Redirecting the Fire

Uproar.

On the very first day of voluntary spring training camp, the reigning champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, seized the spotlight, becoming the undisputed center of attention.

On one hand, it was due to Hunt's explosive, unfiltered comments, which placed running backs in direct opposition to teams and the league, instantly ratcheting up the tension.

On the other hand, Lance's subtle and masterful response both supported Bell and cleverly shifted all controversy and chaos onto the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Clearly, Lance was applying pressure on the Steelers too—but in a much more refined and strategic way—

Killing with kindness.

It was a transparent strategy: using praise and affirmation to back the Steelers into a corner. He wholeheartedly claimed to "believe in Tomlin" and echoed the team's own official stance, but between the lines was the clear implication that Pittsburgh now had to live up to their words—or risk looking like hypocrites.

To say, "I believe in the Steelers," with such innocent sincerity, was enough to make the Steelers' front office twitch—even as they were forced to smile politely.

Moreover—

Lance's true brilliance lay not in setting up a battle between quarterbacks and running backs, or running backs and other competing positions. On the contrary, he won allies for running backs, uniting players across positions to fight for what they deserve.

Almost imperceptibly, Lance reminded everyone that it wasn't just running backs being marginalized or stigmatized—but also safeties and linebackers.

Behind the league's relentless pursuit of commercial interests, changes in offensive and defensive schemes—driven by rule changes—have reshaped positional value and relevance. This isn't just a running back problem; it's a systemic shift affecting everyone.

Today it's Bell. Tomorrow?

Today it's running backs. Who's next?

Who can truly guarantee they won't be the next to be ignored, devalued, or cut?

At the very least, safeties and linebackers are already starting to feel the squeeze.

Lance planted a seed—quietly. He's waiting for it to take root. Even small shifts in opinion or tone could help drive meaningful change for running backs.

In this moment, every ounce of support matters—

Players must stand together. Only players can truly be allies to one another.

It seemed like Lance was speaking casually, but beneath the surface was precision, control, and razor-sharp intent.

Back in St. Joseph, Veach was once again impressed. He quickly understood the deeper message within Lance's carefully chosen words:

Right now, the "problem" appeared to be Hunt—loud, brash, and disruptive. But Hunt, because of that directness, wasn't the real concern. Lance's response had skillfully diverted media focus away from the Chiefs and onto the Steelers instead.

The same would hold true in future contract talks. Hunt might be a straight shooter and easy to handle. But Lance? He was the true chess master—and thus, the real challenge.

Some might say the team should be wary of Lance.

Veach disagreed.

Because Lance was proving his worth—not just on the field, but in the locker room and beyond. As a leader, a symbol, a banner, Lance was emerging as the key figure in the Chiefs' evolution.

That was why Coach Reid once believed Lance could achieve greatness.

If Lance stayed on this trajectory and kept proving himself, becoming the face of the franchise—Veach wouldn't hesitate to offer him a record-shattering contract to anchor a dynasty.

Long-term vision was essential.

That's how you build a win-win future.

Truthfully, Veach wasn't worried—he was excited—

Across the 32 NFL teams, every franchise dreams of finding its cornerstone quarterback, someone who can lead both on and off the field, shift the team's fortunes, and keep them in Super Bowl contention long-term.

Cornerstone QB? Time would tell if Mahomes could rise to the occasion.

Team leader? There was already a strong contender standing before them.

Veach rubbed his hands in anticipation. He was excited for the new season, for what Lance and Mahomes might achieve, and just how far Lance could grow.

Now, across social media, public opinion was firmly behind Lance, supporting Bell—and that only reinforced what Veach and the reporters had sensed.

Even if Hunt's remarks were divisive, even if the topic of RB salaries remained controversial, Lance's statements had a clearly positive effect. Fans were rallying behind Bell—not just Steelers fans, but general football audiences too.

The Steelers? Under intense pressure.

Still—

Nothing would change overnight. The tug-of-war between Bell and the Steelers would continue. This story was far from over.

But there was one immediate shift: Lance's star power had reached new heights. Following his second-place finish in regular season MVP voting and his Super Bowl MVP award, his momentum kept building. He was no longer just "the Asian rookie" with the NFL's backing.

Just last month, Forbes released its 2017 rankings of NFL player earnings.

Lance broke into the top five.

He was not only the only rookie in the top ten—but the only running back. The rest? All quarterbacks.

Think about it—Lance's rookie salary was just $8 million. Yet he surpassed veterans and top draft picks alike, soaring into the elite tier. Why?

Endorsements.

Forbes estimated that although Lance's team hadn't disclosed exact endorsement figures, he had easily surpassed $30 million. And more deals were in negotiation this offseason.

His Asian heritage, his underdog story, his Super Bowl ring—every element combined to make Lance a sponsor's dream. Brands lined up with checkbooks, hoping to catch his attention.

In endorsements alone, Lance had outpaced Brady, Brees, Watt, and more—making him the NFL's top marketing figure, by a wide margin.

In the final Forbes rankings, the list looked like this:

Russell Wilson (Seattle Seahawks, QB)

Ben Roethlisberger (Pittsburgh Steelers, QB)

Drew Brees (New Orleans Saints, QB)

Tom Brady (New England Patriots, QB)

Lance (Kansas City Chiefs, RB)

Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay Packers, QB)

A stark contrast—one clear "outlier."

Lance, the lone running back among quarterbacks.

It would be easy to imagine he'd become a target—envy, resentment, jealousy. But surprisingly, that wasn't the case.

Lance was steadily shedding the "Asian" label and distancing himself from league-sponsored promotion, carving out a legitimate place in the NFL purely on his own merit.

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Powerstones?

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