Kansas City Chiefs founder Lamar Hunt often said his favorite place in the world was GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Missouri. That’s not stopping the team from moving across state lines.
During a Monday news conference, Hunt’s son, Chiefs owner Clark, confirmed the team plans to move to Kansas after its lease at Arrowhead ends in January 2031.
“Today is an extraordinary day in the history of the Kansas City Chiefs,” Clark Hunt said. “This project represents another step in our legacy of innovation and our fan-first mentality, which started with my father, Lamar Hunt.”
But Clark Hunt is breaking a promise to fans with his plans. He previously insisted he wanted to keep the Chiefs at Arrowhead, where they’ve played since 1972.
How Clark Hunt is breaking his promise
“Nothing’s changed from our perspective,” Clark Hunt said in December 2023, via Tod Palmer of KSHB-TV in Kansas City, Mo. “We’re still focused on Arrowhead. We believe it’s one of the best stadiums in the National Football League. And we hope to make it our home for another 25 years.”
Now, it’s set to be home for just five more years if everything goes to plan, and it appears it will.
According to Dave Skretta and John Hanna of the Associated Press, Kansas’ top lawmakers voted unanimously at the state Capitol to allow STAR bonds (sales Tax and revenue bonds) to cover 70% of the cost of a stadium and the accompanying mixed-use district. The bonds will be repaid using state sales and liquor tax revenues generated in the area.
The Chiefs plan to construct their new stadium near the Kansas Speedway and a retail and entertainment district known as The Legends. That location is also home to Children’s Mercy Park, where MLS club Sporting Kansas City plays.
It’s not the same as moving from Missouri to Dallas, Texas, where the Chiefs played as the Texans from 1960-62, but the team could’ve found a way to stay at Arrowhead.
In April 2024, voters in Jackson County, Mo., rejected a 40-year sales tax that would’ve funded the construction of a new Kansas City Royals ballpark and renovations to Arrowhead Stadium. The Chiefs pledged $300M for an $800M project. But the proposal would’ve impacted more than 700,000 people, including business owners.
Instead of developing a new plan that could’ve cost taxpayers less money, the team found what it considered a better deal.
Clark Hunt said he has big dreams for the new stadium, which he certainly hopes could one day host a Super Bowl. But why not continue to pursue that goal at the place his father cherished?
Alvin Kamara revisits his legendary Christmas Day game with a new twist 5 years later
New Orleans Saints fans bore witness to the greatest Christmas Day performance in NFL history when Alvin Kamara annihilated the Minnesota Vikings. Kamara ran for an NFL record 6 touchdowns in one game.
Kamara touched the ball just 25 times, so he basically scored every fourth time he touched the ball. It was an incredible performance to watch in real time, because even as a Saints fan, you just sat and watched in disbelief.
It was an all around offensive display of dominance, highlighted by Kamara’s scoring prowress. He wrapped up his day by making snow angels with his offensive linemen after his final touchdown.
Alvin Kamara declined the NFL’s request to enshrine the cleats
You’d think something from that game would be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The league tried, but Kamara wouldn’t budge. Even Kamara’s former teammate, Terron Armstead, was surprised to hear this revelation.
Kamara walked away with the most memorable performance of the season, but he also walked away $5,000 lighter. Since it was Christmas Day, Kamara wore red and green cleats.
It’s a violation of the NFL’s uniform policy. It’s an absolutely terrible rule, and it isn’t the first time Kamara was fined because of it. He was fined for Christmas themed cleats during his rookie year as well. Even on special days like Christmas the No Fun League embodied their name.
The funny part comes after the game when the NFL wanted to put the cleats from that game in the Hall of Fame. It’s commonplace for the league to enshrine player gear from historic moments. Kamara’s game certainly fit the bill, but Kamara had one request when the league came to ask for his cleats.
Pay me. When they said no, Kamara responded with a no of his own. The league told Kamara they don’t pay to secure these items. Knowing someone who has been paid, he wasn’t settling for zero payment.
Kamara had the same question anyone else would have. “Why would I do that? Y’all fined me and now y’all want to put it..” It’s a genuinely ridiculous thought process to fine someone, and then want to put the exact item you fined them on display. It’s hard to argue with how Kamara handled the scenario.
The Saints star opened up
“I saw a lot of people looking at that and saying, like, I was holding the Saints hostage by saying that if they traded me, I would retire,” Kamara said. “Which is not at all what I was saying. What I was saying was the same thing I’ve said my whole career. I want to be in New Orleans, right? Period. In the simplest of forms. I want to be in New Orleans.
“If I were to have to play football somewhere else, then I don’t want to play football, that’s all I was saying. It’s the trade deadline, so things get read into a little bit more. It’s like ‘Well, they went to Alvin and asked him if he wanted to be traded. And he told Mickey Loomis that if they trade him…’ I wasn’t holding anybody hostage. At the end of the day, that entity, that team, they swing the gavel. So, I’m never going to go up there and be like if you trade me, I’m going to go home.”
There you have it. Kamara made it clear that he wasn’t holding the team hostage but simply wanted to be in New Orleans. If you’re a Saints fan, what else could you ask for?
