KANSAS CITY, MO — In a shocking but not entirely unexpected finding, researchers this morning confirmed that Mondays got 37% better after the Kansas City Chiefs won on Sunday night.
According to a report from The Institute for Emotional Recovery After NFL Sundays (IERANS), the average happiness level of Kansas City residents spiked on Monday mornings, especially between 7:00 and 10:30 a.m. — a time when most people are still trying to call coffee a “healthy breakfast.”
“We tracked thousands of psychological signals throughout the season,” said Amanda Kelner, Ph.D., lead author of the study. “When the Chiefs won, people arrived at work earlier, smiled more, and were 22% more likely to forgive a coworker wearing a Raiders jersey.”
The Difference Is Noticeable
Analysts say the “Monday Mood Index” — a measure of positive energy at the start of the week — spikes in the 12 hours after a Chiefs win.
The data:
81% of fans reported “sleeping better.”
63% said the coffee was “unbelievably good.”
19% admitted they listened to “We Are the Champions” on Spotify at least five times.
Some companies in the Kansas City area even reported increased productivity.
“I’ve never seen a sales team so happy,” said the CEO of software company ArrowTech, which sent out emails reminding employees to “stop talking about Patrick Mahomes in meetings.”
On the other hand, if the Chiefs lose…
On the contrary, researchers note that if the Chiefs lose, Monday can be as productive as 58%.
Common symptoms include:
Bland coffee.
Low moodiness that lasts until noon.
A reflex to “turn off ESPN notifications” as soon as you wake up.
“Some people even call in sick to avoid hearing coworkers say, ‘Mahomes should pass the ball differently,’” the report adds.
Other social effects
Monday’s improvement wasn’t limited to Kansas City. Several other cities — including Denver, Chicago, and Las Vegas — also reported “unusual levels of silence” on social media the next morning, especially from accounts that frequently mock the Chiefs.
Twitter/X, meanwhile, became 24% “warmer” with posts containing the keywords #ChiefsKingdom and #MahomesMagic.
Even Taylor Swift, who appeared at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday night, was said to “contribute to a 7% increase in national optimism.”
Conclusion: Monday is still Monday, but…
Experts agree that while Mondays are never entirely “pleasant,” a Chiefs win makes it considerably less scary.
