For Chiefs Fans, No More Headdresses

Now that Washington's football team has decided it will no longer be the Redskins, Kansas City's team is reconsidering its imagery and practices. The Chiefs announced Thursday that fans will no longer be allowed to wear headdresses or Native American-themed face paint to home games, the Washington Post reports. The team, which won the Super Bowl last season, also said it's reviewing the "Arrowhead Chop," which fans do during games. The changes were made after consultation with local leaders with "diverse American Indian backgrounds" and a national organization, the Chiefs said in a statement, adding that the goals included gaining "a better understanding of the issues facing American Indian communities in our region."

Fans will still be admitted if they've painted their faces, as long as it's not "in a way that references or appropriates American Indian cultures and traditions." Past changes include having a cheerleader ride a pinto horse, Warpaint, onto the field; Warpaint used to be ridden by a man wearing a full Native American headdress. This shouldn't be the end of the Chiefs' changes, said Rhonda LeValdo, a teacher and Acoma Pueblo member, per the Kansas City Star. "They need to get rid of everything. They need to change the name. Everything," she said. The team made no mention of changing the name of its stadium—Arrowhead—or team, per the AP. The Chiefs said they're looking into starting a formal education program and will keep working with the Native American organizations. (More Kansas City Chiefs stories.)