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Indigenous activists to protest Kansas City Chiefs name, ‘tomahawk chop’

Published

2 years ago

February 12, 2023

Indigenous activists to protest Kansas City Chiefs name, ‘tomahawk chop’

Native American teams are anticipated to protest the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs on Sunday, calling for the AFC champions to drop their title and brand as they tackle the Philadelphia Eagles in Tremendous Bowl 57.

The Chiefs put on the arrowhead brand on their helmet and use a big drum to kick of their residence video games, as followers routinely have interaction in what’s often called the “tomahawk chop” chant, all of which critics say draw on offensive and racist stereotypes.

That is their third journey to the NFL title sport in 4 years and Kansas Metropolis followers will be heard all through Phoenix singing the “tomahawk chop” chant. It’s a jarring distinction to the shows of Native American tradition and delight that Tremendous Bowl hosts have invited to take part within the days main as much as the sport.

Huge crowd of Kansas Metropolis Chiefs followers doing the tomahawk chop at Arrowhead Stadium on Sept. 11, 2016.

Getty Pictures

Dancers from Indigenous Enterprise carried out at Monday’s Opening Evening festivities, changing into the primary Native People to carry out on the annual media mega occasion.

In an odd juxtaposition, they took the stage minutes after Kansas Metropolis followers in attendance on the Footprint Middle joined collectively in a loud rendition of their “tomahawk chop” chant.

“What the NFL is doing inside Phoenix, by bringing in indigenous dancers and artists, that’s celebrating the genuine, which is great,” mentioned Cher Thomas, an artist, neighborhood organizer and member of the Gila River Neighborhood. She can be amongst these outdoors the sport on Sunday protesting.

“Nevertheless, the NFL concurrently condones Kansas Metropolis’s staff and their names and monikers and their derogatory traditions.”

Cher Thomas speaks during a news conference by Native American advocacy groups, Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023, in Phoenix — Cher Thomas talking throughout a information convention by Native American advocacy teams, on Feb. 9, 2023, in Phoenix, Arizona.

The NFL didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.

Chiefs supporter Benny Blades, 55, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, mentioned he admired the staff for “sticking to their weapons” as he stood in Scottsdale’s Previous City, the place followers broke out into spontaneous “tomahawk” chants on streets lined with retailers promoting Native American arts and crafts.

“We are able to’t say something now since you’re gonna offend one or two p.c of the individuals in the USA,” he mentioned.

Scottsdale is immediately adjoining to the Salt River-Maricopa Indian Neighborhood of greater than 7,000 residents, one among Arizona’s 22 federally acknowledged tribes.

At Sunday’s preshow, when singer Babyface performs “America the Lovely,” Navajo Colin Denny will present North American Indian Signal Language interpretation.

Chiefs followers are all however assured to carry out the “tomahawk chop” cheer loudly within the minutes earlier than kickoff, as they did previous to the sport of their earlier two Tremendous Bowl appearances.

The Chiefs didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.

Former Kansas City Chiefs placekicker Jan Stenerud leads the "tomahawk chop" before a week 15 NFL game between the Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs on December 16, 2017 — Former KC Chiefs placekicker Jan Stenerud main the “tomahawk chop” earlier than the Chiefs confronted off in opposition to NFL the Los Angeles Chargers on Dec. 16, 2017.

Ak-Chin Indian Neighborhood, the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation and the Tohono O’odham Nation, who’re companions with the Tremendous Bowl host committee, didn’t reply to a number of interview requests. One other accomplice, Gila River Indian Neighborhood, didn’t make management obtainable.

It’s removed from the primary time the Chiefs title and traditions have come underneath hearth.

In 2019 the Kansas Metropolis Star referred to as for an finish to the chanting and chopping hand gestures.

Months later, within the days earlier than the Chiefs’ Tremendous Bowl conquer the San Francisco 49ers, the staff informed Reuters it had “engaged in significant discussions with a gaggle comprised of people with numerous Native American backgrounds and experiences” over the earlier six years.

However amid a nationwide reckoning over race propelled by the Black Lives Matter Motion, their title and nearly all of their traditions remained intact, even because the Washington Redskins dropped their nickname in July 2020. The Washington staff later changed the nickname, broadly seen as a racist slur, with the Commanders.

Patrick Mahomes and other Kansas City Chiefs players do the tomahawk chop during the Kansas City Chiefs Victory Parade on Feb. 5, 2020 in Kansas City, Missouri. — Patrick Mahomes and different Kansas Metropolis Chiefs gamers do the tomahawk chop through the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs Victory Parade on Feb. 5, 2020 in Kansas Metropolis, Missouri.

A month later the Chiefs introduced they’d ban the sporting of headdresses at Arrowhead Stadium, the place the phrases “finish racism” have been painted ultimately zone and emblazoned on helmets in a nod to racial justice.

“They use that hashtag #EndRacism and it’s on their helmets. And it’s tone deaf,” mentioned Rhonda LeValdo, an Acoma Pueblo journalist who based the Not in our Honor coalition in 2005, to advocate in opposition to using Native American imagery in sports activities.

“I don’t even perceive what you guys are saying and you’ve got the Chiefs brand and also you guys are doing the chop.”

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Kansas

Road to Super Bowl will run through Kansas City after Chiefs victory

Published

3 hours ago

January 19, 2025

Press Room

Road to Super Bowl will run through Kansas City after Chiefs victory

The Kansas City Chiefs won on Saturday, meaning the AFC Championship Game will be in Missouri next Sunday. It’s the seventh straight AFC Championship Games with the Chiefs in the game, and they have hosted six of them.

In 2024, the Chiefs beat the Ravens in Baltimore (the only away game)
In 2023, Kansas City beat the Cincinnati Bengals at home
In 2022, KC hosted the Bengals but lost in overtime
In 2021, the Bills went to Arrowhead and lost
In 2020, the Tennessee Titans came to Kansas City to lose.
In 2019, the New England Patriots beat the Chiefs in overtime in Arrowhead

The Chiefs beat the Ravens in Kansas City in Week 1 to open the 2024 season. The Bills were able to knock off the Chiefs, but it was in Buffalo in November.

Kansas City will have an extra day of rest with the Bills and Ravens playing Sunday night — and the winner has to travel.

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Caitlin Clark sits with Taylor Swift at Kansas City Chiefs vs. Houston Texans NFL playoff

Published

11 hours ago

January 18, 2025

Press Room

Caitlin Clark sits with Taylor Swift at Kansas City Chiefs vs. Houston Texans NFL playoff

Caitlin Clark has never been shy about her Kansas City Chiefs fandom, and her superstardom allowed her to enjoy Saturday’s game with coveted company.

The Iowa women’s basketball legend and reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year was spotted in the same box as Taylor Swift during the team’s NFL Divisional round playoff game against the Houston Texans.

According to Chloe Peterson of the Indianapolis Star, Swift invited Clark to the game when Clark attended one of the pop star’s Eras Tour concerts.

Clark and Swift were even caught on camera chatting during the game.

Swift is famously dating Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, who is trying to help his team become the first team in NFL history to three-peat as Super Bowl champions.

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Chiefs vs. Texans: Divisional Round Preview, Score Predictions

Published

18 hours ago

January 18, 2025

Press Room

Chiefs vs. Texans: Divisional Round Preview, Score Predictions

After a long wait thanks to a first-round bye, Kansas City Chiefs playoff football is officially back. Saturday will see the reigning Super Bowl champions host the Houston Texans, a team they recently faced off against less than a month ago. This time around, the stakes are even higher and both sides will duke it out with a spot in the conference title game on the line.

How will the game unfold? The Kansas City Chiefs On SI crew makes its predictions for the divisional round of the postseason.

Joshua Brisco: Against all recent history, I’m picking the Chiefs to do something they never did in the 2024 regular season: score more than 30 points in a game. This isn’t all about the Chiefs’ playoff experience and pursuit of history, either. The offense — with a healthy Hollywood Brown and a well-rested suite of weapons — finally has enough firepower to make fans forget the slow-and-steady offensive slogs of KC’s midseason survival. I find myself becoming more worried aboutJoe Thuney and Mike Caliendo at left tackle and left guard than most, but Thuney should be stable enough to prevent any disasters. With the return of cornerback Jaylen Watson, the Chiefs may also have the league’s best remaining defense.

Prediction: Chiefs 31, Texans 13

Jordan Foote: With all due respect to DeMeco Ryans and the Texans, we’ve seen this type of game unfold before. Despite Houston boasting a tremendous defense, Kansas City has the benefit when it comes to quarterback play, coaching, rest and playing environment. Add in a fired-up Travis Kelce and the returns of Watson and Chris Jones, and you’ve got a recipe for a win. I’m rolling with another eight-point Chiefs-Texans margin, albeit with the visitors doing some window-dressing late to make things look closer than they actually were.

Prediction: Chiefs 31, Texans 23

Zack Eisen: Between sitting players in the season’s final week and having the bye, it seems like the Chiefs haven’t played in forever. The good news is the extra time allowed them to get a key piece back in Jaylen Watson. The defense was easily one of the best in the league when he was in the lineup, and it would be great to see that version return for the playoffs. On the other side of the ball, it’s playoff Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Andy Reid. This may be the first time the Chiefs score more than 30 points all season. I expect a dominant performance from this team, as they have been waiting all year to get to the postseason.

Prediction: Chiefs 35, Texans 16

Mark Van Sickle: The Chiefs tend to dominate the divisional round under Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid. They are playing an opponent they just beat a few weeks ago and coming off plenty of rest to get ready for this playoff push. The Texans are a solid team and worthy opponent, but there is too much on the line for the Chiefs to lose at home in this spot. The defense will have everyone available to them for the first time all season (Charles Omenihu started the season on injured reserve, then Watson was on it when he came back), and that’s not good for the Texans who have had injury issues all season on offense. Meanwhile, the Chiefs’ offense will be about as healthy as it’s been all season as well. Look for Mahomes to be Mahomes and the Chiefs to win and actually cover the spread!