Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton didn’t speak with the media Wednesday at training camp, but he likely was in a good mood.
Although a summer thunderstorm forced the Chiefs to move most of their practice indoors at Missouri Western, it meant a cooler day of practice. And, perhaps more importantly, it was Zarda Day.
For the 37th consecutive year, the Chiefs players got to feast on Kansas City barbecue, and Bolton has been known to eat with his teammates and then sneak away and get some of the food provided to the media and Chiefs staff.
Just as the Chiefs are working in rookies at camp, there was a new addition to the roster.
“This year we’re doing wings, tossing it in sauce,” said Terry Hyer, the chief operating officer for Zarda. “Last year we did a KC Takeaway sandwich that we were doing with Justin Reid for Big Brothers & Big Sisters. So we have had a blast with it. And at 37 years, I’ve done every one of them since 1988, and I started working there in 1980. So we’ve met a lot of players and coaches.”
The special barbecue meal started at William Jewell College in ‘88 and continued when the Chiefs were at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls in 1991 to 2009. Training camp has been at Missouri Western ever since 2010. The lone exception was the COVID season in 2020.
Here is the haul Zarda brought to training camp.
1,500 wings
80 slabs of ribs
150 pounds of burnt ends
60 pounds of pulled pork
50 pounds of turkey
10 gallons of beans
10 gallons of cheesy potato bake
10 gallons of macaroni and cheese
Two vans and a smoker made the trip from Kansas City through the inclement weather to make sure the Chiefs players were fed.
Hyer said the annual barbecue meal was the idea of Chiefs founder Lamar Hunt, as the players get a taste of Kansas City.
“We’ve met so many great people, and the players, even today, these players have not diminished their thankfulness for when they come in,” Hyer said. “They ask, ‘When’s Zarda Night?’ And they all come through, the coaches and everybody, and say, ‘Thank you for being here.’”
It’s such a big deal that Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce mentioned the special meal on his New Heights podcast a few years back.
“I always look forward to barbecue night,” Kelce said in a 2023 episode.
He added: “You can smell the smoker while you’re at practice in the morning. You just know it’s about to hit you. ... they just throw the barbecue sauce on every table and you just douse that (stuff) with it, and it slaps.”
Hyer recalled a cool moment involving Kelce after mentioning that a buddy had Kelce on his fantasy team. Kelce took Hyer’s phone and recorded a quick video message.
“And he says, ‘Hey, I know I’m your keeper. You’ve got two championships. Let’s go get a third one, brother. Much love.’ And he hands it back,” Hyer said. “And it’s just the kindness and the fun that pours out of some of these players. And Travis is a man of the people, for sure. But every one of them say, ‘Good to see you guys again. Thanks for being here.’”