KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Kansas City Chiefs sit alone at the top of the NFL as the only unbeaten team in the league. However, Sunday’s win over Houston was extra special for the team’s equipment manager, Allen Wright. Sunday was Wright’s 500th game as a member of the Chiefs organization.
That’s right, 500! After the game, coach Andy Reid called out the man who has spent 30 years with the Chiefs in the Locker room. Reid joked that Wright started with the Chiefs when he was two years old.
“It was a complete shock, to be honest with you. I’m an equipment manager, I know where I fit in this organization, for someone like him to take the time to acknowledge that, it meant the world, it really did,” said Wright.
Think about that for a second. 30 years, 500 games, with one team. Wright started as hired help for training camp in 1983, not long after, he was a part of the Chiefs’ family full-time.
“I’ve been so fortunate, I enjoy my job. We work seven days a week, eight months a year, I don’t feel like I’ve worked a day in my life. I get up every day, I’m excited about coming to work,” said Wright.
Seven days a week, Wright makes sure every coach and player has what he needs when they walk in the door.
“Helmets shoulder pads shoes, gloves; today actually I’m putting together winter stuff. We got a road trip to Buffalo coming up in two weeks. So I’m putting cold weather gear together for players and coaches for Buffalo,” said Wright.
He said he really didn’t think about much during the week, but then during the game it hit him…and he said he was oddly nervous.
“I did give it some thought on game day, Coach Reid was kind of badgering me about it, giving me a hard time, and how old I am,” said Wright. “I did reflect about it during the game and certainly I was a little nervous. I don’t know why, I’ve been on that sideline my whole life and I think it was important.”
Wright added he has gotten calls from several former players and members of the organization about the milestone, but now, it’s time to prepare for Cleveland.
