**Following are statements from various members of the Texans organization regarding the recent passing of Kansas City Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt. To read about Hunt's career and legacy, click here.
Owner Bob McNair **
"Lamar Hunt was one of the most highly regarded owners in the NFL. His integrity was beyond reproach and his intellect was a great asset to the NFL.
"He built a small city franchise into a powerhouse by broadening his fan base to the multi-state region surrounding Kansas City. His success in running a franchise is a model for all of us.
"Lamar was a friend to all of us and out of respect for him, I called on him when selecting a name for our new Houston team since his team was originally the Dallas Texans. I asked if he would mind if I selected the Texans name for our team, and he responded with delight that he would be honored if we did. Lamar will be missed by all of the Texans.
"Our thoughts and prayers are for Norma and the Hunt family who will miss their husband, father and leader."
**Jamey Rootes, president of business operations
**"Lamar was an extraordinary man that touched the lives of so many people. His enthusiasm for sports was infectious and one of his many great attributes, but he will be remembered equally for his kindness, integrity and humility. He was an innovator and through his passion, courage and commitment he willed things to happen. His passing is a great loss to all of us that knew him and to anyone that loves athletic competition."
*Rootes worked with Hunt from 1995 to 1999 while serving as President of the Columbus Crew.
*Head coach Gary Kubiak *
(on the passing of Hunt) "I met him one time before a game, and I had the chance at the owners' meetings to meet him. He's a wonderful man. You look at him as a founder of what's going on in this league. I've been in it for 22 or 23 years now, and I think about what this league was like when I first started and what it is right now, how big the game is and the media, everything. It's amazing what's taken place, and he's a big reason for that. I know it's a tough day for the Kansas City franchise, and I know he was just a tremendous, tremendous man."
**Defensive line coach Bob Karmelowicz
(on his memories of Lamar Hunt)** "Mr. Hunt was a tremendous man, a real gentleman, a cornerstone of our league. I thought he was a very dynamic man on the cutting edge for his time as far as how he developed the game, the merger of the two leagues. Boy, he knew everybody's name. He took time. He had the gift of listening. He actually heard what you had to say. I just saw him as a man with a lot of vision and also with a lot of compassion."
(on Hunt's ownership style) "Very few people know this, but Arrowhead Stadium has a three-bedroom condominium in it. There's a sky box and then there's a three-bedroom condominium that Mr. and Mrs. Hunt – Lamar and Norma – would stay in. They'd spend four days out of the week there. So he was on hand in the beginning a lot more than he was at the end. But he was a very, very, very classy man, and Norma is a wonderful woman, too. I was lucky to have known them.
"Mr. Hunt was a man who was an administrator. He hired capable people, and he let them do their job. He was just a guy who wanted to know what was going on. He never really had much of a comment, as far as my limited view from a coaching standpoint."
*Karmelowicz coached the Chiefs' defensive line from 1997-2005
**Defensive line assistant Tracy Simien
(on his memories of Lamar Hunt)** "Mr. Hunt was one of the most special individuals that I can think of. The thing about him was he did the little things that made people feel special. He's the kind of guy who knew all the players' names. He was a person that was so giving that he'd always be willing to help someone out. He was just a special, special guy."
(on players' thoughts on Hunt) "We all loved him as an owner because the thing about him is that as much as he had accomplished and done, and as big as he was in sports and as wealthy as he was, you would never know it.
"I remember we had a meeting on the Saturday before a game, and Marty (Schottenheimer) was up, doing a presentation – I think it was a special teams meeting. So anyway, Marty was talking, and he looked up and said, 'Hello, Lamar,' because Mr. Hunt had walked in the back of the room. Mr. Hunt said, 'Hey, Marty. How are you doing? Is it okay if I sit in on your meeting?' Here was the owner of the team asking the head coach is it okay. That's the kind of guy he was. And Marty's response was, 'Hell yeah, you can, Lamar. You own the team.' But he was that kind of guy, just the most down-to-earth guy. He was a special guy, he really was.
(on the impact Hunt's loss has on the Chiefs organization) "That organization right there lost somebody special. I think the reason the Chiefs have been successful in the past is because of him. Things start at the top. He did things with class and he ran a class organization. You can't say enough good things about the guy."
*Simien played for the Chiefs from 1991-97.
