Page 16 - aruba-today-20210120

A16 SPORTS
Wednesday 20 January 2021
#HenneThingIsPossible as Chiefs look toward AFC title game

By DAVE SKRETTA uars let him go? What gave
AP Sports Writer him the humility to accept
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — a job as the backup to a
The 35-year-old journey- young hotshot, uncertain
man quarterback that he would ever step on the
made the two plucky plays field again?
in the final minutes of regu- "I think my personality,"
lation that helped get the Henne said. "I'm always a
Kansas City Chiefs into the competitor, throughout the
AFC championship game years, if it went my way or
was fortunate to even be didn't go my way. I just felt
on the team. like I loved the game still. I
Chad Henne had spent loved the locker room and
nearly a decade with Mi- coming here just enlight-
ami and Jacksonville, ened me. Coach Reid and
where his career could his staff and the players
best be described as the here brought a lot out of
essence of mediocrity. He me, and seeing Patrick and
was 18-35 as the starter for his success, he's helped me
two franchises perpetually out more than I feel like I
rebuilding, and upon his helped him out. It's just a
release from the Jaguars in pleasure being here. This is
2017, he found himself in a why I play."
competition with another Henne fractured his ankle in
veteran, Matt Moore, to be the preseason last year and
Patrick Mahomes' backup. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Chad Henne celebrates after a run during the second half of an again could have hung up
NFL divisional round football game against the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021, in Kansas
"It was almost a flip of the City. his cleats, especially when
coin," Chiefs coach Andy Associated Press Moore was signed and
Reid said this week. proved successful when
Henne got the job. And The first came on third- night — fourth-and-1 with "I talk to Chad basically ev- Mahomes had a knee in-
three years later, he had and-14 deep in their own a chance to win the game ery morning, I think. We're jury. But he instead went
the opportunity to reward territory, when Henne got — and they had a call they usually in there pretty ear- through grueling physical
the Chiefs for their faith in his creaky old legs going so liked, so the Super Bowl- ly," Chiefs safety Tyrann Ma- therapy, ultimately return-
him. Mahomes left in the fast that it even surprised winning coach sent his thieu said. "He is a true pro- ing to the team for the
third quarter of their divi- his teammates. He was backup quarterback onto fessional. If you were able postseason.
sional-round game against flushed from the pocket the field. Henne was so to watch this guy every sin- The Chiefs thought so highly
the Browns because of a and scrambled to his left, calm that it appeared he gle day, Monday through of him that they gave him a
concussion, and Henne his eyes trained downfield was trying to pull Cleveland Saturday, he has the same two-year, $3.25 million con-
calmly stepped into the until he had crossed the offside and that Kansas routine. tract last March.
huddle and led them to a line of scrimmage, at which City would otherwise punt, "Any given moment you "You never want to see a
field goal on his first drive to point he tucked the ball but then he called for the need to be prepared to guy like Patrick go down,
push the lead to 22-10 late and took a bit of a shot as snap and snapped a pass play at a high level, and it one of the best players in
in the third quarter. he dived for the first down. to Tyreek Hill in the flat. was good to see him make the league," Henne said.
Those two plucky plays He came up inches short, It went for a first down. The some plays." "That's why I'm here, come
came in the fourth, when leading to the second play. Chiefs ran out the clock. So what kept Henne go- in prepared. There's a lot
the Chiefs were clinging to Reid had gone over the Mahomes got the Chiefs ing all those years, when of great players around
a 22-17 lead and trying to scenario with Mahomes fans everywhere tweeting the Dolphins no longer me that make me feel
run out the clock. and Henne the previous "HenneThingIsPossible." wanted him and the Jag- confident."q

Sarah Thomas to be 1st female to officiate at Super Bowl

NEW YORK (AP) — Sarah the Super Bowl. Congrat- gene Hall, back judge
Thomas will cap her sixth ulations to Sarah on this Dino Paganelli and replay
NFL season by becoming well-deserved honor." official Mike Wimmer. The
the first female to officiate Referee Carl Cheffers will crew has 88 years of NFL
the Super Bowl in NFL his- lead the seven-person experience with 77 com-
tory. crew of on-field game of- bined playoff games.
Thomas, a down judge, is ficials for the Super Bowl on This will be the first Super
part of the officiating crew Feb. 7 at Raymond James Bowl for Coleman as well
announced Tuesday by Stadium in Tampa, Florida. as Thomas and second for
the NFL. Cheffers has been a game Cheffers, Bryan, Baynes,
"Sarah Thomas has made official for 21 seasons in the Hall and Paganelli.
history again as the first NFL and was promoted "Their body of work over
female Super Bowl offi- to referee in 2008. He has the course of a 17-game
cial," said Troy Vincent, Sr., worked 17 playoff games, season has earned them
the NFL's executive vice including the Super Bowl in the honor of officiating
Down judge Sarah Thomas is shown before an NFL football resident of football op- 2017. the biggest game on the
game between the Cleveland Browns and the Washington erations. "Her elite perfor- The crew includes umpire world's biggest stage," Vin-
Football Team in Cleveland, in this Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020, file
photo. mance and commitment Fred Bryan, line judge Rusty cent said.
Associated Press to excellence has earned Baynes, field judge James "They are the best of the
her the right to officiate Coleman, side judge Eu- best."q