One secret to the Kansas City Chiefs' recent success

By Nomin Ujiyediin,

Published January 13, 2023 at 4:01 AM CST

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At only 5-foot-9, Kansas City Chiefs running back Jerick McKinnon is considered undersized for the NFL. But the football veteran has helped propel the team through this year’s grueling, 17-game season. Plus: Meet the "Decaf Boys" who have eaten breakfast together at a Lee's Summit diner every day for more than a decade.

Quarterback Patrick Mahomes has been huge in his five years as the Kansas City Chiefs’ starter, but going into this year’s NFL playoffs there’s a less-heralded player to watch. Greg Echlin reports for KCUR about the big impact Jerick McKinnon is making on the team.

A gaggle of retirees, military vets and ex-bikers gather at the Neighborhood Café in Lee’s Summit every morning. The men often skip the cinnamon rolls and say they mostly come for the camaraderie — plus the never-ending supply of decaffeinated coffee. Reporter Carlos Moreno introduces us to the "Decaf Boys," as part of KCUR's occasional series about Kansas City’s neighborhood joints and the customers who bring them to life.

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Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Byron Love and KCUR Studios and edited by Gabe Rosenberg and Lisa Rodriguez.

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