SportsBeat KC

Top-ranked Arizona didn’t face the potential top player in the NBA Draft when it visited Kansas on Monday Night, but it did take on a motivated KU team in a raucous environment. The Jayhawks prevailed 82-78, even without Darryn Peterson, in dramatic fashion. On SportsBeat KC, the sports podcast of The Star and KCUR, KU beat writers Gary Bedore and Shreyas Laddha break down the action at Allen Fiel...

The Royals are packing their bags and will soon be off to spring training in Surprise, Arizona. But before they leave, they greeted fans and chatted up the season at Royals Rally at Kauffman Stadium. On SportsBeat KC, the sports podcast of The Star and KCUR, beat writer Jaylon Thompson and columnist Vahe Gregorian dig into the upcoming season and whether the Royals can return to their playoff form...

The offensive coordinator who was part of the Chiefs staff through one of their most productive stretches is back in Kansas City. Eric Bieniemy, who had three different jobs in the past three years, has been rehired. That also means Matt Nagy, who held the job for the past three years, is out.  Why the moves? On SportsBeat KC, the sports podcast of The Kansas City Star and KCUR, columnist Sam McDo...

Local college basketball has experienced some wild mood swings this season — but at the moment KU and Mizzou are feeling better about themselves than last month. K-State, not so much. On SportsBeat KC, the sports podcast of The Kansas City Star and KCUR, beat writers Shreyas Laddha and Kellis Robinett along with columnist Vahe Gregorian take the pulse of KU, K-State and Mizzou, and get into how th...

The 2026 Baseball Hall of Fame class will be announced next Tuesday. And players like former Kansas City Royals outfielder Carlos Beltran and Andruw Jones are seeking to be selected after appearing on the ballot for several years. On SportsBeat KC, three KC Star writers with Hall of Fame ballots discuss their selections. According to the Rules for Election by the Baseball Writers Association of Am...

The NFL playoffs are set to begin, and for the first time in more than a decade, the Chiefs won’t be part of the action. On SportsBeat KC, the sports podcast of The Star and KCUR, Chiefs Insider Pete Sweeney sums up a season gone wrong. The Chiefs, who have appeared in five of the past six Super Bowls, lost their final five games to finish 6-11. Questions abound: Will Travis Kelce return next seas...

As the year comes to an end, SportsBeat KC, the sports podcast of The Kansas City Star and KCUR, is breaking down Kansas City’s most influential figures from 2025. Star columnists Sam McDowell and Vahe Gregorian discuss five people — two players, two administrators and a coach — who helped shape the region’s sports landscape and tell the story of our teams. Who made the list? It starts with Chiefs...

It’s the biggest Kansas City professional sports franchise move in more than five decades. The Chiefs are moving to Kansas. The team and state made the major announcement Monday in Topeka, and on SportsBeat KC, the sports podcast of The Star and KCUR, columnist Sam McDowell breaks down why the decision to relocate was made and what it means to the team and metropolitan area. After a break, Royals...

The Chiefs have reached a stopping point.  They won’t be in the playoffs thanks to last weekend’s loss to the LA Chargers, ending Kansas City’s 10-year run of postseason appearances, the second longest in NFL history. But the biggest news was Patrick Mahomes suffering a season-ending knee injury. He underwent surgery Monday and the recovery has started — but his timetable to return is uncertain. ...

Another week, another painful loss for the Chiefs.  This time to the Houston Texans at home, resulting in serious damage to their playoff chances.  On SportsBeat KC, the sports podcast of The Kansas City Star and KCUR, Chiefs Insider Pete Sweeney and columnist Sam McDowell explain how the Chiefs fell for the fourth time in five games.  Then, we talked Kansas City’s draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup...

Another week, another huge game for the Chiefs and their playoff chances.  This time, the Houston Texans visit Kansas City on “Sunday Night Football,” and the teams are headed in different directions. The Chiefs have dropped three of four; the Texans have won four straight. On SportsBeat KC, the sports podcast of The Kansas City Star and KCUR, Chiefs Insider Pete Sweeney breaks down the keys for a...

It’s not a happy Thanksgiving for the Chiefs.  Playing on the holiday for the first time in nearly two decades, the Chiefs dropped a 31-28 decision to the Dallas Cowboys and damaged their playoff chances. How much? On SportsBeat KC, the sports podcast of The Kansas City Star and KCUR, beat writer Pete Sweeney and columnist Sam McDowell share their thoughts on what went wrong and how the outcome im...

Things were looking bleak for the Chiefs in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts. A drive ended with Kareem Hunt’s fumble — was that really his first lost fumble since 2017? — and the Chiefs trailed by 11 points. But the defense held, Patrick Mahomes, Rashee Rice and Kareem Hunt put the offense in gear and the Chiefs rallied for a 23-20 overtime victory at Arrowhead S...

With consecutive losses, the Chiefs have hit a rough patch. Can they work free or are they stuck? Chiefs Insider Pete Sweeney breaks down where things stand with a Chiefs team, coming off the loss in Denver and having to face another division leader this weekend in the Indianapolis Colts. Also, a shakeup at the Current since falling in their NWSL playoff opener included Vlatko Andonovski the coach...

Not often in the Patrick Mahomes era have the Chiefs looked up in the AFC West standing this late in the season. But here they are in third place with a 5-4 record, making Sunday’s game at the first-place Denver Broncos critical to their division chances. On SportsBeat KC, Chiefs Insider Pete Sweeney and Star columnist Sam McDowell discuss the game and what it will take for the Chiefs to capture a...

The Chiefs have crossed the halfway point of their schedule, and if the season ended today they wouldn’t be in the playoffs. It’s a strange place to be for the team that’s played in five of the last six Super Bowls. On SportsBeat KC, the sports podcast of The Kansas City Star and KCUR, Star columnist Sam McDowell shares his thoughts on where thing stand with the Chiefs, starting with Sunday’s loss...

The Chiefs keep rolling. They polished off the Washington Commanders 28-7 on Monday Night Football for their third straight victory and fifth in the last six games. It also sets them up nicely for a showdown on the road Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. On SportsBeat KC, the sports podcast of The Kansas City Star and KCUR, Chiefs beat writer Pete Sweeney and columnists Sam McDowell and Vahe Gregor...

The Chiefs won in a way NFL teams aren’t supposed to win. They dominated the Las Vegas Raiders in a 31-0 victory and held the visitors to three first downs and fewer than 100 total yards. On SportsBeat KC, the sports podcast of The Star and KCUR, beat writer Pete Sweeney and columnist Sam McDowell explain how it happened and what it means for the Chiefs, who return to action on “Monday Night Footb...

The Chiefs delivered their best performance of the season by defeating the Detroit Lions on Sunday Night Football. Patrick Mahomes played like an MVP, and we know what looks like. The Chiefs defense held the Lions to less than half of their scoring total, and they got a solid performance from a new starter, left tackle Jaylon Moore. Columnist Sam McDowell Chiefs beat writer Pete Sweeney break it d...

The Chiefs had control of their Monday Night Football game at Jacksonville, then lost it, regained it, and finally went down to defeat. On SportsBeat KC, the sports podcast of The Kansas City Star and KCUR, beat writer Pete Sweeney breaks down what went wrong in the crushing 31-28 loss. In other topics, the FIFA World Cup in North America is ninth months away, and Kansas City will be part of the a...

The Chiefs played a complete game and the Royals completed a season. Both are topics on SportsBeat KC, the sports podcast of The Star and KCUR. Chiefs beat writer Pete Sweeney breaks down Kansas City’s convincing 37-20 triumph over the Baltimore Ravens and what it means as they take on an a Jacksonville Jaguars team that suddenly looks rugged. The Royals finished their season with a winning record...

All fixed, right? The Chiefs won their first game this season, at the New York Giants on Sunday. It wasn’t artful but a much-needed victory, and the Chiefs might have found a weapon at wide receiver in the process. On SportsBeat KC, sports podcast of The Star and KCUR, beat writer Pete Sweeney and columnist Sam McDowell break down the triumph near Gotham. and look ahead to Sunday’s home game again...

The 0-2 Chiefs. That hasn’t happened since 2014, Andy Reid’s second year with the organization and three years before Kansas City drafted Patrick Mahomes. But that’s where the Chiefs stand two weeks into the NFL season with the latest loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in a Super Bowl rematch. On SportsBeat KC, The Star’s sports podcast, beat writer Pete Sweeney and columnist Sam McDowell discuss the...

The Chiefs find themselves in a rare place, coming off a loss to open the season. They fell to the LA Chargers in Brazil last week and on SportsBeat KC, The Star’s sports podcast, the coverage team breaks down what went wrong. Beat writer Pete Sweeney and columnists Sam McDowell and Vahe Gregorian explain the problems on defense, as the Chargers built an early lead and held on to their first victo...

Seven months after losing the Super Bowl, the Chiefs are back in action with the regular-season opener on Friday against the Los Angeles Chargers, in Sao Paulo, Brazil of all places. On SportsBeat KC, The Kansas City Star sports podcast, beat writer Pete Sweeney breaks down what to expect from a team bidding for its fourth straight Super Bowl appearance. First, we review the roster moves over the...