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When Chiefs Kingdom comes together Thursday for the NFL regular-season opener at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, they'll celebrate the unveiling of the championship banner earned by winning Super Bowl LVII over the Philadelphia Eagles last season.
It also will be a moment of reflection for the team's chairman and CEO, Clark Hunt.
His mother, Norma Hunt, never missed a Super Bowl.
Ever.
The widow of team founder Lamar Hunt watched the Chiefs hoist the Lombardi Trophy for the third time in its history in Februrary.
Norma, who earned the title "First Lady of Football," passed away in June, drawing remembrances from across the country, including President Joe Biden and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell.
This week, I spoke with her son Clark about what Thursday's celebration — the first one without either of his parents, Norma or Lamar, by his side — will be like.
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"It'll be really tough not having my mom," Clark said. "I'm so glad that she was able to be there in February in Arizona to see the Chiefs claim the third Super Bowl in the history of the organization. She was there for all three and, of course, she had an amazing streak in making all 57 Super Bowls, but we're definitely going to miss her.
"This is the first year without my mom and dad, and they're just so much a part of our organization, so much part of the DNA of the organization, so they’ll be missed.”
Norma Hunt's presence was felt at Super Bowl LVII by Chiefs past and present.
I asked one of them, former Kansas City Chiefs linebacker and Pro Football Hall of Famer Bobby Bell, what it will be like Thursday night without Norma in attendance.
"It's going to be the first time," he told me. "It's sad."
While there will be mixed emotions before the game, Clark told me his parents' love for the team will always come through.
“I know how excited they would be," Clark said. "My parents have loved the Chiefs, they loved the fan base, they loved everything about game day, especially the fans, and it's going to be a great moment for the entire organization and our fan base to get to drop that banner (Thursday) night.”
Kickoff is set for 7:20 p.m. and Chiefs-Lions game can be seen on KSHB 41, including a three-hour pregame beginning at 4 p.m. and a one-hour postgame show.
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