When the Kansas City Chiefs open their season at home on September 10 against the Houston Texans, there will be fans in the stands at Arrowhead Stadium.
Thanks to a decision by the team that was a long time coming, none of them will be wearing headdresses, face paint or any other type of Native American imagery.
In addition to those bans, the team is also looking into eliminating the tomahawk chop and the pregame beating of a drum, which is often done by a former player or coach or a local celebrity. A similar chop is also used by the Florida State Seminoles and Atlanta Braves.
“In 2014, we began a dialogue with a group of local leaders from diverse American Indian backgrounds and experiences,” the Chiefs said in a statement. “As an organization, our goal was to gain a better understanding of the issues facing American Indian communities in our region and explore opportunities to both raise awareness of American Indian cultures and celebrate the rich traditions of tribes with a historic connection to the Kansas City area.”
The Chiefs, who are named after former Mayor Harold Roe “Chief” Bartle, did not address potentially changing the name of Arrowhead Stadium in their statement.
“We are grateful for the meaningful conversations we have had with all of these American Indian leaders,” the statement continued. “It is important that we continue the dialogue on these significant topics, and we look forward to continuing to work together in the future.”
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