KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Former Chiefs linebacker Tamba Hali will serve as the drum honoree during festivities before Sunday's Divisional Round playoff game against the Houston Texans.
The five-time Pro Bowl linebacker will appear on the team's drum deck before the game. Select Chiefs Hall of Fame members recently named to the NFL 100 all-time team will also appear on the drum deck throughout the game. Kansas City native and actor/comedian Eric Stonestreet will be the team's Tony DiPardo Spirit Leader.
Jordan Smith, the winner of season nine of “The Voice,” will perform the national anthem. A flyover, weather permitting, will feature four F/A-18 Hornets from Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach, Va.
The game against the Texans kicks off at 2:05 p.m. The parking lots at Arrowhead Stadium open at 9 a.m. Sunday. Stadium gates will open at 11:30 a.m.
A winter storm is expected to move through the Kansas City area on Friday and Saturday, with the National Weather Service forecasting rain, freezing rain and sleet followed by 4 to 8 inches of snow. Sunday's forecast calls for mostly sunny skies with a high of 36, but heavy snow on Sunday may make travel in and around the stadium difficult.
Chiefs captains for Sunday's game are quarterback Patrick Mahomes an tight end Travis Kelce on offense; safety Tyrann Mathieu and linebacker Anthony Hitchens on defense; and punter Dustin Colquitt and kicker Harrison Butker on special teams.
Other game day highlights include:
- The first 50,000 fans to enter the stadium will receive a commemorative 60th season Chiefs Kingdom flag.
- Recognition of the YMCA Chiefs Wildhawks and coach Marty Tuley, who recently qualified for the NFL FLAG National Tournament in Orlando, Florida.
- Lamar Hunt Legacy Seat honoree Tom Kruse, head football coach for Raymore-Peculiar High School, who is retiring this year after 20 years with the school district. His teams won three state championships and a second-place finish along with nine district titles.
- The Kansas City, Kansas Fire Department will present the flags before the game, while 150 Chiefs season ticket members and Red Coaters will hold the full-field American flag.
The Chiefs haven't officially declared the game a sell out – the club doesn't normally make such announcements – but a handful of single tickets were available on the team's web site Thursday night. The club lists verified resale tickets available through Ticketmaster with a starting price of $143.
