How the Kansas City Chiefs were pioneers in recruiting Black players in the 1960s

Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt’s dedication to discovering Black athletes dates back to the 1960s, from selecting a Black player first in the 1963 AFL draft to hiring the first full-time African American pro scout.
As football fans across the country get ready to watch two Black starting quarterbacks go head-to-head in the Super Bowl for the first time in history, what many people might not know is how the Kansas City Chiefs paved the way for Black players in the NFL.

Before the American Football League (AFL) and National Football League (NFL) merger in 1966, the AFL was known as almost the only place where Black football players had an opportunity to play professionally, according to an article by FOX 4 reporter Harold Kuntz.

Chiefs founder and former owner Lamar Hunt was pivotal in leading that charge, Kuntz found.