Chiefs retire Terez Paylor's press box seat, make donation to scholarship fund in his name
On a day declared Terez Paylor Day in Kansas City, the Chiefs retired the late sports writer's seat in their press box and announced a $10,000 donation to a scholarship fund in his name.
The Chiefs announced the decision on Friday prior to their preseason finale against the Minnesota Vikings, the first game at Arrowhead Stadium since Paylor's death. They left flowers and a plaque in Paylor's honor at his press box seat.
Wonderful gesture from the Chiefs to honor the great Terez Paylor. pic.twitter.com/DN8FPlskTT
— Herbie Teope (@HerbieTeope) August 27, 2021
Paylor, a Chiefs beat writer for the Kansas City Star for five years prior to joining Yahoo Sports as a senior NFL writer in 2018, died in February at 37 years old. A scholarship fund in his name was created at his alma mater Howard University to support aspiring sports journalists.
Paylor's fiancée Ebony Reed announced earlier Friday that the fund had raised $100,000, a milestone triggering endowment status.
We’ve reached over $100K for @TerezPaylor’s scholarship at @HowardU. It’s now officially endowed and it will help fund future sports journalists for generations to come! Thank you to everyone who helped us reach this milestone by donating. #AllJuiceTeam🍊 pic.twitter.com/TYl96wEq4F
— Ebony Reed (@EbonyReed) August 27, 2021
The Chiefs and the Hunt Family Foundation presented a $10,000 check to the scholarship fund in a pregame ceremony honoring Paylor.
Along with retiring his press box seat, the Chiefs donated $10,000 to the Terez A. Paylor Scholarship Fund at Howard University. #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/H1KzaBRii6
— Rob Collins (@RCFOX4KC) August 27, 2021
Friday's celebration of Paylor at Arrowhead Stadium followed a proclamation from Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas declaring the day Terez Paylor Day.
It's Terez Paylor Day today in Kansas City, so "seize the day, like he did every … single … day.
Take some extra steps nobody knows about but you.
Try to be the great teammate he always was.
Listen, really listen."
More from @vgregorian: https://t.co/0aygXwg3Od— Mayor Quinton Lucas (@MayorLucasKC) August 27, 2021