Norma Hunt, wife of late Chiefs founder Lamar Hunt and mother of CEO Clark Hunt, dies at 85

Norma Hunt’s final game watching the Kansas City Chiefs saw the franchise hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy. Four months after the Chiefs emerged victorious in Super Bowl LVII, Hunt died at age 85 on Sunday, the team announced.

Hunt, the wife of the late Chiefs founder Lamar Hunt, attended all 57 Super Bowls. She is the mother of current Chiefs chairman and CEO Clark Hunt, who took over those responsibilities in 2010. The Chiefs have won seven AFC West titles and two Super Bowl titles since Clark Hunt took over, with his mother Norma watching after his father’s death.

The Hunt family released a statement on Norma’s death.

“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. Kind, generous and unfailingly positive, mom was one of a kind. 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.

“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.

“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.

“Her quiet yet deep faith sustained her throughout her life, and we take great comfort knowing that she is home with the Lord. She will be greatly missed by our family, the extended Chiefs and FC Dallas families, and by everyone who knew her.”

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell also released a statement on Norma Hunt’s death. 

“The entire NFL family is deeply saddened by the passing of Norma Hunt, who was a significant presence in the NFL for the last seven decades,” it reads. “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. 

“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.’ Norma attended every Super Bowl ever played, including the two recent Chiefs’ victories, and was the only woman to do so.

“Norma’s role in football was highlighted recently in the documentary appropriately entitled ‘A Lifetime of Sundays.’ Norma’s place in NFL history will forever be remembered by the Chiefs’ organization and the entire league. We extend our deepest condolences to Clark and the entire Hunt family, and the many people whose lives she impacted during her remarkable life.”