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How did the Kansas City Chiefs get their name?

An illustration showing the Kansas City skyline with the words "Kansas City Today"

Had things gone a different way, Chiefs fans could have been rooting for the world-champion Kansas City Mules this Super Bowl — or perhaps the Kansas City Texans. In a special episode, we're exploring how this controversial name first came to be.

As the dynasty-level Kansas City Chiefs prepare for another Super Bowl appearance this Sunday, the team’s name and controversial fan practices are again in the international spotlight. But where did it all start? From the KCUR Studios podcast A People’s History of Kansas City, Suzanne Hogan has the story. 

Contact the show at news@kcur.org. Follow KCUR on Instagram and Facebook for the latest news.

Kansas City Today is hosted by Nomin Ujiyediin. It is produced by Olivia Hewitt and KCUR Studios, and edited by Lisa Rodriguez and Gabe Rosenberg.

You can support Kansas City Today by becoming a KCUR member: kcur.org/donate.

As a newscaster and a host of a daily news podcast, I want to deliver the most important and interesting news of the day in an engaging and easily understandable way. No matter where you live in the metro or what you’re interested in, I want you to learn something from each newscast or podcast – and maybe even give you something to talk about at the dinner table.
Olivia is the 2024-2025 KCUR Studios intern. Email her at ohewitt@kcur.org
KCUR is here for Kansas City, because Kansas City is here for KCUR.

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