Jack Steadman (American football executive)
Jack W. Steadman (September 14, 1928 – July 5, 2015) was an American football executive who spent most of his career with the Kansas City Chiefs. He was born in Warrenville, Illinois, and grew up in Illinois and Dallas, Texas. He studied at Baylor University and earned a B.A. in business from Southern Methodist University.
In the early 1960s, Steadman worked with Lamar Hunt to start the American Football League and the Dallas Texans. In 1963 the Texans moved to Kansas City and became the Chiefs.
Steadman was the Chiefs’ general manager from 1960 to 1976. He then served as president from 1976 to 1989 and later as chairman. He retired as vice chairman on January 31, 2007, after more than four decades with the team.
During his time as general manager, the Chiefs won four championships, including Super Bowl IV. Steadman and Hunt were leaders in the AFL–NFL merger.
Arrowhead Stadium opened in 1972 as the Chiefs’ home. Steadman and Hunt also created Worlds of Fun, a Kansas City-area theme park opened in 1973, with Oceans of Fun following in 1982; they sold the parks in 1995.
Steadman lived in Kansas City for more than 30 years. He had two sons, Thomas and Donald, and a daughter, Barbara. He died in 2015 at the age of 86 after suffering from Alzheimer's disease.
He was inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 2005.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 06:21 (CET).