Does Kansas Have An NFL Team?
Contents
No, as of the 2020 season, Kansas does not have an NFL team.
The state has been home to two previous NFL franchises – the Kansas City Chiefs and the Wichita Warriors – but neither team currently plays in Kansas.
Kansas City Chiefs
History
In 1959, the team was founded as the Dallas Texans by businessman Lamar Hunt. In 1960, the team moved to Kansas City and took on the name Chiefs. The Chiefs have played in Kansas City for almost 60 years now and have been one of the most successful franchises in NFL history, winning multiple division titles and appearing in several conference championship games and Super Bowls.
Notable Players
Some of the most notable Kansas City Chiefs players include tight end Tony Gonzalez, who holds the NFL record for career touchdown receptions by a tight end, as well as wide receiver Otis Taylor, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019. Other well-known Chiefs include running back Priest Holmes, linebacker Derrick Johnson and safety Eric Berry.
Championships
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league’s American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team was founded in 1960 as the Dallas Texans by businessman Lamar Hunt and was a charter member of the American Football League (AFL). In 1963, the team relocated to Kansas City and assumed their current name. The Chiefs joined the NFL as a result of the merger in 1970. The team is valued at over $2 billion.
Wichita Warriors
The Wichita Warriors are a professional American football team based in Wichita, Kansas. They are a member of the Kansas Football League (KFL). The Warriors began play in 2019, and play their home games at INTRUST Bank Arena.
History
In 1963, the National Football League (NFL) announced its intention to expand from fifteen franchises to twenty, with teams to be located in Dallas and Miami. A group of Wichita businessmen heard about the opportunity and submitted a bid to the NFL for a franchise, promising to build a suitable stadium if their bid was successful. The league ultimately decided against expanding at that time, but the Wichita group – which included future Kansas governor Robert Dockery – remained committed to bringing an NFL team to the city.
In 1965, with the blessing of then-Kansas governor Bill Avery, the group – which now also included television station owner John Ritchie and oilman George cherry – formally applied for an AFL expansion franchise. The league awarded the franchise to Wichita on July 30, 1966; it was officially announced at a press conference on August 3. The team was given the name “Warriors” in reference to Cherry’s alma mater, Wayland Baptist University;cherry served as the team’s first president.
Notable Players
Some of the notable players that have played for the Wichita Warriors include:
-Quarterback Steve Bartkowski
-Linebacker Al Chesley
-Running back Joe Cribbs
-Wide receiver Otis Taylor
Championships
The Wichita Warriors have never won an NFL championship.
Other Professional Football Teams in Kansas
Although the state of Kansas is without an NFL team, they are not without professional football teams. The state is home to two professional football teams: the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL) and the Kansas City Command of the Arena Football League (AFL).
Kansas City Command
The Kansas City Command was a professional arena football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The team was most recently a member of the Arena Football League (AFL). The team played their home games at the Sprint Center. Their mascot was a rhinoceros named Blitz.
The franchise began play in 2006 as the Memphis Xplorers of AF2. When the AFL suspended operations in 2009, the Xplorers joined AF2 for the remainder of that season. In 2010, when the AFL relaunched, the team rejoined as a charter member. In 2011, they changed their name to theCommand to reflect their move to Kansas City’s Sprint Center and new ownership under Mitch Warda
Topeka Sizzlers
The Topeka Sizzlers were a professional indoor football team that played in the Indoor Professional Football League (IPFL) in 1994. The team was based in Topeka, Kansas and played its home games at the Kansas Expocentre. The team was coached by Steve Tucker, who led the team to an 8-4 record. The Sizzlers made the playoffs, but lost in the first round to the Wichita Warriors. Prior to the start of the 1995 season, the IPFL folded and the Sizzlers ceased operations.
Wichita Wild
The Wichita Wild was a professional indoor football team that played in the Indoor Football League (IFL). They began play in 2010 as an expansion team. The team played its home games at INTRUST Bank Arena in downtown Wichita, Kansas. On July 23, 2013, head coach Jamie Asher resigned due to personal reasons. A few days later, on July 26, 2013, it was announced that assistant coach Chris Williams would be the new head coach for the rest of the season. After finishing their 2013 season with a 2-12 record and last place in the United Conference, owner Drew Carnes announced that the team would not return for the 2014 season.
