The world of Professional Football took a jarring hit today following the passing of Norma Hunt, the widow of former Kansas City Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt. Norma, 85, received league-wide respect during her tenure as the First Lady to the Chiefs, which his more apparent than ever as condolences are offered from owners across the NFL.
Norma’s legacy is felt in the game every winter, as the name “Super Bowl” was largely a conjuring from her and her husband’s imaginations. The Hunt family offered a statement following her death, which read, in part, “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.”
The statement offered a warm sense of closure, nothing that Norma was given the gift of seeing her Chiefs house the Lombardi Trophy one last time. “This February, she attended her 57th and final Super Bowl and watched her beloved Chiefs hoist the Lombardi Trophy for the third time. It was a fitting conclusion to her streak as the only woman to attend every Super Bowl.”
Norma’s death struck at hearts far beyond her family and closest friends. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell released a statement saying, “I was fortunate to know Norma for nearly 40 years and was always struck by her warmth and grace, her partnership with Lamar, and her pride in their family. Norma’s sense of family extended to the Chiefs’ organization which she greatly adored.”
Goodell also celebrated Norma for her intense fandom for the Chiefs and for being a positive ambassador to the sport, saying, “Norma was one of the most passionate fans of the Chiefs and the NFL, and understood and enjoyed every aspect of the game. She loved being around the team and referred to the players as ‘real-life superheroes.’”
Owners from across the league also offered statements regarding the death of Norma Hunt. Arthur Blank, owner of the Atlanta Falcons, Tweeted, “We send our condolences to the Hunt family and Chiefs
Kingdom as they mourn the loss of Norma Hunt. The matriarch of one of the foundational families of both the NFL and MLS, Norma had a profound impact on everyone she met.” Blank added that her presence will be missed on the sideline of Chiefs games in the coming years.
https://twitter.com/AtlantaFalcons/status/1665760191583772672/photo/1
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The McCaskey family, owners of the Chicago Bears, offered a similar message of condolences and celebrated the outstanding role model that Norma Hunt proved herself to be. “Norma Hunt was the epitome of grace, and a dear friend of Virginia McCaskey. They had a special relationship, as each of them knew exactly what the other was going through, celebrating the triumphs and enduring the disappointments of our great game. Norma handled both the triumphs and the disappointments with dignity, setting an outstanding example for sports fans everywhere.”