Kansas City Chiefs nickname history explained

There are few teams in the NFL who have a stronger tradition than the Kansas City Chiefs, with the most recent success only adding to things. 

The Kansas City Chiefs nickname history in the NFL stretches back 41 years to when the team was first introduced into the league in 1970. Ever since then, the team has seen plenty of success, with the AFC powerhouse of course looking like a threat to win several more Super Bowls down the road with Patrick Mahomes running the show.

Kansas City has two Super Bowl wins to its name, with the first one coming in 1970, and the second one coming during the ’19 campaign with Andy Reid in charge. But, what led to the Chiefs getting their nickname?

How did the Chiefs get their nickname?

Kansas City became the Chiefs in 1963, when the team was still a member of the American Football League. Remember, they didn’t officially join the NFL until 1970. Previously, the team was the Dallas Texans, but owner Lamar Hunt relocated the team to Kansas City in 1963.

When it came time to give the organization a new name in the new city, the team decided to pay tribute to former Kansas City mayor Harold Bartle. Bartle’s nickname was ‘The Chief,’ so Hunt and his friends thought the Kansas City Chiefs had a nice ring to it. Bartle played a big role in bringing the team to town.

After joining the NFL, Kansas City has turned heads with fantastic play and only more big moments should be on the way. After Mahomes signed his head-turning 10-year, $502 million contract, the team basically locked things down to be elite for a while. The Chiefs are considered the favorites to win the Super Bowl next season, which would be No. 3 for the franchise.