Patch Work: Lamar Hunt's Love of Uniform Patches

Here's a look at various uniform patches the Chiefs have worn throughout the years

Nov 12, 2022 at 01:59 PM

Bob Moore

Team Historian

Team founder Lamar Hunt believed in the sanctity of his team's colors and logo and consequently the Kansas City Chiefs' uniform has undergone little change since the franchise relocated from Dallas, Texas in 1963.

But what he did favor to memorialize major moments in franchise history were uniform patches, many of which he designed himself.

Here is a sampling of patches the team has worn through the years, some of Hunt's design and others designated by the league, or by Chiefs' club officials.

AFL-10 Patch

Worn on the shoulder of the team's jerseys in Super Bowl IV, the design was a collaborative effort of AFL president Milt Woodard and longtime AFL fan Angelo Coniglio.

AFL Patch on Kansas City Chiefs General Manager Brett Veach sleeve during warmups at the stadium before Super Bowl 55 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, Feb. 7, 2021 in Tampa, Fla.

Silver Anniversary Patch

The original eight AFL teams all wore the circular patch in 1984 to pay tribute to 25 years as pro football franchises. This Chiefs patch featured the team's helmet and AFL logo.

A closeup of the Kansas City Chiefs 25th Anniversary patch.

Joe Delaney Patch

Circular in design, it was worn on the left upper chest of the Chiefs' uniforms and bore a gold eagle and the number 37 in memory of Delaney, who died while attempting to save children from drowning on June 29, 1983 in Monroe, Louisiana.

A closeup of the 1983 Joe Delaney commemorative patch.

WWD Patch

A black panel with white initials, it was worn on the upper left chest of player jerseys in memory of Whitey Dovell, the team's director of player personnel, who passed away from cancer on May 11, 1992.

Kansas City Chiefs safety Martin Bayless (30) sits on the bench during a home game.

35th Anniversary Patch

Chiefs' players wore a 35th anniversary patch on their right upper chest in celebration of the franchise's 35 seasons in 1994. It featured a Texans logo and the interlocking letters "KC."

75th Anniversary Patch

All NFL teams wore the "NFL Diamond Anniversary" patch in 1999 on their left upper chest to honor the league's 75 seasons.

40th Anniversary Patch

The Chiefs celebrated 40 years as a professional football team in 1999 with a patch featuring the AFL and team logos.

40th Anniversary in Kansas City Patch

The team commemorated 40 years in Mid-America in 2002 with a patch that was highlighted by "The Scout," Kansas City's most recognizable icon, with the city's skyline in the background.

Lamar Hunt Patch

Clark Hunt commissioned a patch that Chiefs players first wore on uniforms in 2007 to honor the passing of the franchise's founder. The design was historically significant and served as a reminder of Hunt's formation of the AFL and his contribution to the growth of professional football. Hunt's initials are worn over the heart on the left side of the jersey. Similar to how the Chicago Bears memorialize their founder, George Halas, the Hunt patch remains as a permanent patch on team uniforms with a smaller version on the coaches' sideline gear.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) on the sideline for the national anthem prior to an NFL football game against the Buffalo Bills, Sunday, Oct. 16, 2022, in Kansas City, Mo. Buffalo won 24-20. (Steve Sanders/Kansas City Chiefs via AP)

Gene Upshaw Patch

In 2008, the NFL league office mandated that its teams wear a patch honoring the late Pro Football Hall of Fame guard and executive director of the NFL Players Association for the season's kickoff weekend, which for the Chiefs was a game with New England on September 7, 2008.

50th Anniversary Patch/AFL 50th Anniversary Patch

This patch was worn on the Chiefs' jerseys for 13 games in 2009 and includes the outline of the state of Texas and the only two logos that have ever appeared on the franchise's helmets. But for three games against former AFL franchises that year, the club wore 1960 Dallas Texans "throwback" uniforms and a "AFL 50th Anniversary" patch featuring the original AFL logo.

Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles (25) runs with the ball during the Nov. 29, 2009 away game against the San Diego Chargers. The Chiefs lost 14-43.

Super Bowl LIV Patch

The Super Bowl patch has been worn by both participants in the championship game for some years now. This year's patch included the roman numerals "LIV" with an image of the championship trophy. The numerals had a yellow trim and the words "Super Bowl" inside a blue background across the bottom of the patch.

LIV Patch prior to Super Bowl LIV between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers on February 2, 2020.

Super Bowl LV Patch

Similar to the LIV patch in look except the numerals were, of course, different. The letters were trimmed in blue and the words "Super Bowl" were inside a yellow background.

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) drops back to pass the ball during Super Bowl 55 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, Feb. 7, 2021 in Tampa, Fla.

Captain's Patch

Although not worn during the regular season, a "C" patch was attached to game captains' jerseys during Andy Reid's tenure as head coach once the playoffs were underway. Worn on the right side of the jersey, above the Super Bowl patch and opposite the permanent Hunt patch, a large "C" became a regular feature once the playoffs began. Beneath it were a series of stars which were colored if the wearer had held that designation in previous playoff seasons.