The NFL witnessed a historic development today as the Kansas City Chiefs, after decades in Missouri, are set to move across the state line to Kansas. In fact, Kansas lawmakers approved a subsidy deal on Monday, delivering a major setback to Missouri officials who fought to keep the team in-state. Now, the Chiefs are ready to accept the financial incentives and build a new stadium in the Sunflower State.

“The Kansas City Chiefs have informed administrative officials that they will announce their move to Kansas today, according to sources who asked not to be named because they were not authorized to speak publicly,” declared The Kansas City Star on X.

Meanwhile, details of the deal remain under wraps, but the big question is whether the team will change its state affiliation once it relocates. Speculation also surrounds the team’s name. Looking back, past relocations provide context.

In 1996, Art Modell moved the Cleveland Browns to Baltimore and rebranded the team as the Baltimore Ravens, giving it a new name, colors, logo, and identity, while Cleveland later retained the Browns name.

Similarly, the Houston Oilers moved to Tennessee in 1997 and initially kept their name as the Tennessee Oilers. However, fans rejected it, so the franchise rebranded as the Tennessee Titans in 1999 when their new stadium opened.

Given these examples, the Chiefs could change their name, but they might also keep it, depending on the franchise’s decision. For now, the Chiefs’ lease at Arrowhead Stadium runs through 2031, so they will not move immediately.

The story behind the Kansas City Chiefs team name

Nearly 66 years ago, in 1959, Lamar Hunt founded the franchise after drawing inspiration from the iconic 1958 NFL Championship Game between the New York Giants and the Baltimore Colts. However, the journey did not unfold easily. Hunt first tried to buy the Chicago Cardinals, but when negotiations failed, he changed course and instead helped launch the American Football League, creating a new team from scratch.

The franchise began as the Dallas Texans. Then, in 1963, Hunt moved the team to Kansas City and renamed it the Kansas City Chiefs, a name the organization has carried ever since. Today, the Chiefs hold a valuation of more than $4 billion, a rise that became possible after the team joined the NFL following the AFL-NFL merger in 1970.

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Back in the Texans era, the team used a completely different look, featuring white and yellow colors. Over time, Hunt introduced the red and gold color scheme, which went on to define the franchise’s identity.

The Chiefs have kept those colors since the move to Kansas City in 1963, and even now, as the franchise prepares to relocate to Kansas, it is expected to preserve the same colors to honor Hunt and protect its historic identity.