Why wasn’t Gunther Cunningham honored during Chiefs vs. Ravens?

The Kansas City Chiefs did not honor former head coach and defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham, who passed away in May during the offseason.

We learned just a little over four months ago about the passing of former Kansas City Chiefs head coach and defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham. A couple of days after, it occurred to me that the team will certainly honor Cunningham during pregame ceremonies of the home opener, which was this past Sunday.

Leading up to the game against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, I was surprised there was no announcement about a planned tribute or a moment of silence to honor Cunningham. I assumed the Chiefs wanted to keep that under wraps.

Come to find out, the Chiefs did not acknowledge his passing and did not honor him before the home opener. If you are wondering why I assumed the Chiefs would do this, they have done this kind of thing before.

On September 11, 2005, the Chiefs honored former head coach Hank Stram and punter Jerrel Wilson. During pregame ceremonies, the Chiefs had a moment of silence for both Stram and Wilson. Both passed away during the 2005 offseason.

Yes, Stram and Wilson were both part of the franchise’s only Super Bowl win. However, even though some figures did not have a successful run with the team, it is always worth honoring a former head coach who has passed away as well as anyone else who has held a key role with the franchise.

If you visit the Chiefs website or any of their social media accounts or if you read any of their media guides, the Chiefs dedicate time in remembering past members of the franchise. Even though Cunningham’s two seasons as a head coach weren’t memorable, his 11 years combined with the franchise should be remembered.

Cunningham was responsible for some of the team’s defensive success in the past. It may be up for debate, but there is a strong case to be made that he was the most intriguing character for Chiefs fans to watch when the 2007 Chiefs were featured on HBO’s Hard Knocks. I can only hope that the Chiefs did not forget and have something planned to honor Cunningham for a specific home game prior to kickoff.

Cunningham served as the defensive coordinator for the Chiefs from 1995 to 1998. He was promoted and became the head coach for 1999 and 2000 before he was fired. Cunningham returned to the team as a defensive coordinator from 2004 through 2008.