American Football: Domination

"The only thing I'm focused on right now is the Miami Dolphins."

Lance's unwavering focus shut down all distractions, effortlessly shifting the conversation back to the regular season.

Calm. Rational. Sharp. Vigilant.

For a rookie, he was incredibly difficult to deal with.

The reporters had no way in.

Their tricks, whether overt or subtle, had all crashed and burned. After a series of elaborate maneuvers, they had only managed to make fools of themselves. Now, social media was relentlessly mocking them—

By now, any observant fan could see what had happened.

The Chiefs' locker room wasn't falling apart. On the contrary, they were stronger than ever. The supposed "tensions" during practice? Likely nothing more than an orchestrated deception, a smokescreen designed to fool the media and, by extension, the Chargers.

A masterful use of deception!

More importantly, the media had been played for fools.

Online, fans gleefully piled on, reveling in the rare sight of the media getting a taste of their own medicine. It was one of the highlights of the year.

And the good news didn't stop there—not for the Chiefs, at least.

After being crushed by the Chiefs last week, the Oakland Raiders seemed completely lost, unable to recover from the shock.

More than the fans and media, the Raiders themselves were the most confused.

How had they suddenly collapsed on both offense and defense? How had they even failed to compete against the Chiefs' backups in garbage time?

At such a crucial moment in the playoff race, losing confidence was the worst possible scenario.

This week, the Raiders battled the Dallas Cowboys to the wire but ultimately lost by a field goal, extending their losing streak to two games.

With that loss, their playoff hopes were all but extinguished. Mathematically, they still had a 1% chance, but the conditions were nearly impossible. In reality, their season was over.

And it all stemmed from that game against the Chiefs.

For Kansas City, this was great news on two fronts—

First, they had personally delivered the Chargers a crushing defeat.

Second, the Raiders' elimination meant the Chiefs were on the verge of securing their own postseason spot.

Current AFC West Standings: Kansas City Chiefs – 8-6 Los Angeles Chargers – 7-7 Oakland Raiders – 6-8 Denver Broncos – 5-9

Based on divisional tiebreakers, if the Chiefs beat the Miami Dolphins next week, they would clinch the AFC West title—regardless of what happens to the Chargers. That would secure a playoff spot one week early.

From teetering on the edge of elimination to standing atop their division, the Chiefs had seized their opportunity and turned the season around in just two weeks.

This was the real story worth celebrating.

Off the Field, the Headlines Kept Coming

Adding to the celebrations, major sponsorship deals started rolling in—

Gillette

Gillette was the first to announce a four-year, $3 million-per-year partnership with Lance, reaffirming their confidence in him.

"With his rugged yet stylish image, Lance perfectly embodies the Gillette brand," the company stated. "We believe he will set a new trend in men's grooming and style."

Rolex

Shortly after, Rolex quietly updated their official website, confirming their partnership with Lance.

True to their brand, they avoided flashy announcements, instead focusing on timeless quality and prestige.

Significantly, this was the first time in history that Rolex had partnered with an American football player.

Historically, Rolex had always focused on high-end markets, endorsing athletes in tennis, golf, and racing. They had kept their distance from football, basketball, and soccer, preferring ambassadors who aligned with their elite, refined brand image.

So, while rumors had circulated about Rolex considering Lance, most industry insiders had doubted it would happen. It seemed more likely that Rolex was simply testing the waters.

But—

To everyone's shock, the deal actually went through.

Although Lance wouldn't be wearing a Rolex on the field, he would now sport one during every post-game press conference.

The tagline on Rolex's website said it all:

"Resilience. Built to last."

Clearly, Rolex saw in Lance an embodiment of their brand values—his tenacity on the field, his composed demeanor off it. He was the perfect gateway for Rolex to step into the American football market.

Lance was making history both on and off the field.

Rolex didn't disclose the financial details of the deal, but insider reports suggested two possibilities:

$5 million per year for two years, as a short-term trial to see if the partnership was worth a long-term commitment.

After all, running backs have notoriously short careers.

$3 million per year for ten years, following Rolex's traditional approach.

Rolex rarely signs athletes, but when they do, it's usually for the long haul—even into retirement.

Either way, it was a landmark deal.

Rolex had just taken its first cautious step into the NFL.

The internet exploded with discussion.

People were especially curious—how had Donald managed to convince Rolex to take this historic step? What kind of pitch had swayed them?

From Gillette to Rolex, nearly every sponsorship rumor the media had speculated about was proven true.

The difference?

The Chiefs hadn't lost, and Lance hadn't struggled.

So instead of being seen as distractions, these deals only reinforced his growing star power.

Then Came Pepsi.

Pepsi held a high-profile press conference, giving Lance superstar treatment as they announced his addition to the Pepsi family.

More importantly—Lance would be the face of Pepsi's North American marketing campaign.

His face would be everywhere in the NFL—on Pepsi commercials, Gatorade ads, and every in-stadium promotion.

Unlike Rolex and Gillette, which took a more understated approach, Pepsi went all out, teasing upcoming surprises and hyping up the media's curiosity.

As expected, they didn't disclose the contract details, but the Los Angeles Times leaked a report:

This was the biggest sponsorship deal in NFL history.

Lance had officially surpassed Tom Brady, becoming the league's most marketable player.

The exact figures were a well-guarded secret, but the numbers were staggering—

$7 million per year. Five years.

Just as Donald had promised.

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Powerstones?

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