A columnist slammed the Kansas City Chiefs for using the Tomahawk cut during their Super Bowl 57 victory parade last week.
The Kansas City Chiefs won Super Bowl 57 last Sunday, overcoming a 10-point halftime deficit to defeat the Philadelphia Eagles. This allowed the Chiefs to hoist the Lombardi Trophy for the second time in four years. Kansas City held its second victory parade in as many years, and coaches and players celebrated at Union Station.
Randy Essex of the Detroit Free Press criticized the Chiefs in a recent article on the use of the Tomahawk slash gesture.
“This is no harmless little ritual, especially now that the Chiefs are the transcendent franchise in the nation’s most popular sports league,” Essex writes. “That means more national exposure to the Arrowhead vibe, more hero adoration of the Chiefs stars, and more kids picking up the chop.”
Columnists snatch Chiefs for continued use of Tomahawk Chop
The use of the Tomahawk cut in sports has been a topic of discussion over the years.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan also wrote a column during the 2021 World Series regarding the Tomahawk cut, calling on the Atlanta Braves to put an end to it. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred spoke about the gesture shortly thereafter, saying the Native American community in the Atlanta area “totally supports the Braves program, including the cut. For me, that’s the end of the story.
In 2020, the Chiefs released a statement, saying they spoke to the local Native American community and announced they would ban fans from wearing headgear and face paint that “reference or appropriate Native American cultures and traditions.” American Indians” inside the stadium. However, at the time of their statement, they said they would continue discussions about trimming the Tomahawk.
Recently, two professional sports teams changed names to overcome their controversial nature.
The Washington NFL franchise temporarily changed their name to the Washington Football Team in the 2020 and 2021 seasons. In 2022, they permanently changed their name to the Commanders.
The Cleveland MLB franchise changed their name to the Guardians for the 2022 season and beyond. In 2018, they got rid of their controversial “Chief Wahoo” mascot and logo.
As the Chiefs celebrate their latest Super Bowl title, the debate surrounding the use of the Tomahawk cut continues.
