A young Kansas City Chiefs fan, Holden Armenta, made headlines earlier this season when he was accused of cultural insensitivity and blackface after wearing a Native American headdress and face paint to a game. However, the 9-year-old’s family claimed that the criticism was misinformed and that Holden’s face paint was actually a tribute to his favorite team and his Native American heritage. 
Holden was back in the spotlight on Sunday, attending Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium, where the Chiefs took on the San Francisco 49ers. The young fan was seen wearing a similar headdress and face paint, and even made a prediction about the game’s outcome, saying that the Chiefs would win 31-28.
The controversy surrounding Holden’s earlier appearance at a Chiefs game sparked a lawsuit filed by his parents, Raul and Shannon Armenta, against Deadspin, the website that published the critical article. The lawsuit claims that Deadspin selectively edited a photo of Holden to make it appear as though he was wearing blackface, and that the website maliciously attacked the young fan.
According to the lawsuit, Holden’s face paint was actually a tribute to his favorite team, with one side of his face painted black and the other side painted red, matching the Chiefs’ colors. The lawsuit also notes that Holden’s grandfather is a member of the Chumash Tribe in California, and that the young fan was celebrating his Native American heritage.
Deadspin has since edited the article to remove the photo, and has stated that they regret any suggestion that they were attacking Holden. However, the lawsuit is ongoing, and the Armenta family is seeking damages for the harm caused by Deadspin’s article.
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