On National Mascot Day, the NFL is losing one of its greats.
Dan Meers, the original KC Wolf, is retiring after a 35-year career as the Kansas City Chiefs' mascot and "Director of Shenanigans." Meers' 35-year run as KC Wolf made him the league's longest-tenured mascot by more than 12 years, per the team's official website.
Meers joined the Chiefs full-time in 1990 after Kansas City introduced KC Wolf in 1989. He appeared in 307 regular-season and postseason games during his career and 375 overall, including all five Super Bowl appearances during the Patrick Mahomes-Andy Reid era.
"Dan Meers has been the heart and soul behind KC Wolf for 35 years," Chiefs owner Clark Hunt said in a statement on Tuesday. "Since joining the organization in 1990, Dan helped establish KC Wolf not only as a source of energy and enthusiasm on gamedays, but as a symbol of pride and passion for all of Chiefs Kingdom. He ensured that his alter ego brought joy to people young and old, and his deep connection to the Kansas City community has made him a beloved figure to generations of Chiefs fans."
A native of Missouri, Meers began his mascot career in college where he spent four years as Truman the Tiger at the University of Missouri. Meers then worked as the St. Louis Cardinals' Fredbird in Major League Baseball before joining the Chiefs organization.
According to the Chiefs, KC Wolf was inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame in 2006, becoming the first NFL mascot to earn that honor.
"To say I'm a blessed man is an understatement. For the past 35 years I've had my dream job. I've worked for the team I love, in the city I love, with the people I love. After all these years I certainly hope Chiefs Kingdom knows just how much I love and appreciate them. I have memories and stories that will last me a lifetime," Meers said in a statement. "I especially want to thank my family, the Hunt family, the Chiefs organization and the greatest fans in the world for all the love, support, and laughs we've shared over the past 35 years. I'm truly a blessed, blessed man!"
