National Football League

Chiefs unveil Hunt statue, start training camp

Published Jul. 30, 2010 7:33 p.m. ET

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At the unveiling Friday of a nine-foot statute of Lamar Hunt, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell praised the founder of the AFL and Kansas City Chiefs as a humble leader and farsighted visionary who helped shape the modern game.

''Lamar's role in pro football history is unparalleled,'' Goodell told several hundred invited guests as Hunt's widow and four children sat on the stage behind him. ''He was one of the finest men and innovators in the entire history of sports. His vision of the AFL 50 years ago transformed pro football from a regional sport to a national passion.''

Hunt, who died in 2006, was the 27-year-old son of oil billionaire H.L. Hunt when he talked several other wealthy sportsmen into forming the AFL in 1959 and challenging the established National Football League. He had been rebuffed several times in an effort to buy an NFL team, so he decided to form his own league.

After a rocky beginning, the new league became a huge success and finally forced a merger with the NFL. The Founder's Plaza on the north side of the renovated Arrowhead Stadium is dedicated to Hunt and the AFL.

Hunt, a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, gave the Super Bowl its name and was the first to suggest the games be given Roman numerals. He also had the idea of naming the Super Bowl trophy after coach Vince Lombardi.

''Lamar looms large among all of Hall of Famers as a pioneer and a founding father and one of the most important architects in the history of our great game,'' said Goodell.

When he began his climb up the NFL power structure, Goodell was an assistant to Hunt.

''I had the good fortune of working with Lamar as his assistant back in the league office for several years,'' Goodell told the assembled guests, including many former players and local dignitaries.

''His impression stays with me to this day. I think about what he would do in many of the circumstances and many of the decisions I have to make. He never lost sight of the game and the importance of keeping it strong and exciting for the fans. His spirit will always be a part of us.''

The statue depicts Hunt as most fans remember him - coatless and wearing a plain shirt and tie with the sleeves rolled up.

''He was a fan first and he always looked forward to spending time with Chiefs fans on Sunday,'' said Clark Hunt, chairman of the Chiefs and the only family member who takes an active role in the club. ''He made a habit of walking the parking lot on game days, crashing tailgate parties, taking pictures with fans and welcoming the Arrowhead faithful to the stadium that he loved so much.''

The statue and Founder's Plaza were added to the renovation project after Hunt died.

''Given his humble nature, my father would never have let us go to so much trouble on his behalf,'' Clark Hunt said. ''From the start, it was clear that we had to have a space devoted to Lamar and it had to be available to all fans.''

Later Friday, the Chiefs began training camp at their new facilities in St. Joseph, Mo.

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