ESPN’s ‘The Kingdom’ docuseries perfectly captures the calluses that have turned the Kansas City Chiefs into the team they are today
I watched all six episode of ESPN’s “The Kingdom” docuseries. Here’s what I think about it.
ESPN’s “The Kingdom” documentary series debuts on ESPN with back-to-back episodes on Thursday, Aug. 14 at 9:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. ET, with immediate streaming availability of all six episodes on ESPN+ and Disney+ to follow.
Directed by Kristen Lappas and produced by Words + Pictures in association with Skydance Sports, NFL Films, 2PM Productions, and Foolish Club Studios, the docuseries follows the Kansas City Chiefs’ 2024 NFL season. They were granted unprecedented access, win or lose, as the team sought to make history by becoming the first-ever team to win three consecutive Super Bowl titles. We all know how that story ended, but this docuseries provides a behind-the-scenes glimpse with many never-before-seen moments and untold stories.
The beauty of this documentary is that it isn’t just a six-episode highlight reel of the Chiefs’ improbable run at greatness; it’s a deeper look into the complexities that got them to this point. At its core, it’s very much about how failure fuels success. How the calluses that football creates help build you up, while also tearing you down.
It includes a real how-it-was-made on the Chiefs’ history and their place in the league, coupled with their prolonged drought of playoff success, which helped champion this era of Kansas City football. It seamlessly blends the past with the present, and at times will hit long-time fans with a dose of nostalgia enough to give you goosebumps. But it truly has something for everyone, including a nod to the haters at varying levels, from “Chiefs fatigue” to “Chiefs Derangement Syndrome.”
The first episode sets the table with powerful words from Chiefs star defensive tackle Chris Jones that are later revisited. As the series continues, it takes us through the stories and ethos of many players and coaches, but perhaps no episode is more potent than the Andy Reid-centric episode titled “Don’t Judge.”
The real and raw emotions captured on film, whether in a game setting, spending time with family, or speaking directly to the camera, evoke something special. At times — knowing what’s to come in Super Bowl LIX against the Philadelphia Eagles — it hurts hearing what those players and coaches have to say. But by the end of it all, you understand that even though the team fell short of history, the end of that pursuit is the beginning of a new challenge. And when the Chiefs take the field in Sao Paulo, Brazil, against the Chargers in Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season, they’ll get back after it and continue to push forward.
Kansas City Chiefs News
How to watch the Kansas City Chiefs at the Seattle Seahawks in preseason Week 2: Andy Reid says it’s time for the young players to shine
The Chiefs plan to let the young players run wild in preseason Week 2 vs. the Seahawks. Here’s how to watch it and more.
| Be part of the A to Z Sports community and vote in our latest Kansas City Chiefs poll as the preseason gets underway. |
