KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Football fans are known for their loyalty to a team and the sport.
For more than 50 years, it's brought together a local group of men who gather each Monday, during football season and continue their time together while waiting for another season to begin.
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"We are the Monday Nighters," John Martin said. "It's a group of educated men."
The are six accomplished men who have retired from a variety of professions.
"It was just natural to be together like that," Ed West, another Monday Nighter, said.
The Monday Nighters talk about everything, from politics to neighborhood happenings and the latest news.
They started out with in-person gatherings, but after the COVID-19 pandemic, they continued their weekly gatherings via Zoom.
The group has missed only one meeting.
Of course, what they couldn't wait to talk about this Monday night was the Chiefs winning another trip to the Super Bowl.
"I expect it to be low scoring and a real challenge for both teams having time to get ready for each other," Martin said.
They've remained Chiefs fans even when the team's play brought more lows than highs.
"We had some good games and a whole lot of bad ones," West said. "A lot of crying, a lot of drinking."
Their friendship stays strong because of one rule.
"No matter how much you fuss and argue during a game or meeting, we all leave friends," Martin said.
Football is a terrific pastime for the men but they can count on each other for life.
"That's it," West said. "You got people you can lean on," West said.
