Chris Russo has had enough of the Kansas City Chiefs.
You might even say the ‘Mad Dog’ is officially “Chief’d out.” But while that sentiment is catching fire in the sports media world, it’s yet to make its way to the desk of one Booger McFarland.
When asked by Dan Patrick on The Dan Patrick Show if he was “Chief’d out,” McFarland’s response might surprise you.
“No, I never get Chief’d out,” McFarland said Friday, “because when you’re a competitor, every year’s different. And to say that I’m Chief’d out would mean I’m not rooting for the best teams. I think that each and every time you go out, you gotta earn it. The Chiefs have earned back-to-back Super Bowls. If they get to a third, they will have earned it.
“Everything is earned in this business, Dan. Nothing is given, man. And so, I’m not Chief’d out because I know how hard it is to go and earn what it is that you need to get to win a Super Bowl. I’ve won two of them. Nothing has ever been given. Everything has got to be earned.”
But does McFarland think the Chiefs get favorable calls?
“Um, I think the home team is always going to get favorable calls,” the ex-Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle explained. “And, the Chiefs are always pretty much been at home, except for one playoff run. So, I do think that they get favorable calls because of the crowd. Think about this — I’m going to put a scenario out there. Let’s say Patrick Mahomes is running down the Chiefs’ sideline, and there’s a questionable hit. Everybody in the stadium, along with everybody, is going to be, ‘Throw the flag. Throw the flag.'”
“And human nature is going to kind of influence the official,” McFarland added. “It takes somebody that’s got a really nice temperament and a really strong demeanor not to listen to 70,000, plus all of the coaches in front of your face doing that. So, I think the home team — especially on the home sideline — always get a favorable flag.”
While much of the sports media world may be “Chief’d out,” McFarland sees it differently.
In a league where nothing is given, he believes the Chiefs’ dominance is earned. And if they get a little home-cooked advantage along the way? Well, that’s just part of the game.
About Sam Neumann
Since the beginning of 2023, Sam has been a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. A 2021 graduate of Temple University, Sam is a Charlotte native, who currently calls Greenville, South Carolina his home. He also has a love/hate relationship with the New York Mets and Jets.