On Thursday, September 9^th the 2023-24 NFL season kicked off with the Detroit Lions Vs. Kansas City Chiefs. A stadium full of Chiefs’ fans along with Lions all sitting in suspense as they wait for kickoff. From award ceremonies to one of the greatest games ever played in the NFL this kickoff game had it all. Now being there and watching the game was probably the best thing, being surrounded by Chiefs’ fans not so much. While talking with a Chief fan that was sitting next to me, he said this is the most amount of visitor fans he has seen in 12 years.

Before the game started the Super Bowl champs, the Kansas City Chiefs, had their award ceremony for their win against the Philadelphia Eagles back in February to end the 2022-23 season. Tons of fireworks and dropping curtains to reveal banners, the award ceremony had it all. They brought out three giant-sized replicas of the Super Bowl trophy to symbolize their three super bowl wins they have as a franchise.

Now it’s time to introduce the teams, the Kansas City Chiefs run out of the tunnel with fireworks and smoke blowing everywhere along with a stadium full of cheers. The Detroit Lions run out of the tunnel and that cheer quickly turns into boos. Hours before the game started we learned that the Chiefs would be without two of their star players, Travis Kelce their star tight end and Chris Jones their star defensive tackle. Lion’s fans ecstatic to hear this news they are just waiting for kickoff.

After all of that the two teams meet in the middle for the coin toss and Chiefs win so Lions get the ball first. Both teams go back and forth with the ball till the Lions get it back and make a scoring drive, Jared Goff throws a short pass to the right for Amon-Ra St. Brown 9-yard touchdown. With the score now being 7-0 in favor of the Detroit Lions the first quarter ends. Start of second quarter the ball goes back and forth between both teams until the Kansas City Chiefs tie up the score with a short pass to the left from Patrick Mahomes to Rashee Rice. With the score now 7-7 the ball goes back to the Lions and they lose it, ball now in the Kansas City Chiefs hands they run it down field again and get another touchdown now making the score 14-7 in favor of the Chiefs and that ends the second quarter.

Coming back from half time the Chiefs got the ball first and they lose it at their 42 yard line to Brian Branch, a rookie in his first year intercepts Patrick Mahomes for a pick six to tie the score back up at 14-14. Kansas City gets the ball back now going down field and the Lions hold them to a field goal to make the score 17-14 once again in favor of the Chiefs, that ends the third quarter. Starting fourth quarter the Kansas City chiefs now make the score 20-14, Lions fans now worried that they will start the season off once again with a losing record. No worries though as the Detroit Lions get a touch down from David Montgomery running it up the middle to make the score 21-20. Kansas City fans now worried as Lions chants now fill the stands, all Kansas City has to do is get the ball down field for a touchdown and they would have had the game, but it didn’t go as planned. Patrick Mahomes with perfect throws to his receivers none of them are able to catch the balls coming for them, with drop after drop and penalty after penalty the Kansas City Chiefs are now fourth and 25.

With one throw being all they have left to keep them in the game they drop it again, Lions now having the ball all they have to do is run down their time outs and wait for the game clock to go all the way down. The Detroit Lions manage to get it off and beat the Kansas City Chiefs in a close game with the final score being 21-20 Lions. As Lions fans now completely fill the stans the game is over and the Lions finally start a season off with a winning record. Leaving the stadium was fun because all you could hear was Lions chants and all you could see was Honolulu blue and silver. Definitely a once in a lifetime experience, especially since the stadium is as loud as they say it is.

All in text images by Aiden Knoll, Featured photo from snfonnbc on Instagram