LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — America has become accustomed to seeing Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs play in February. Kansas City is set to appear in the Super Bowl for the third time in the last four years. But Super Bowl LVIII between the Chiefs and 49ers, on Feb. 11 in Las Vegas, will be "a family matter" for the Thomas bunch in the valley.
Derek Thomas, a long-time college and high school basketball coach currently leading the team at Red Rock Academy, is the son to Chiefs great and National Football League Hall of Fame linebacker Emmitt Thomas.
"He and I were talking about it after the [AFC Championship] game," Derek told Channel 13's Nick Walters. "Just remembering in '69 when he played, seeing the Mahomes and Andy Reid eras come in the last couple years."
Three of Derek's four children played college basketball: Bailey at UNLV, Sam at Arizona, and now Shane at Creighton. Adding to their family's connections to The Big Game, his youngest daughter, Jade, has been a communications intern for the Chiefs since graduating from UNLV last summer.
"It's a surreal experience," Jade told Channel 13. "The first full circle was coming back where my grandpa played and coached, and seeing the city where my dad grew up. Then another full circle is going back to Vegas. It's like a free trip to see [family] and it's also a business trip to the Super Bowl."
"It's been 50 years since we've seen a Super Bowl with the Chiefs," Derek said. "So to see it a third time and have it come to Vegas is very special."
Emmitt Thomas only played for the Chiefs in his career, spanning from 1966 to 1978, winning Super Bowl IV and being named to the Hall of Fame in 2008. He coached from 1979 until he retired in 2018 after a nine-year stint as the Chiefs defensive backs coach.
"He was there in Patrick [Mahomes]' rookie year," Thomas said. "He said 'We got a special one. When he's ready to go, we're going to be special.' They would end up winning it in the next couple years."
Super Bowl LVIII will kick off at Allegiant Stadium on Feb. 11 at 3:30 PT. Jade will be working at the game while Derek hopes to attend with his father Emmitt.
Either way, this family with "Chiefs all the way through the veins" will be hoping that their lifelong team can pull off back-to-back Super Bowl victories close to home.
