforming both the team and the city.

INSIGHTFUL EXAMPLE
History of the Chiefs and KC

On January 11, 1970, the Chiefs won Super Bowl IV in New Orleans. But in the decades that followed, the team struggled with mediocrity, mirroring the challenges of Kansas City itself—economic downturns, population decline, and fading national relevance.

Fast forward to the 2010s: with strategic investments in both the team and the city, fortunes changed. The arrival of Mahomes in 2017 symbolized a new era for the Chiefs, just as Kansas City's downtown revival signaled a broader transformation.

A new airport, entertainment districts, and business growth mirrored the team's resurgence, proving that winning—on the field and off—requires vision, investment, and perseverance.

BOOK FACTS
Kingdom Quarterback

  • Published: August 22, 2023

  • Print length: 400 pages

  • Listening length: 10:24

  • Ratings: 4.6 Amazon, 4.2 Goodreads

KANSAS PUBLIC RADIO
Kingdom Quarterback

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