Tag: mark mcmillian

Mark McMillian praises the Chiefs’ stars who have fueled recent success

Ed Easton Jr. spoke to former #Chiefs defensive back Mark McMillian about his thoughts on Kansas City’s budding dynasty. | w/ @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs are on a unique run of success that they hope will continue this season with a third consecutive Super Bowl title.

Chiefs Wire’s Ed Easton Jr. spoke to former Kansas City defensive back Mark McMillian about his upcoming appearance at the Chiefs Kingdom Tailgate at Flanker Kitchen + Sports Bar on October 26 and 27 in Las Vegas and his thoughts on the current Chiefs dynasty.

“[I] came up with a concept, obviously, playing with the Chiefs, you know how big their fan base is across the country, especially here in Las Vegas,” McMillian said of the event. “I partnered up with Flanker before during the Super Bowl, and they used my barbecue spices and barbecue sauce, and the chef really loved the concept.

“I think we fed probably like 200 to 300 people, and then with football season, being around me, living here in Vegas, we just wanted to come up with a cool concept that we can have myself, Danan Hughes, come in and meet and greet and just try to enjoy the fans and the Chiefs on the road.”

The Chiefs have enjoyed three Super Bowl victories since the 2019 season and are focused on a three-peat this year. McMillian believes Kansas City will succeed more if they keep their core together.

“It was an unbelievable run from the Hunt family, from the top on down,” McMillian explained. “[They gave] these guys all the resources they could to be successful; obviously, Andy Reid is a Hall of Famer in the making. He could just walk into Canton right now and get his gold jacket. Obviously, having the franchise quarterback Patrick Mahones and Travis Kelce are the two main guys who’ve been there for the long haul with Andy.

“They continue to surround Patrick with guys, and he makes them better. It’s unbelievable what they’re able to do and able to accomplish. They’re still going, and they’re not done yet. So as long as you got number 15 throwing the rock, man, you got a chance to win many football games and Super Bowls.”

For more information on the Chiefs Kingdom Tailgate at Flanker Kitchen + Sports Bar, log on to flankerlv.com

Mark McMillian reflects on Chiefs tenure, transition to broadcasting career

Ed Easton Jr. spoke to retired defensive back Mark McMillian about his tenure with the #Chiefs and his post-football broadcasting career. | w/ @EdEastonJr

The many notable players who have worn the Kansas City Chiefs’ uniform in their careers all carry fond memories of their tenure with the team, regardless of whether it ended with a Super Bowl title.

This week, Ed Easton Jr. spoke to former Chiefs defensive back Mark McMillian about his upcoming appearance at the Chiefs Kingdom Tailgate at Flanker Kitchen + Sports Bar on October 26 and 27 in Las Vegas, his tenure in Kansas City, and his eventual broadcasting career after retirement.

“It means the world as players, we don’t get a chance to interact with the fans or tailgate with the fans, so being able to be still appreciated for the work that you put in and be able to mingle with the fans that paid their hard-earned money to come out and watch us play and run around and do the good and the bad,” said McMillian. “Those fans were through tough times, weather, storms, snow. So it’s just… I’m just always appreciative, especially [for] people that follow my career.

“Knowing my status and my story of not even supposed to be in that position, and to be able to have a nice little eight-year career and finish it off—playing under Marty Schottenheimer and playing with Derrick Thomas. Those names stick out: Marcus Allen and Andre Rison. The list goes on with the guys that have the opportunity to play for and play with, and being able to come back to Vegas and Raider country and host the Kingdom Tailgate is pretty special.”

McMillian played two seasons in Kansas City. In 1997, he led the NFL in interception return yards and was tied for second place with eight interceptions. He continued to reflect on his time with the Chiefs.

“Running out of the tunnel, hearing the fans, seeing how passionate they are about their football playing with Rich Gannon, I was a kid that wasn’t even supposed to be in that position,” said McMillian. “Here I am, running out of the tunnel with the likes of Dale Carter and James Hasty, some really good names, and so many memories there.

“Breaking Emmett Thomas’s record for interception yardage was a little highlight, and it tied for the league and the NFL with interceptions, leading the league with touchdown returns. There are just so many great memories of playing in Kansas City. Man, I can’t mention just one.”

After eight seasons in the NFL, McMillian took his talents to the broadcasting world. He currently serves as a pregame host for CBS, covering the rival Las Vegas Raiders.

“I went to school for broadcasting, so that was my major,” McMillian explained. “So, many people are like, ‘Hey, how did you get into it? How are you so good?’ I’ve been broadcasting in Alabama since 1991-1992. In my rookie year in Philadelphia, we had a show called ‘The Little Big Man Show,’ for which I won an Emmy Award. So I’ve been, I’ve been doing TV for a while, but the transition is great, obviously, you know, here with CBS doing a Raiders Pregame Live show, it’s a little difficult.

“It’s not like being a radio or TV host in Kansas City, where you’re winning. It’s a little tougher, but I love it. I love to break down about the game. Give the fans an insight into what I see as to what they see on TV. And it justifies what I talked about because I played the game at a high level.”

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For more information on the Chiefs Kingdom Tailgate at Flanker Kitchen + Sports Bar, log on to flankerlv.com

Ex-Chiefs DB Mark McMillian talks ‘Mighty Mouse’ nickname, Gordon Ramsay experience

Ex-Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Mark McMillian explains his ‘Mighty Mouse’ nickname, Gordon Ramsay experience | w/ @EdEastonJr

Many NFL players thrive in professions unrelated to the game of football when they retire, and the Kansas City Chiefs have seen several such athletes come through the franchise over the years.

This week, Chiefs Wire’s Ed Easton Jr. spoke to one of the unsung heroes of Kansas City’s swarming secondaries in the 1990s, former Chiefs cornerback Mark McMillian.

In his interview with Easton Jr., McMillian opened up about his upcoming appearance at the Chiefs Kingdom Tailgate at Flanker Kitchen + Sports Bar on October 26 and 27 in Las Vegas, his ‘Grill’n McMillian’ franchise, the ‘Mighty Mouse’ nickname he earned in the NFL, and the experience he had working under Gordon Ramsay on ‘Next Level Chef.’

“I started ‘Grill’n McMillian‘; I’ve been in business for four years and have been selling my spices here in Arizona, Las Vegas, and Hy-Vee in Kansas City,” McMillian said. “So just excited for this opportunity to be able to give back and for everybody to enjoy the spices and the barbecue sauce; it’s got a little Kansas City sweet heat thing to it.”

 

McMillian has a unique nickname from his playing days: ‘Mighty Mouse.’ He explained the nickname’s origins and its fit with the 1990s Chiefs.

“My JUCO (Junior College) coach always called me Sweet Pete from the movie Popeye,” McMillian explained. “Then, when I went to Philadelphia, it was Mighty Mac, Mighty Mouse. It took off when I got to Kansas City because Derrick Thomas was the Falcon, and Andre Rison was Spider-Man.

“And they said, man, we got to name you because you’re doing good. And, with the Chiefs’ colors, I always came up with an interception at the right time. I just went to that theme, and then they started playing the Mighty Mouse theme song when I started getting interceptions. So that was pretty cool.”

In 2023, McMillian appeared as a contestant on the second season of the American culinary reality competition television series Next Level Chef, mentored by Gordon Ramsay. He compared his experience under the famous chef to playing under some of the best football coaches.

“They’re almost the same, you know, they’re both fiery. Marty (Schottenheimer) was fiery,” McMillian explained. “I played under Ray Rhodes in Philadelphia, who had a lot of fire and a lot of passion, and Gene Stallings in Alabama. He was a Bear Bryant guy. So he had that kind of mean draw and tenacity. And that was one of the questions they asked me during the psych evaluation test. What if Gordon gets in your face and starts yelling? What would you do?

“I was honest. I don’t know what I would do, so I’ve been in that situation before as a coach, but I knew that was my job. A cooking show, I didn’t know what I would do. Still, he’s totally a different person off camera; being selected for that show and flying to London from, you know, just grilling in the backyard to being on one of the hit shows ‘Next Level Chef’ was unbelievable. I continue to carry that torch, and now I am hosting tailgate parties.”

McMillian will continue to extend his business beyond football with event cooking demonstrations.

“I have a tailgate event that I’m doing this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for NASCAR, where I’m doing a cooking demonstration for fans as well,” said McMillian. “So I’m just not doing football. I’m transferring over to the NASCAR space as well.”

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For more information on the Chiefs Kingdom Tailgate at Flanker Kitchen + Sports Bar, log on to flankerlv.com