Dominate the Super Bowl

"Chieftains! Chieftains! Chieftains!"

The entire stadium erupted in unison with cheers like a torrential downpour in the heat of summer, a mighty crimson tide boiling and burning through the field of vision.

The "mere" sub-80,000 capacity Arrowhead Stadium served as the home of the Kansas City Chiefs, and on August 11th, it welcomed the first home game of the 2017 season, as well as the season's opening match.

Despite it being a preseason game, with no bearing on win-loss records, Arrowhead Stadium was still filled to capacity.

Sure, its capacity might not match the University of Alabama's Bryant Denny Stadium, but without a doubt, it was one of the league's most excellent, most popular, and toughest home fields, once boasting a glorious record of 155 consecutive sold-out home games from 1991 to 2009—

In the 2009 season, the Kansas City Chiefs' last regular-season home game against the Cleveland Browns didn't sell out because the Chiefs were already in a slump with three wins and ten losses, and there was no hope for the playoffs, leading to the first time in nineteen years that tickets were not sold out.

However, as a result, that evening Kansas City experienced its first citywide blackout in twenty years due to everyone turning on their televisions, even causing a game interruption.

Fan enthusiasm was evident.

From this, one could see that Kansas City had the most loyal and passionate fans, which made Arrowhead Stadium one of the league's most feared devil's home fields.

Famous far and wide.

Today was no exception.

The fervent Chieftain fans welcomed the San Francisco 49ers in the most enthusiastic, fiercest, and most ferocious manner, marking the beginning of a brand new season.

The entire stadium was packed without an empty seat.

Actually, there was no need, really no need.

Just like with the NCAA, the NFL preseason games had no real significance and didn't even count as warm-up matches. More accurately, they could be called practice games.

Firstly, to practice tactics and integrate the lineup.

Secondly, to scout players and confirm the roster—

From the spring training camps to the cutoff time for registration before the season's official kickoff, a team's training roster could reach up to a hundred people, but only fifty-three would ultimately join the team for the regular season stage.

For this reason, preseason was the last stage to assess players.

The NFL was even more extreme than the NCAA. In the warm-up match between Alabama and Clemson, the starters played at least half the game, but not in the Professional League. With four preseason games in total, starting players might only play for one, at most two, quarters, spending the rest of the time sitting and watching from the bench.

This meant that preseason games were stages for tactical exercises, often the last chance for those players on the brink of elimination to prove themselves, while the coaching staff verified their new season's tactical combinations.

It was inevitable for preseason games to be a bit chaotic, and possibly not very enjoyable to watch.

Yet, Arrowhead Stadium was an absolute full house.

For the fans, it was a celebration of the new season's kickoff and also a welcome for the new players' joining because rookies and free agents who signed would often make an appearance to adapt to the coaching staff's tactical system, laying a foundation for the new season.

For instance—

"Chieftains! Chieftains! Chieftains!"

Instantaneously, the roar of support in Arrowhead Stadium unbelievably intensified, so much so that a tingling sensation came from the soles of the feet, as if the world itself was trembling along.

The broadcasting studio noticed the reason immediately.

"Li Wei."

"The Top Scholar makes his entrance."

"The most adventurous and controversial selection of the Kansas City Chiefs this season. Regardless, he is the Chiefs' Top Scholar, and right now, the home fans are welcoming Li Wei with real actions, signaling to others that if criticism is necessary, only we are allowed to criticize. As for outsiders, it's best they all shut up."

"One thing is for sure, not only the Chiefs fans, but the entire League is closely watching the Top Scholar's performance. Can he adapt to the intensity of the professional playing field? Was his phenomenal performance last season a one-time occurrence? Can he prove Veach's choice by delivering greater value as a running back?"

"Just like his college days, after joining the Kansas City Chiefs, Li Wei still wears the number 23 jersey, hoping to extend his excellent status from the Crimson Tide Storm. Let's wait and see."

The commentator was right; the attention on Li Wei came not only from the Chiefs fans.

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Li Wei felt a thorn in his side; he could distinctly feel the sharpness on his back and instinctively turned around, following that gaze, and then saw—

Oh, him.

Wait, what's his name again?

Li Wei could recognize him; this was the defensive end who had come up to provoke him at the Rookie Training Camp and was pulled away by McCaffrey in the end.

But this time, it wasn't his fault that he didn't remember the name; the guy had never introduced himself. Li Wei truly didn't know him, which means he wasn't important. Otherwise, like the number one overall pick Garrett, Li Wei would at least remember the label—

Number one.

Stuck on Garrett's forehead; as for this guy in front of him, he probably wasn't important.

Thomas's breath hitched in his chest, nearly biting his teeth to pieces. What was with Li Wei's look?

It was all because of Li Wei, his draft position plummeted from the predicted top three slots down to the third-round abyss!

Now, he had finally found his opportunity. He would prove himself through the game, he would prove everyone wrong by beating Li Wei in a head-to-head confrontation.

Thomas glared fiercely at Li Wei, sticking out two fingers and pointing them back and forth between his own eyes and Li Wei:

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I've got my eyes on you.

Then, his right thumb slowly slid across his throat, the corner of his mouth curling into a bloody smile.

Seeing this, Li Wei shook his head lightly: You're too cliché. Even your threats need a new twist; you're not up to the mark.

Done with it, Li Wei didn't pay attention to Thomas's eyes that were nearly popping out. He looked up at the wave of red, both familiar and foreign, and couldn't help but remember what Old Oak Tavern's owner Anderson had said:

No matter where, no matter whether visible or not, they always stand behind, becoming the team's strongest support.

Well then, let the show begin!

In the Old Oak Stadium, Anderson watched the figure wearing the number 23 jersey with a big smile, confident and composed, displaying a completely different demeanor from his usual private self, putting on the helmet, his whole aura changed, walking briskly toward the Offensive group, the bustling support in the entire stadium exploding at once.

Instinctively, Anderson's heart raced with excitement as well.

Bang! Bang bang bang!

Mahomes had his right hand up early, and as Li Wei approached, they slapped hands in tacit understanding, no words needed, their positions were automatically settled—

Today, starting quarterback Alex Smith had no intention of stepping onto the field, leaving substitute quarterback Mahomes to kick off the new season for the Kansas City Chiefs. And so, the stage for the collaboration of the two first-round rookies was set.

Li Wei stood behind Mahomes, but unlike the traditional shotgun formation, his position was staggered. Even though he stood a little behind Mahomes, this allowed Li Wei a broader view.

This was also the special position that Reed had arranged for Li Wei during the off-season training camp, as he believed Li Wei's ability to read the Defensive group was as crucial as a quarterback's.

With one glance, Li Wei spotted Thomas. The running back and the defensive end stood positioned across the Chu River and Han border, forming a standoff, the air combustible, ready to ignite at a touch.

"Offense!"