The Kansas City Chiefs were honored with a pair of accolades on Thursday as General Manager Brett Veach and defensive tackle Chris Jones were each recognized at the 50th annual Kansas City Sports Awards presented by Populous.

Veach was named the McCownGordon Construction Executive of the Year after leading Kansas City to its second Super Bowl championship in his six seasons at the helm. The Chiefs have hosted the AFC Championship Game in every season since 2018 – marking the longest streak in league history – and won three of them. Additionally, Kansas City has won a league-most 74 regular-season games during Veach's tenure, which is nine more than second place.

Another major component of that recent success has been the play of Jones, who was honored as the Polsinelli Sportsman of the Year. Jones racked up 15.5 sacks, 17 tackles-for-loss and 29 quarterback hits in 2023 as part of a dominant campaign. His 77 total pressures last season led all interior defensive linemen by a wide margin and ranked fifth among all players.

The ceremony – which took place in downtown Kansas City – marked a continuation of the region's longest-running and preeminent sports awards program. This year's event, in particular, served as a tremendous celebration of Kansas City's recent success in the national spotlight.

"As Kansas City continues to generate unprecedented excitement for its national and international sporting events, these honorees represent the best of our local sporting community," said Kathy Nelson, President and CEO of the Kansas City Sports Commission. "Together, these individuals and their organizations play a critical role driving fan engagement, awareness and opportunity for Kansas City."

As indicated by these awards, both Veach and Jones represent the very best of Kansas City as the heartland continues to take its place on the global stage.