Norma Hunt, widow of Chiefs founder Lamar and only woman to attend every Super Bowl, dies at 85
Norma Hunt, the widow of Kansas City Chiefs founder Lamar Hunt and mother of team owner Clark Hunt, has died. She was 85 years old.
The Chiefs announced her death on Sunday via a statement from the Hunt family. Details of her death including the cause were not announced.
"Our family is deeply saddened by the passing of our mother, Norma. She was a wonderful mother and an extraordinary woman who will be dearly missed by all who knew her. ...
"Mom was steadfastly devoted to her family and fiercely passionate about her family's sports teams. She was by our father Lamar's side every step of the way – from the merger of the AFL and the NFL to the formation of Major League Soccer, World Championship Tennis, the North American Soccer League, and their founding investment in the Chicago Bulls. She was the only person we knew who rivaled his love of sports. The two of them found such joy together, whether at home, or in stadium stands around the world."
Hunt was an integral and visible member of the Chiefs family. Per the NFL, she was the only woman to attend all 57 Super Bowls. She watched her Chiefs win the Super Bowl in February and had a front-row seat on top of the party bus for the ensuing victory parade in Kansas City.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell released a statement mourning Hunt, whom he described as "a significant presence in the NFL for the last seven decades."
"Norma's place in NFL history will forever be remembered by the Chiefs' organization and the entire league," Goodell's statement reads.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes wrote on Twitter: "Mrs. Norma was the best."
Mrs. Norma was the best. Glad to be a part of this special organization she help build. She will be missed! Prayers to the entire Hunt family. 🙏🏽💔 https://t.co/YOiDzVUK3j
— Patrick Mahomes II (@PatrickMahomes) June 4, 2023
FC Dallas of MLS, which the Hunt family owns, also mourned Hunt's passing.
FC Dallas Mourns the Passing of Norma Hunt
👉 https://t.co/4pflDvgpVM pic.twitter.com/WP8PR5sC5G— FC Dallas (@FCDallas) June 4, 2023
Hunt married Lamar in 1964, five years after he co-founded the AFL as the owner of the charter member Dallas Texans. The Texans moved to Kansas City and became the Chiefs in 1963. The Chiefs went on to play in the first Super Bowl in 1967 against the Green Bay Packers with Norma in attendance. Before her death, she watched Kansas City play in five Super Bowls, three of which they won.
"Kind, generous and unfailingly positive, mom was one of a kind," the Hunt family statement reads. "Her joy and zeal for life were infectious. She loved caring for others, and she always had an encouraging word. She was a loyal friend, the consummate hostess and she had a rare ability to make everyone she encountered feel valued and at ease."
