Brett Veach talks ‘Hard Knocks,’ Mahomes’ magic, and the retro gaming in the locker room

Remember when HBO’s “Hard Knocks” was just a quirky behind-the-scenes peek at a single team? Those days are long gone. Now, it’s an all-encompassing football extravaganza. This year, fans were treated to the New York Giants’ offseason drama, and come next month, the Chicago Bears will take the spotlight during their training camp. And if that’s not enough, once the regular season kicks off, all four AFC North teams will share the screen.

But here’s a twist: the Kansas City Chiefs haven’t graced the “Hard Knocks” stage since 2007. That was back when Damon Huard and Brodie Croyle were calling the shots under center, and Larry Johnson and Priest Holmes were the workhorses in the backfield. It’s been a minute, to say the least.

So, what’s the holdup? Why aren’t we seeing Patrick Mahomes’ dazzling no-look passes or Travis Kelce’s touchdown dances? Well, it’s not exactly off the table. Chiefs’ general manager Brett Veach had a thing or two to say about it on the GM Shuffle podcast.

When asked if he’d be game for the Chiefs to return to the HBO hit, Veach didn’t shy away. But he didn’t just talk X’s and O’s. No, he took us on a nostalgic trip down memory lane to an old favorite – the Tecmo Bowl video game.
Inside the Kansas City Chiefs’ off-season rituals

Veach revealed, “I do what they tell me. I mean, if they want to do that, I think it would be cool. We have some kick-ass Tecmo Bowl. Every year, I bring the old Nintendo, and we fire up Tecmo Bowl. So once we get done with meetings, we play a few rounds every night. I’m sure that’d be good footage to have.”

Apparently, the Chiefs’ war room isn’t just about playbooks and player stats. It’s also about retro gaming championships. Veach even boasted, “I did win the championship last year. So that’s a little brag on my Tecmo Bowl skills but yeah, I’d be all for it. It would be a lot of fun.”

Just picture it: Andy Reid calling plays one minute, then dominating in Tecmo Bowl the next. It’s the kind of content that turns a football documentary into a cult classic. Veach’s enthusiasm might just be the spark that brings the Chiefs back to “Hard Knocks.”

So, as we gear up for another NFL season, let’s keep our fingers crossed that the Chiefs’ locker room becomes the next stage for HBO’s cameras. After all, who wouldn’t want to see Mahomes in action – both on the field and in an 8-bit world?