Chiefs defensive end Willie Fears provided a little lunch time music at training camp in 1991.
Kansas City Star archives
Decades ago, the world of sports photojournalism was vastly different than today. Photographers were able to capture the Kansas City Chiefs not only as athletes but as people. The Kansas City Star archives offer a glimpse into that bygone era, where players weren’t shielded behind layers of team restrictions. Instead, their lives—triumphs, struggles, and even vulnerabilities—played out in front of the lens.
One photo stands out: a player sitting at a piano during training camp entertaining the team with his musical talents. Photographers captured a player being examined by a team a team physician and another shows an intimate shot of a player undergoing a dental checkup.
Chiefs rookie tight end Marvin Harvey undergoes a dental examination by Dr. Charles V. Brock, Chiefs’ team dentist in 1981. Kansas City Star archives
Chiefs assistant Tom Bresnahan, J.D. Helm and head coach Marv levy fine-tune their game plan for New Orleans in 1982. Kansas City Star archives
Perhaps the most poignant image shows Chiefs quarterback Frank Seurer recuperating after a car accident. Another moment captures coach Marc Levy as he finalizes a game plan against the New Orleans Saints.
Chiefs quarterback Frank Seurer recuperates after a car accident in 1987. Kansas City Star archives
And then there’s Len Dawson, the hero of Super Bowl IV, leaning back with a phone to his ear, speaking to President Richard Nixon after the victory.
After wining the Super Bowl in 1970 against the Minnesota Vikings, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Len Dawson takes a phone call from President Richard Nixon. Kansas City Star archive
But not all moments were celebratory. One photo documents players sitting anxiously, awaiting the dreaded news that they’ve been cut from the team.
Offensive guard Chris O’Neil (left), linebacker Rob Purdham (left on couch) and tight end Greg Hogensen wait to be called into an office in 1982 with the news they were being cut by the Chiefs. Kansas City Star archives
Today, such images would be impossible to capture. Media access is meticulously controlled, leaving only slivers of time to photograph practice or conduct interviews. Cameras are banned from locker rooms, and behind-the-scenes moments remain hidden from public view. Players now speak from podiums, delivering carefully measured responses, shielded by team policies and public relations strategies.
An overhead projector highlights special-teams coach Kurt Schottenheimer, brother of then head coach Marty Schottenheimer, as he demonstrates sometime in the 1990s how squiggles on the screen can become winning plays on the field. Classroom work takes up about 3 1/2 hours each day. Kansas City Star archives
The Kansas City Star’s archives are a reminder of an era when storytelling wasn’t just about stats or soundbites but about humanity. These photos reveal the heart of the game—a heart that still beats, though now behind closed doors.
Kansas City Chiefs’ equipment manager Bobby Yarborough helps rookie Dale Markham with his shoulder pads in 1980. Kansas City Star archives
Camper To Camp Bruce Bergey, rookie tight end candidate for the Kansas City Chiefs, relaxes in his camper parked on the William Jewell College campus in 1971. Bergey lived in the camper after driving here from California while waiting for the Chiefs’ training quarters to open. Kansas City Star archives
Defensive end Jerry Mays and linebacker Jim Lynch celebrate in the Kansas City Chiefs dressing room after they won the AFL title by defeating Oakland, 17-7, in 1969. Kansas City Star archives
Center Gerry Feehery lifts weights during a Chiefs’ minicamp in 1989. Kansas City Star archives
Chiefs’ punter Bob Grupp takes a whirlpool treatment while trying to overcome a thigh injury in 1981. Kansas City Star archives
Cassie and William Hancock, parents of Anthony Hancock, the Chiefs’ first-round pick in the 1982 college draft, couldn’t wait to share their son’s joy. The Kansas City Star archives
Dr. Albert Miller checks Chiefs guard Les Studdard’s heart rate as part of a physical he gave to all the players on their first day back in camp in 1982 after the players’ strike. Kansas City Star archives
An unidentified Chiefs player needs plenty of food for training camp in an undated photo. Kansas City Star archives
Chiefs’ tackle John Fritsch, left, receives his equipment from trainer Wayne Rudy, center, and Bobby Yarborough, equipment manager, right, in 1965. Kansas City archives
Follow More of Our Reporting on Kansas City Chiefs vs. Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl 2025
Monty Davis is a video producer and has been with The Kansas City Star for 20 years. He specializes in telling human interest video stories using mobile gear such as his iPhone 13 Pro. Recently he took up an interest in deltiology which is the study and collection of postcards. From that came a new series for The Star called Past | Present. When he’s not working, he’s spending time with family, his pugs, kayaking and reading historical biographies about the American Revolution and the Civil War.
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