It never gets old, but Clark Hunt is sure getting used to hoisting the Lombardi Trophy. As the Kansas City Chiefs owner and CEO, he gets the honor of being the first one to hold the prize for winning the Super Bowl, handed to him by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. And Hunt never misses an opportunity to thank his Lord and Savior.
He did so again Sunday night at Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas, after his Chiefs became the NFL’s ninth back-to-back champions. They defeated the San Francisco 49ers, 25-22, in overtime, becoming the first team to claim consecutive championships since the New England Patriots in 2003-04 and 2004-05. The Chiefs also won the title four years ago over the 49ers, giving them three of the last five Super Bowl wins.
“It’s been an amazing five-year run,” Hunt said atop the on-field stage after Sunday’s game. “I want to thank the Lord for giving us this opportunity.” Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was named the game’s MVP for a third time. He hit receiver Mecole Hardman on a 3-yard touchdown pass in overtime, clinching the win under the NFL’s new overtime rules that ensured both teams got the ball. San Francisco had taken the lead with a field goal on their opening possession of overtime.
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Kansas City trailed for much of the night, but took its first lead with a touchdown pass to Marquez Valdes-Scantling late in the third quarter. The 49ers regained the lead early in the fourth, and the teams exchanged field goals to send it into overtime — just the second Super Bowl ever to be tied after regulation.
QB Brock Purdy then led the 49ers on a 13-play drive for a field goal to open overtime, but Mahomes responded with a 13-play drive of his own that culminated with the championship-winning touchdown. That allowed Hunt to collect the fourth Super Bowl trophy in franchise history, which dates back to 1959.
That’s when Clark’s father, Lamar, founded the team as the Dallas Texans in the American Football League. The franchise relocated to Kansas City in 1963 and took on its current name, and won its first championship in Super Bowl IV (1969-70 season). The Chiefs joined the NFL soon thereafter in the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.
Lamar Hunt owned the franchise until his death in 2006, at which point Clark, his mother Norma, and Clark’s three siblings inherited legal ownership of the Chiefs. Clark has served as chairman since 2005 and took over CEO duties in 2009. In the 15 years with Clark as CEO, the Chiefs have won three Super Bowls and advanced to the postseason 11 times, including each of the last nine years.
And throughout his tenure, Hunt has been led by his faith in Christ. As he spoke Sunday night, he wore a bracelet on his right wrist that displayed “Matthew 25:21,” which is a Bible verse that reads, “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’” Four years ago after winning Super Bowl LIV, Hunt said, “I want to thank the Lord for blessing our family with all these incredible people who have helped us bring this championship home. To the Chiefs kingdom, you guys are world champions once again!”
Hunt says he’s simply giving credit where it’s due. It’s a natural response for him, considering he became a believer at 10 years old. He has built a Chiefs culture centered around faith in Christ, and he makes it a top priority for his staff. He’s even helped organize pregame chapel services for fans and contributed to projects that proclaim Christ in Kansas City and around the country. “We want our employees to develop spiritually,” Hunt said in October 2019, according to the Tyler Morning Telegraph. “In the National Football League, Christ is really glorified. My identity is my faith in Christ.”
Before last year’s Super Bowl, a thriller in which Kansas City edged the Philadelphia Eagles, 38-35, Sports Spectrum briefly caught up with Hunt to ask him about his faith. “In our family, it’s faith, family and football, and in that order,” Hunt said. “That’s a challenge, but it’s something we really focus on as a family and it’s the No. 1 thing in our lives.”
Hunt also talked about the importance of prayer. “It’s one of the cornerstones of my faith and anyone who’s a Christian,” he told Sports Spectrum. “God is faithful, and even though He knows what’s on my heart, I need to share it with Him because it draws me closer to Him.”
Even amidst the craziness of his team advancing to the Super Bowl, Hunt regularly makes time for the annual Super Bowl Breakfast, an NFL-sanctioned event hosted by the sports ministry Athletes in Action the day before the big game. As he has in years past, Hunt was among the guests for this year’s event, held at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
The breakfast features the presentation of the Bart Starr Award — this year’s recipient was Pittsburgh Steeler Minkah Fitzpatrick — and is closed by a current or former NFL player presenting the Gospel for the large audience — the honor this year went to Hall of Famer Mike Singletary. Whether on the stage after a Super Bowl win, on the stage for a ministry event, or in his own home, Hunt makes sure to keep his faith in Christ in the forefront. And the more his Chiefs keep winning, the more that fans will hear his message.
