It shouldn't surprise anyone that a politician said something asinine the other day. It's the nature of the role to expel ridiculous amounts of hot air all day every day, so something stupid is bound to slip out at one point or another—no matter a politician's affiliation.
For Dallas mayor Eric Johnson, one such moment came earlier this week.
In case you missed the buzz. Jackson County voters decided to vote "no" against Question 1 earlier this week, a proposal that would provide public funds for a new stadium for the Kansas City Royals and renovations for the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium via a 3/8 cent sales tax.
There are solid arguments to be made (and heard) on both sides, but the no vote complicated the future for each team in their current environs. Enter Mayor Johnson, who decided to prod the worries of Chiefs fans and speak out of turn about something he knows nothing about.
“Dallas was named the top sports city in the United States because we play to win. As I have said previously, our market is big enough, growing enough, and loves football more than enough to support a second NFL team — especially a franchise (and an owner) with deep roots here," said Johnson via the Dallas Morning News.
Johnson also posted the following on Twitter.
Welcome home, Dallas Texans! 🤗 #CottonBowl https://t.co/VFvBqhBHbe
— Mayor Eric L. Johnson (@Johnson4Dallas) April 3, 2024
Yes, the Chiefs actually began in Dallas as the Texans and the Hunt family have strong ties to the area. But anyone who is worried about these things actually happening needs to take a deep breath and realize when you're being trolled.
First, the lease for the Chiefs at Arrowhead doesn't lapse until 2031, which means there's plenty of time for both sides to come back together with a stronger and clearer proposal in hand—maybe one that doesn't marry itself to the Royals' fortunes.
Secondly, the Chiefs have so much goodwill in the area that they'd never want to give that up. Leaders from multiple generations of the Chiefs roster have settled into the area, and any move by the team would not only devastate the strong civic pride and sense of community.
Third, the current regime of the Chiefs are as enmeshed locally as ever. Who wants to be the one to explain to Patrick Mahomes and his family, who now have a number of local investments, that the team is leaving for a new city to the highest bidder?
Even further, Dallas already has a team intent on remaining the only option for the locals. Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys, has made his stance clear on the issue.
“Well, I like the mayor,” Jones said to The Dallas Morning News back in 2022. “I like him personally, but he doesn’t have the depth. He doesn’t have the knowledge that others have regarding how unique Dallas is and how we enjoy the interest in the Cowboys. He wouldn’t want to water that down as it relates to Dallas if he knew as much, and has spent as much time in sports as I have."
For anyone worried about such a move to Dallas, don't be. There's plenty of time ahead and too much history behind to allow the Chiefs to leave the region behind a la the St. Louis Rams.