Mitch Holthus

The Voice Behind Chiefs Kingdom

Expert on

  • Leadership
  • Team Building
  • Motivational 
  • Peak Performance 
  • Success
  • Sports
  • Workplace Culture 

Fee Range

$5,000–$10,000

Travels from

MO, US

Biography

Mitch Holthus is the longtime “Voice of the Kansas City Chiefs” and the longest-tenured, most decorated play-by-play voice in franchise history. Since joining the Chiefs broadcast booth in 1994, Mitch has become synonymous with Chiefs Kingdom, calling some of the most memorable moments in team history, including the Chiefs’ Super Bowl LIV, LVII and LVIII championship victories.

In addition to his play-by-play work, Mitch hosts Chiefs radio, television and digital programming, including Chiefs Insider, Chiefs Rewind and the popular “Minute with Mitch” radio and television series, which is seen and heard across five states. Known for his energy, storytelling and signature “Touchdown, Kan-zas City!” call, Mitch brings audiences inside the mindset, leadership and culture behind one of the NFL’s most successful organizations.

Mitch is a member of the Kansas Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame, the Kansas State University Athletics Hall of Fame and the Missouri Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame. He is a five-time Emmy Award winner, a past Kansas City Sports Journalist of the Year, the 2020 Missouri Sportscaster of the Year and an eight-time Kansas Sportscaster of the Year. In 2024, he was named Kansan of the Year by the Kansas Society of Washington, D.C., and was selected as the Chiefs’ 2024 Salute to Service nominee in recognition of his commitment to honoring military members, veterans, first responders and their families.

As a speaker, Mitch connects the lessons of championship football to leadership, resilience, teamwork, culture, motivation and personal growth. His presentations blend humor, behind-the-scenes sports insight and practical takeaways that resonate with corporate audiences, associations, schools, agricultural groups and community events.

A Nickel's Worth

With the penny being taken out of circulation, can the nickel be far behind? In A Nickel’s Worth, Mitch Holthus makes the case for the timeless value of the nickel by sharing five “sense” worth of management principles, leadership traits and personal strategies that lead to consistent performance and long-term success.

Drawing from 33 seasons in the NFL and his experience with one of the most successful sports franchises of the past decade, Mitch explores what it takes to compete, adapt and win in an uber-competitive world. This presentation highlights immediately applicable strategies for individuals, small groups and teams seeking stronger leadership, deeper motivation and greater accountability.

Through stories, practical insight and lessons from inside the Kansas City Chiefs organization, Mitch shows audiences how to build leaders, motivate leaders and create a culture where everyone takes ownership. These five “sense” open the gateway to stronger performance, better teamwork and sustained success in any organization.

Key Takeaways

  • The five “sense” of leadership and management that drive consistent performance
  • How to build, motivate and sustain leaders at every level of an organization
  • Why accountability must belong to everyone—not just those with titles
  • Practical strategies for improving personal, small-group and team performance
  • Lessons from 33 seasons in the NFL and the Chiefs’ recent championship-era success

Power From Unexpected Sources

What is the “secret sauce” behind more than a decade of unprecedented winning by the Kansas City Chiefs? In this presentation, Mitch Holthus takes audiences inside the culture, strategy and mindset that helped the Chiefs make NFL history, shatter franchise records and sustain success in one of the most competitive environments in professional sports.

Even more remarkable, the Chiefs have built and maintained this winning culture while operating in one of the NFL’s smallest markets. Mitch examines the practical strategies the organization has used to survive pressure-filled flashpoints, adapt through change and create energy from sources that are often available but rarely fully tapped.

This program is a practical deep dive into leadership, resilience, culture and sustainable performance. Whether your audience follows football or not, they will walk away with real-world approaches that apply to companies, associations, teams and organizations of all sizes.

Key Takeaways

  • How to identify and activate overlooked sources of energy, talent and momentum within your organization
  • Why sustained success requires culture, consistency and adaptability—not just star performers
  • How winning teams respond to pressure, disruption and high-stakes “flashpoints”
  • Practical lessons from the Chiefs’ championship culture that can translate to business, associations and leadership teams

Sailing the Seven “C’s”

Success in today’s world requires the ability to navigate constant change, rising expectations and increasingly competitive circumstances. In Sailing the Seven “C’s,” Mitch Holthus takes audiences on a practical and engaging journey through the core characteristics that help people and organizations succeed both personally and professionally.

Drawing from decades inside Chiefs Kingdom and the lessons of one of the NFL’s most competitive environments, Mitch explores the “Seven C’s” that fuel resilience, performance and sustained achievement. This presentation connects the energy of championship football with real-world strategies for leadership, teamwork, personal growth and organizational success.

Audiences will leave with a clearer understanding of the traits, habits and mindsets that help individuals and teams stay steady, focused and effective when conditions are changing around them.

Key Takeaways

  • How to navigate change with confidence, clarity and resilience
  • How to strengthen team culture through shared values and consistent behaviors
  • Why communication, commitment and collaboration are essential in challenging circumstances

Heart of a Champion

The phrase “heart of a champion” takes on powerful new meaning in this deeply personal and transformative presentation. Mitch Holthus shares a unique message centered on self-reflection, healing and the kind of “cardiac care” that goes beyond physical health.

Through the lens of heart surgery as both a medical reality and a life-changing metaphor, Mitch challenges audiences to examine what is happening inside their own hearts—their priorities, resilience, relationships, purpose and capacity to grow. This presentation has impacted audiences both professionally and personally by encouraging them to take an honest look at what drives them, what limits them and what must be healed in order to move forward with strength.

Blending storytelling, inspiration and practical life application, Heart of a Champion is ideal for audiences seeking a message of renewal, courage, personal leadership and lasting change.

Key Takeaways

  • How to recognize the internal barriers that may be limiting personal or professional growth
  • Why true strength often begins with honest self-examination
  • How healing, resilience and purpose shape the heart of a champion
  • Practical encouragement for navigating adversity, change and personal challenges

It's Time to Go Back to "The Farm" (used with agricultural groups)

Designed especially for agricultural groups, It’s Time to Go Back to “The Farm” is a reflective and inspiring presentation about rediscovering the values, work ethic and wisdom that built generations of farm families and rural communities.

Mitch Holthus takes audiences back three or four generations to explore what Grandma and Grandpa knew instinctively: how to start over, adapt, endure and build something meaningful from the ground up. In a time of rapid change, uncertainty and pressure, this presentation invites audiences to consider a kind of renaissance—a return to the foundational principles that have always sustained agriculture, family enterprise and community life.

With warmth, storytelling and practical insight, Mitch connects the lessons of the farm to today’s personal and professional challenges. This program is ideal for agricultural associations, rural leadership groups, farm credit organizations, cooperatives and community events.

Key Takeaways

  • How timeless agricultural values can guide modern leadership and decision-making
  • Why resilience, patience and stewardship remain essential in changing times
  • Lessons from previous generations on starting over, adapting and moving forward
  • How to reconnect with the work ethic, resourcefulness and purpose that built rural communities
  • Why honoring the past can help individuals and organizations create a stronger future

Mitch Holthus Midwest Speakers Bureau Missouri SpeakerMitch Holthus is a professional keynote speaker and industry expert based in Missouri, who speaks on topics including motivation and sports. Mitch Holthus is available for conferences, corporate events, leadership meetings, and keynote presentations throughout the United States and the Midwest. The fee range for Mitch Holthus $5,000–$10,000. Midwest Speakers Bureau represents speakers in Missouri including John O’Leary,  Sam Silverstein, and Andrew McCrea.

Contact us at Midwest Speakers Bureau for more information on scheduling and booking Mitch Holthus for an upcoming event. 

Mitch Holthus Midwest Speakers Bureau Sports and Adventure SpeakerMitch Holthus is a professional keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on topics including sports/adventure, motivation, and leadership. Based in Montana, Mitch Holthus is available for conferences, corporate events, leadership meetings, and keynote presentations throughout the United States and the Midwest, including Wisconsin, Arkansas, and Illinois. The fee range for Mitch Holthus $5,000–$10,000. Similar sports/adventure speakers at Midwest Speakers Bureau include Robyn Benincasa, Ross Bernstein, Don Yaeger. 

Contact us at Midwest Speakers Bureau for more information on scheduling and booking Mitch Holthus for an upcoming event.