KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs met the Commander in Chief at the White House on Monday while pausing to remember the matriarch of the organization Norma Hunt.
Monday’s trip was planned months ago to celebrate the Chiefs Super Bowl LVII win over the Philadelphia Eagles in February.
Former teammates like JuJu Smith-Schuster, Chad Henne and Andrew Wylie joined Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and other current members of the Chiefs organization for the honor.
Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt did not make the trip to the White House after announcing his mother, Norma Hunt, died Sunday at the age of 85.
The wife of team founder Lamar Hunt, Norma is the only woman to have attended all 57 Super Bowls, the event her husband helped create.
At Monday’s ceremony, Biden held a moment of silence to honor Norma Hunt.
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce present President Joe Biden with a jersey as he welcomed the Kansas City Chiefs football team to the White House in Washington, Monday, June 5, 2023, to celebrate their championship season and victory in Super Bowl LVII. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) 
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce present President Joe Biden with a jersey as he welcomed the Kansas City Chiefs football team to the White House in Washington, Monday, June 5, 2023, to celebrate their championship season and victory in Super Bowl LVII. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) 
Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid speaks during a celebration for the Kansas City Chiefs, 2023 Super Bowl champions, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on June 5, 2023. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP) (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images) 
US President Joe Biden speaks during a celebration for the Kansas City Chiefs, 2023 Super Bowl champions, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on June 5, 2023. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP) (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images) 
US President Joe Biden speaks during a celebration for the Kansas City Chiefs, 2023 Super Bowl champions, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on June 5, 2023. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP) (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images) 
US President Joe Biden speaks during a celebration for the Kansas City Chiefs, 2023 Super Bowl champions, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on June 5, 2023. (Photo by Mandel NGAN / AFP) (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images) 
US President Joe Biden speaks during a celebration for the Kansas City Chiefs, 2023 Super Bowl champions, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on June 5, 2023. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP) (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images) 
US President Joe Biden looks on as Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes signs a football during a celebration for the Kansas City Chiefs, 2023 Super Bowl champions, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on June 5, 2023. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP) (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)
“We also are missing one of the most loyal Chiefs fans there ever was, Norma Hunt, who passed away this weekend. I’d like to suggest a moment of silence,” Biden said.
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and Team President Mark Donovan echoed the president’s thoughts along with Mahomes.
“The Hunt family, we’re thinking about you. Doggone, we’re thinking about you,” Reid said.
“Norma was a joyful soul,” Donovan said. “She loved her Chiefs. She was really proud of this team and really proud that they had the opportunity to be here today.”
“Obviously, we wish she was here and got to celebrate this with us, but we got to celebrate her by being here today,” Mahomes said. “There’s no better way to celebrate her than having the Lamar Hunt Trophy, having the Super Bowl trophy, and being at the White House showing how great the Kansas City Chiefs organization is.”
During the event, Mahomes and Kelce presented a Chiefs jersey to Biden. The 46 on the red jersey represents Biden as the country’s 46th president.
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 05: Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes arrives at the White House on June 05, 2023 in Washington, DC. President Biden welcomed the 2023 Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs to the White House (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) 
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 05: Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes arrives at the White House on June 05, 2023 in Washington, DC. President Biden welcomed the 2023 Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs to the White House (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) 
The Vince Lombardi trophy, awarded to the Kansas City Chiefs for their 2023 Super Bowl win, is displayed prior to a celebration on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on June 5, 2023. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP) (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images) 
President Joe Biden walks in the Rose Garden with Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes as he welcomes the football team to the White House in Washington, Monday, June 5, 2023, to celebrate their championship season and victory in Super Bowl LVII. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) 
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 05: Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and safety Justin Reid arrive at the White House on June 05, 2023 in Washington, DC. President Biden welcomed the 2023 Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs to the White House (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images) 
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 05: A White House staff member holds a football signed by members of the Kansas City Chiefs at the White House on June 05, 2023 in Washington, DC. President Biden welcomed the 2023 Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs to the White House (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
While Super Bowl LVII is the Chiefs third title, this was the team’s first trip to the White House.
Former President Donald Trump invited the Chiefs to the White House following the team’s Super Bowl LIV win against San Francisco in 2020. The team did not go because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The visit was a chance for sports to rise above modern partisan politics, on the day that experts thought the United States would default on its debt if not for a key piece of legislation passed and signed by President Biden with just days to spare.
“The one thing I take from this is that it doesn’t matter if you’re a Democrat, a Republican, or an Independent, it’s about the unity,” Reid said about the visit.
But in the end, Reid circled back to Norma Hunt, honoring her memory.
“I just picture her with Lamar up in heaven, and they’re united again, and I think it’s awesome,” said Reid.
