Chiefs Kingdom is filled with every type of fan imaginable, ranging from local heroes to some of the biggest celebrities around the world. WWE superstar Baron Corbin is one of the best in-ring competitors of the company, and also a lifelong Kansas City Chiefs fan.

Corbin, whose real name is Tom Pestock, is a Kansas City native with a football past as an offensive lineman who spent time on a couple of practice squads from 2009-2011. He’s since been a consistent star for WWE since signing to their NXT brand in 2012, collecting several honors, most recently as the 2019 King of the Ring. Chiefs Wire contributing writer Ed Easton Jr. recently sat down with Corbin to talk about his career and love for the Chiefs.

Chiefs Wire: As a Kansas City native and fan of the Chiefs, how would you describe the fan culture of Chiefs Kingdom during most seasons?

Corbin: The greatest moments we’re always going tailgating. I think of the family atmosphere of Kansas City and I remember going to Arrowhead, getting there at 5 a.m. It was a race to your spot. Growing up, a friend of mine’s dad turned a small school bus into a Chiefs bus and they filled then up with grills. I remember just grilling out with my friends and family on Sunday mornings, going in and out of the games and just hearing the roar of the crowd from the parking lot. Sometimes when we were 10 years old we would have two tickets to go in and out of games.

Getting to train with guys like Will Sheilds helped train me for my transition into the NFL, guys like Willie Roaf, Dick Vermeil, Priest Holmes. Those guys, to me, it’s like the Chiefs are in my blood, man.

Chiefs Wire: Thoughts on this year’s team’s Super Bowl chances after clinching another AFC West division title?

Corbin: It’s been an exciting year. I was at the game versus Baltimore with Eric Stonestreet. We had a good time. We got the win over Baltimore with a chance to see them in the playoffs. We got six Pro Bowlers. The new addition of Suggs, he’s going to be huge for our defense. He’s still got some play left in him. Going into the playoffs, I feel good this year. I’m always a little wary because we struggled to get that big win last year at home in the playoffs, but I think it’s exciting getting that win over the Patriots . I think Mahomes has his head in the right place, Kelce’s catching on fire right now when he should be, so there are so many things that are starting to go and our defense has been playing lights-out right now. We are definitely clicking at the right time.

Chiefs Wire: Who is your favorite Chiefs player all-time and why?

Corbin: Being an offensive lineman, the powerhouse line when we had Shields, Roaf. Those were my Chiefs heroes; they were just huge. You meet Willie Roaf in person, and he’s just a monster, like he looks like a gigantic lumberjack. He just moves unbelievably, and Priest Holmes is unbelievable. There have been so many great players that have come through. Obviously, Derrick Thomas, what a legend that he’s put down. It’s hard to pick one. I’m an offensive lineman guy, so that powerhouse line was amazing under Vermeil.

Chiefs Wire: Who would you choose between Tony Gonzalez and Travis Kelce?

Corbin: Gonzalez. Not only is he a stand-up, awesome human being, but the amount of ability in that guy from a blocking standpoint to everything throw and catch. He’s just an all-around tight end. There are not many of those all-around tight ends, and he played for so long and he’s just really Kansas City all the way through. There are just so many factors, so I have to go with Gonzalez for the length of time he played the game. Kelce’s still young and incredible, but I’m going with Gonzalez.

Chiefs Wire: What do you remember most about your time in the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts and Arizona Cardinals?

The attitude being around those group of guys, it was a team attitude. It’s a job through and through. You’re earning your paycheck. It’s that protective attitude towards how you play, how your team plays and getting those wins. It’s just a family that is “ride or die,” if you will. You know you are going to battle on Sundays, Monday or Thursday nights. So it’s a group or a family that sticks together and hopes that it pays off, and I believe it does for the Chiefs, for sure.

Chiefs Wire: Describe your transition from playing football professionally to becoming a successful WWE superstar.

Corbin: I think the mentality you get when you try to make the NFL is a long, hard enough road that thousands of college football players are trying to get to the NFL. There are 32 teams, -man rosters. It’s tough to get to that level. You have to have that dedication from the second you wake up to the second you go to bed. You have to table every aspect of your life around finding success getting to that level, and I think that helps me to make the transition because I understand the sacrifice in the grind to getting to the elite level. The WWE is the No. 1 place to be for a guy who wants to be a superstar, and it’s not easy. There are people all over the world that are trying to get here and continually trying to get here. Once you get here, you can’t get complacent — you have to continue on the grind to make yourself better to keep people interested in what you’re doing. Just that mentality and hard work is the biggest thing that helps from NFL to WWE.

Chiefs Wire: Which WWE legend has influenced you the most?

Corbin: Undertaker is someone I looked up to for his physicality and the mentality, so he’s a guy I grab onto every time he’s around, and he seems very willing to help. And not a lot of guys want to give out secrets, but he helps in how I think about putting things together, and he’s really played a significant role helping me find success and fame. Same with Triple H, he’s been hands-on with me since day one, and he’s always interested in what I’m doing and how I’m doing and how I can evolve, so those guys have played major roles in helping me grow.

Chiefs Wire: You’ve had various roles in WWE with the latest as the winner of the King of the Ring tournament. What’s the next big step for King Corbin?

Corbin: I want to get my hands on that WWE championship; I think that’s the next step and logical step for me. I’ve earned all these stripes, so it’s time to put some gold around my waist.

You can watch Corbin compete weekly on “WWE SmackDown” on Friday nights on Fox.