Chiefs to Stop Running of Warpaint Horse Amid Talks of Native American Ties
Kansas City Chiefs President Mark Donovan announced Monday afternoon that Warpaint, the team's horse that runs the field before every home game, will no longer be present at Arrowhead Stadium.
"We just feel like it's time to retire Warpaint," Donovan said during a Monday press conference. "There's a lot of reasons for that and we just feel like it's the right thing to do. Warpaint will not be running at Arrowhead anymore, and we will continue the conversations, we'll continue to take the path that we've taken."
Donovan noted several changes to Arrowhead Stadium ahead of the Chiefs' 2021-2022 season, which begins next month. The Chiefs, who lost to Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Super Bowl earlier this year, have been in discussion with Native American tribes and leaders about refining their mascot, logo and overall NFL experience for years.
"As I've said, educating ourselves, educating our fans, creating opportunities to create awareness," Donovan said Monday.
According to the Chiefs' official NFL website, Warpaint was brought back for the team's 50th anniversary in 2009, where fans in Arrowhead Stadium provided the horse an "overwhelming welcome and a standing ovation." The running of the horse on the field was used to rile up fans before all home games.
Newsweek has reached out to the Chiefs organization as well as the NFL for additional remarks about Warpaint no longer running the field before home games.
