The stunt went horribly wrong. The team mascot was to drop 20 feet on a bungee cord above the stadium, bounce back up to a zip line, and ride down to midfield. But something must have malfunctioned, and instead of the bungee cord bouncing down 20 feet, the mascot fell 75 feet and crashed into the stadium seats below. This excruciating incident marked an important point in the life of this costumed mascot, who is making a difference in the lives of others.
Dan Meers is the Kansas City Chiefs football team official mascot, the costumed character KC Wolf. A group of rabid Chiefs fans began calling themselves the Wolfpack during the 1980s. In response, the Chiefs created the KC Wolf mascot position in 1989.
Dan grew up near St. Louis and attended the University of Missouri where he served for four years as the school mascot, Truman the Tiger. In 1989, he was crowned the National Collegiate Mascot Champion. After graduation, he became the mascot Fredbird for the St. Louis Cardinals. In 1990, he was hired for the position of KC Wolf.
A mascot’s job is to entertain and “rev up” the fans and to be an ambassador for the team. On game days, KC Wolf does a pregame skit and participates in the player introductions and coin toss. He will visit designated tailgates, deliver birthday wishes, and even help couples get engaged at the stadium. He engages in various antics, such as teasing people with a giant rubber spider on a fishing line or dangling Twinkies above their heads for them to try to grab.
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