© 2025 Kansas City Public Radio
NPR in Kansas City
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Why Kansas City’s football team became the Chiefs

Crysta Henthorne KCUR 89.3 / Kansas Collection / The University of Kansas / Jeremy Bernfeld

As Kansas City celebrates the Chiefs’ third consecutive Super Bowl appearance, the team name, logo, and some problematic fan customs like the “tomahawk chop” are once again being broadcast worldwide. Suzanne Hogan explores how it all got started, and how the team avoided becoming the Kansas City Texans.

This episode of A People's History of Kansas City was reported and mixed by Suzanne Hogan, produced by Suzanne Hogan and Olivia Hewitt, with editing by Mackenzie Martin and Luke X. Martin. 

Stay Connected
As managing podcast producer for KCUR Studios and a host of A People’s History of Kansas City, I want to feed your curious mind, offer historical context so you understand why things are the way they are, and introduce you to the people working to make a difference behind the scenes. Reach me at hogansm@kcur.org.
Olivia is the 2024-2025 KCUR Studios intern. Email her at ohewitt@kcur.org
KCUR prides ourselves on bringing local journalism to the public without a paywall — ever.

Our reporting will always be free for you to read. But it's not free to produce.

As a nonprofit, we rely on your donations to keep operating and trying new things. If you value our work, consider becoming a member.