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Chiefs Plane Lands After Being 'Stranded' for Hours on Tarmac Before Broncos Game

Julia StumbaughJanuary 4, 2025

KANSAS CITY, MO - DECEMBER 08: A view of the Kansas City Chiefs logo before an NFL game between the Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs on December 8, 2024 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Kansas City Chiefs' plane finally landed in Denver for their Week 18 matchup against the Broncos around 9:25 p.m. ET on Saturday night following a length delay due to icy conditions in Missouri.

The team provided a video of Patrick Mahomes and the rest of the players getting off the plane in Denver:

Kansas City Chiefs @Chiefs

Touched down in Denver ❄️ <a href="https://t.co/trPB8L9mLW">pic.twitter.com/trPB8L9mLW</a>

The team's plane was "stranded" at the Kansas City International Airport as of 4:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, according to CBS Sports' Tracy Wolfson. As of 6:21 p.m. ET, the Chiefs were finally able to take off, per Harold R. Kuntz of Fox 4 Kansas City.

The Chiefs and Broncos are scheduled to kick off on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET.

Tracy Wolfson @tracywolfson

Due to the airport being closed, Chiefs plane stranded as of now. They were set to arrive at 3. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Chiefs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Chiefs</a> <a href="https://t.co/YfiQART2wz">https://t.co/YfiQART2wz</a>

The airport announced it had closed flight operations due to "rapid ice accumulation" around 3:50 p.m. ET.

Chiefs Plane Lands After Being 'Stranded' for Hours on Tarmac Before Broncos Game
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The Chiefs were scheduled to leave about five minutes before the airport announced the closure, per Kuntz.

The team attempted to move up that flight time but were unable to leave earlier because the charter plane's arrival was delayed, according to ChiefsDigest.com's Matt Derrick.

Matt Derrick @mattderrick

Can confirm, Chiefs charter still at MCI. The club tried to move the flight up but the charter plane was delayed arriving in KC and had to stick with regularly scheduled departure. <br><br>Hope is a runway gets cleared and takeoff possible soon. <a href="https://t.co/z4WIJAW6op">https://t.co/z4WIJAW6op</a>

The Kansas City International Airport had braced for winter weather this season by scheduling additional crews to work on Saturday, an airport representative told Fox 4 Kansas City's Shannon Rousseau earlier this week.

Kuntz reported that those preparations were impacted when the airport's "de-icing machine" broke on Saturday.

Harold R. Kuntz @HaroldRKuntz3

More problems at KCI: We've received more messages and calls that the De-Icing machine at the airport is currently broken, delaying flights at this moment. Have been Informed of some flights being deverted to Omaha.

A loss would allow the Cincinnati Bengals or Miami Dolphins a chance to snag the final slot in the AFC postseason picture.

The Chiefs have already clinched the No. 1 spot in the AFC, and head coach Andy Reid said earlier this week that the team would be resting starters including quarterback Patrick Mahomes for the contest. Backup Carson Wentz is slated to play under center during the regular-season finale.

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