In the world of sports, uniforms are a key part of the landscape. They're obviously important for the teams—it's what they wear on the field, after all—but they're especially meaningful for fans. Whether you're in the stands, at a sports bar or on the couch, wearing a jersey is a simple identifier; you're standing behind the team.
And in that vein, the Kansas City Chiefs have kept things largely consistent. While things have evolved over the years, the club keeps hitting the field wearing some combination of red, white and gold.
Every team has some unique flourishes, though, and KC isn't an exception to that reality. One of the more-visible touches is a circular patch bearing a large "A."
What does that have to do with the Chiefs? As with most other details, the answer can be found in history.
The Chiefs' 'A' Patch Honors Lamar Hunt
These days, the Chiefs ply their trade in the NFL. When the franchise first took the gridiron, however, things were a bit different.
In 1960, the American Football League (AFL) kicked off, aiming to cut into the NFL's pie. Lamar Hunt, one of the league's owners, entered the fray with his Dallas Texans. The club only lasted a few years in the Lone Star State before moving north to Kansas City. And, since they no longer called Big D home, the Texans rebranded as the Chiefs.
There were some early growing pains, but the league eventually found its footing and proved to be a genuine competitor. Talks of a merger began in secret, and a plan was hatched. Wins in Super Bowl III and Super Bowl IV, courtesy of the New York Jets and the Chiefs, respectively, proved that the AFL was equal in terms of on-field merits, and when the 1970 NFL season began, there was no more division. The AFL's teams were rolled into the NFL, forming the bulk of the AFC.
Hunt, as one of the AFL's original owners, played a key role in that success.
— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) December 13, 2023The impact that Lamar Hunt made on football is immeasurable.
In addition to his work in launching the @Chiefs, Hunt was integral in the founding of the AFL, its merger with the NFL and coining the name "Super Bowl."
Hunt passed away #OTD in 2006. #HOFForever pic.twitter.com/AlLLvSjCpn
"The new league was the subject of many a joke in the early days of its existence but its eventual David-and-Goliath-like success in its costly survival battle with the established NFL did more to permanently change the pro football scene than any other event in a half-century of organized pro football activity," his Pro Football Hall of Fame profile explains.
After the merger, Hunt didn't vanish. He remained at the head of the Chiefs organization, and his family still runs the team to this day.
And the most prominent patch on the club's jersey commemorates his legacy.
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"Clark Hunt commissioned a patch that Chiefs players first wore on uniforms in 2007 to honor the passing of the franchise's founder. The design was historically significant and served as a reminder of Hunt's formation of the AFL and his contribution to the growth of professional football," the Chiefs' website explains.
"Hunt's initials are worn over the heart on the left side of the jersey. Similar to how the Chicago Bears memorialize their founder, George Halas, the Hunt patch remains as a permanent patch on team uniforms with a smaller version on the coaches' sideline gear."
And, while it might not seem apparent, that patch does visually remember Hunt. The logo, which depicts a letter "A" and an eagle holding a football, harkens back to the AFL's league-wide logo. There is a change, however: the football in the bird's clutches bears the initials "LH."
The Chiefs Also Remember Another Hunt
During the 2023-24 season, though, Kansas City added another addition to their jersey. On the opposite side of each player's chest, there's a football-shaped patch with "NKH" on it.
Those initials stand for Norma Knobel Hunt, Lamar's wife. She died in June 2023, and the club said that it would pay tribute to their late matriarch during the following campaign.
That season fittingly included the Chiefs lifting the Lamar Hunt Trophy as the AFC Champions. And success in the Super Bowl—Lamar helped coin that moniker—would be a fitting way to honor the memory of their old owners.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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