Tasked with some tough decisions last offseason, the Kansas City Chiefs prioritized guard Trey Smith and traded away veteran offensive lineman Joe Thuney to the Chicago Bears for a future pick, as they looked to shed salary.
Kansas
Kansas high school football player dies after medical emergency
A Kansas high school football player has died just a few days after suffering a medical emergency, according to multiple reports.
KMBC reported that a football player from Shawnee Mission Northwest High School had an unspecified medical emergency after an off-season conditioning session on Wednesday and then died on Friday.
According to an email sent out to the student body and families on Friday, the deceased football player was revealed to be sophomore Ovet Gomez Regalado.
KSHB reported he was 15 years old.
“Death is always difficult to handle, but particularly so when someone so young dies,” wrote school principal Dr. Lisa Gruman, per KMBC. “It will be important to recognize that all of us will need time to process what has happened, and to express our feelings. Your child may struggle to make sense of this death. Please encourage your child to express their feelings, and be there to talk with them about what has happened.”
Additionally, a statement was released by the Shawnee Mission Northwest Football Booster Club in the wake of Gomez Regalado’s passing.
“Our football family has suffered the tragic loss of one our own,” the statement read. “We were informed this morning of the passing of Ovet Gomez Regalado. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family, teammates, and coaches. We know many of you will want to find a way to support the family and honor his memory. We will work with the school district to support their efforts and share with you any opportunities that arise.”
This news comes just days after a 14-year-old Alabama football player passed away suddenly after collapsing in a practice.
According to KMBC, Shawnee Mission Northwest football had been scheduled to begin practice on Monday in anticipation of their 2024 season.
Kansas
The pick from the Joe Thuney trade has already been spent
Thuney was looking for an extension, and the Chiefs had quite a few that they’d recently handed out or were looking to, leading to a departure after two straight first-team All-Pro seasons.
With the 2026 NFL Draft upon us, let’s revisit the Thuney trade and what the Chiefs got in return.
Original terms of the Joe Thuney trade
- Kansas City Chiefs receive: 2026 fourth-round pick (No. 125)
- Chicago Bears receive: LG Joe Thuney
What did the Chiefs do with the pick from the Joe Thuney trade?
Kansas City ultimately used the fourth-round pick it acquired to trade up with the New England Patriots from No. 95 to No. 85 in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, taking cornerback Nohl Williams at the spot.
The Patriots now have the No. 125 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
How did the Chiefs fare in the Joe Thuney trade?
The loss of Thuney came after some questionable moves from the Chiefs, which included paying Jawaan Taylor and Jaylon Moore significant money at tackle to fix their problems there.
So far, neither has panned out, with Taylor heading elsewhere this offseason. The Chiefs were already in a tough position financially after recent extensions for Chris Jones, George Karlaftis, Creed Humphrey, Trey Smith, Nick Bolton, and others, and had to make a decision.
They ultimately picked the younger Smith over Thuney, who fetched only a fourth-round pick on the open market. But, the reality is, Kansas City gave up quite a productive and durable player, and now it is still figuring out its offensive line.
Was the trade a poor move on its own? Maybe not with the financial situation Kansas City was in. But then again, they’re the ones who put themselves in that situation, costing them a quality player who had another strong season in 2025.
How did Joe Thuney play in 2025 for the Chicago Bears?
Thuney was huge for the Bears last season, earning first-team All-Pro honors for the third-straight year, while making his fourth-straight Pro Bowl appearance.
He remained durable for the entire year, playing 17 games for the third straight year. That’s been a key part of his entire career, be it in New England, with Kansas City, or in Chicago.
With a strong interior offensive line, the Bears saw their run game take key steps, while their offense as a whole matured into one of the better groups in the NFL.
He’s set to be on the second year of a two-year, $35 million extension that he signed with Chicago after the trade happened last offseason.
Kansas
Deadly crash, fallen road sign closes SB I-35 at Antioch in Overland Park
KANSAS CITY, MO. — One person died in a traffic crash Thursday night on southbound Interstate 35 at Antioch Road in Johnson County.
The wreck forced the closure of exit ramps at Lamar Avenue, Interstate 635 and Metcalf Avenue, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.
Overland Park police investigators are working to determine what caused the wreck.
The Kansas Highway Patrol and other agencies also are on the scene.
An overhead road sign could be seen on the interstate.
Ryan Gamboa/KSHB 41
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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If you have any information about a crime, you may contact your local police department directly. But if you want or need to remain anonymous, you should contact the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers Tips Hotline by calling 816-474-TIPS (8477), submitting the tip online or through the free mobile app at P3Tips.com. Depending on your tip, Crime Stoppers could offer you a cash reward.
Annual homicide details and data for the Kansas City area are available through the KSHB 41 News Homicide Tracker, which was launched in 2015. Read the KSHB 41 News Mug Shot Policy.
Kansas
New downtown stadium will mean less parking for Royals fans
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — From 25,000 parking spots to 19,000 within a 10-minute walk to the stadium, that’s how many Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas says will be available near the new Royals ballpark in Crown Center, with 9,000 of those spots on the actual campus.
While there will be less parking, Royals fan Roger Nickell says he believes this move is good for Kansas City.
“I think anything that makes Kansas City an exciting place to come to, and a good destination, the parking itself is not going to be the issue,” Nickell said “We’d rather have good things in our city, and if you go to other cities, Kansas City is actually really, really easy right now.”
While it might not be ideal for some, downtown stadiums and parking is the normal for a number of teams and cities throughout Major League Baseball. Upwards of 20 teams have a stadium in the downtown area, including the Twins, Cardinals and Tigers.
“I think every new stadium in the MLB is being built downtown, so I kind of expected it,” Royals fan Jackson Fort said. “I think parking will be kind of, they’ll have to figure out something because there’s going to be a big building and not a lot of space to put it. I think you’ll see a lot more Ubers and less of that tailgating scene that the chiefs and the royals are so known for.”
While tailgating as we know it will look different, walking to the stadium won’t actually look that bad if you use the streetcar. From the stop at the World War I Museum, you’re looking at a nine-minute walk to Crown Center, and four-minute walk if you get off at Union Station.
“I think it would be a good thing for the city, for the baseball park and for everybody,” avid streetcar user Gary Henderson said. “Especially for the people who use the trolley would get a chance to see how comfortable it is and maybe it’ll increase their business too.”
With hopes of the new stadium to be ready for opening day in 2030, the Royals, Kansas City, and fans have time to figure out any potential obstacles.
“I think we’ll get to figure it out,” Royals fan Caden Tucker said. “I think that they have plenty of time to be able to figure everything out and make sure everything’s not going to be packed in here and just kind of slowed down in the process.”
While a lot of parking will be taken away in the near future, if one thing is for certain, the Royals will not. The current lease for Kauffman stadium is set to expire in 2031.
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