Caitlin Clark shuts down Chiefs bandwagon allegations

Caitlin Clark claims she has been a Chiefs fan since “before Patrick and Travis.”

Fever Caitlin Clark (middle) in between Chiefs Patrick Mahomes and Chiefs Travis KelceCaitlin Clark wants to set the record straight. As fans continue to mock the Indiana Fever star for seemingly jumping on the Kansas City Chiefs bandwagon, Clark made a point of mapping out the origins of her fandom to Jason and Travis Kelce on the New Heights podcast.

“I had family in Kansas City and I grew up in Des Moines, Iowa, which is only three hours from Kansas City,” Clark said. “[The Chiefs were] just the closest NFL team, so my dad was a big Chiefs fan growing up. People think I’m like a bandwagon Chiefs fan. I’m like, no, I was there before Patrick and Travis. We were ride or dies.”

Clark made her Chiefs fandom known when she joined the ESPN Monday Night Football ‘Manningcast’ in November 2023 when she was still a student at Iowa. She joined the broadcast for a Week 11 game between the Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles and explained her lifelong admiration for the team.

Since then, Clark has continued to support the Chiefs on social media and in person. On Christmas Day 2023, she notably swapped jerseys with star wideout Rashee Rice. Many have since compared her support for the Chiefs to the team’s most famous celebrity fan, Taylor Swift.

Chiefs seek third straight Super Bowl

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) passes against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium.Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Along with every other Chiefs fan, Caitlin Clark is already prepared to watch the team perform in the 2024-2025 NFL playoffs. Kansas City has already clinched the No. 1 seed in the AFC, allowing them to rest most of their key starters in Week 18.

The Chiefs will face the Denver Broncos in Week 18 without Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce, among others. Former Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz will instead get his first start of the year against a Broncos team that needs a win to make the playoffs.

If the Broncos do not beat the shorthanded Chiefs, the final playoff spot will go to either the Miami Dolphins or Cincinnati Bengals. The Dolphins will face the struggling New York Jets, while the Bengals will face the Pittsburgh Steelers. Pittsburgh has already clinched the postseason but is still fighting for seeding with the Los Angeles Chargers.

Once they put a bow on the regular season, Kansas City will not play again until either Jan. 18 or Jan. 19. They will then host the team with the lowest remaining seed, potentially setting up a rematch with either the Broncos, Steelers or Chargers.