Kansas City Chiefs Mystery Cache

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Lamar Hunt's efforts to acquire an expansion NFL franchise for his hometown of Dallas were rebuked by the league. However, his desire to secure a professional football franchise was further heightened after watching the historic '58 NFL Championship Game between Baltimore and the N.Y. Giants.

After another attempt at landing an NFL expansion franchise for Dallas was spurned, NFL officials suggested that Hunt contact the Wolfner family, owners of the Chicago Cardinals franchise. Violet Bidwell Wolfner, mother of current Cardinals owner William Bidwell, and her husband Walter eventually agreed to sell Hunt 20 percent of the Cardinals franchise. Hunt declined the opportunity. He then conceived the concept of forming a second league. "Why wouldn't a second league work," Hunt recalled. "There was an American and National League in baseball, why not football?" Hunt contacted several other individuals who had expressed interest in the Cardinals franchise - Bud Adams (Houston), Bob Howsam (Denver), Max Winter and Bill Boyer (Minneapolis) - and gauged their interest in forming a second league. Adams quickly signed on and the young league, albeit still very much in its infancy stages, already had its first rivalry.

With four teams in the ranks including Hunt's Dallas franchise, he sought franchises in New York and Los Angeles. Before ownership in those cities was secured, Hunt sought the NFL's blessing for his endeavor, hoping that NFL Commissioner Bert Bell would oversee both leagues. "I told myself I didn't want to go into this if it meant some kind of battle," Hunt remembered. "Of course, this was one of the more naive thoughts in the history of pro sports." Although the NFL wanted no part of Hunt's new league, Hunt gave his blessing for Bell to mention it in the course of his testimony before a Congressional committee on July 28th. "At that point, no one had put up a penny and I had no commitments from New York or Los Angeles," Hunt continued. "But Bert Bell had announced it. We were in business."

Within weeks, Barron Hilton (Los Angeles) and Harry Wismer (New York) agreed to enter the six-team league. On August 14th, the first meeting of the new league was held in Chicago. Charter memberships were issued to six original cities – Dallas, New York, Houston, Denver, Los Angeles and Minneapolis. The league was officially christened the American Football League on August 22nd. Ralph Wilson (Buffalo) was extended the league's seventh franchise on October 28th and William Sullivan (Boston) became the league's eighth owner on November 22nd, the date of the inaugural AFL draft, which lasted 33 rounds. All eight original owners agreed to contribute $25,000 and to post a performance bond of $100,000. "Before there was a player, coach or general manager in the league, there was Lamar Hunt," said Sullivan. "Hunt was the cornerstone, the integrity of the league. Without him, there would have been no AFL."

In November, the league nearly disbanded before it even played a single game. Winter announced that he was withdrawing from the league to accept an NFL franchise for Minneapolis. The NFL now envisioned an expansion franchise for Dallas, as well, but Hunt declined that offer. "It (the AFL) was so important to me," Hunt said. "I had a lot of money in it, a lot invested in it. Emotionally, I spent a lot of time, effort and energy on it. I felt an obligation. A guy like Billy Sullivan had everything he had in it. It wouldn't have been the right thing to do."

The AFL forged forward as former World War II hero and two-term South Dakota governor Joe Foss was named commissioner on November 30th. A second, 20-round AFL draft was held on December 2nd. Hunt pursued both legendary University of Oklahoma coach Bud Wilkinson and N.Y. Giants defensive assistant Tom Landry to lead his Texans franchise. Wilkinson opted to stay at Oklahoma, while Landry was destined to coach the NFL's franchise in Dallas. Hunt settled on a relatively unknown assistant coach from the University of Miami (Florida), Hank Stram. "One of the biggest reasons I hired Hank was that he really wanted the job," Hunt explained. "It turned out to be a very lucky selection on my part."

Hunt was elected President of the AFL on January 26th. Minneapolis officially withdrew from the AFL on January 27th. An ownership group from Dallas was awarded an expansion NFL franchise on January 28th to begin play that season in direct competition with the Texans. That same day, AFL owners approved the two-point conversion rule which was utilized for the AFL's 10-year existence, a rule that wouldn't resurface in the NFL for 34 more years. On January 30th, Oakland replaced Minneapolis as the eighth AFL outpost. In another ironic twist, the Chicago Cardinals franchise which Hunt had attempted to purchase a year earlier received permission from the NFL to transfer to St. Louis on March 13th. Perhaps the most important moment in the AFL's formative years came on June 9th when the league signed a five-year television contract with ABC that paid each club $112,000 during the '60 season.

The Texans set up offices in the Mercantile Securities Building, while Foss headquartered the AFL offices out of Dallas, as well. The Texans shared the Cotton Bowl for three seasons with the NFL's Cowboys. Reserved seats were $4, general admission $2 and high school students paid $.90 that initial season. Don Rossi served as the team's General Manager until November when he was succeeded by Jack Steadman. The Texans conducted their inaugural training camp at the New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell, NM. The club embarked on a whirlwind preseason barnstorming tour that featured road games in Oakland, Tulsa, Boston, Abilene and Little Rock. An announced crowd of 51,000 at the Cotton Bowl witnessed a 24-3 victory vs. Houston (9/2) as the club concluded a perfect 6-0 preseason record.

The initial regular season victory in team history came by a 34-16 count at Oakland (9/16) thanks to 88 rushing yards, a TD and two FGs from FB Jack Spikes (TCU). In addition to Spikes, the Texans also had a strong home-state identity with QB Cotton Davidson (Baylor), LB Sherrill Headrick (TCU) and RB Abner Haynes (North Texas State). Haynes led the league with 875 rushing yards and nine TDs, as well as combined net yards (2,100) and punt return average (15.4). Haynes' combined net yardage mark remained a franchise record until 2001. Thanks to Haynes, the Texans had a flashy, high-scoring club, which finished the year at 8-6 as three close losses kept the squad from challenging for the division title. The Texans averaged 24,500 for their home games, the highest average in the league.

Don Klosterman joined the franchise as Director of Player Personnel and a wealth of college talent was infused into the franchise's veins. The Texans and the NFL's Dallas Cowboys both drafted LB E.J. Holub (Texas Tech), described by many scouts as "the best football player in America." Holub decided to play for the Texans, joining three future Chiefs Hall of Famers - DT/DE Jerry Mays (SMU), TE Fred Arbanas (Michigan State) and T Jim Tyrer (Ohio State) - as part of the club's draft class. The club moved its training camp to Hunt's alma mater of SMU and started the regular season at 3-1 before hitting a six-game losing skid, the longest such streak of Stram's tenure with the franchise. One of those losses was a 28-21 decision in a Friday night contest at Boston (11/3) which featured a bizarre ending as a raincoat-clad fan knocked down a potential game-tying TD from Davidson to E Chris Burford on the game's final play. The team rebounded to claim wins in three of its final four contests to finish 6-8, marking the club's second straight finish behind the Chargers in the AFL West standings.
 

1962

Stram was named Coach of the Year and RB Curtis McClinton (Kansas) was named the ' 62 AFL Rookie of the Year. Haynes became the franchise's first 1,000-yard rusher, concluding the season with 1,049 yards and an AFL-high 13 rushing TDs.

The Texans clinched their initial AFL Western Division Championship in November and finished with an 11-3 regular season record. Dallas won the '62 AFL Championship when K Tommy Brooker connected on a 25-yard field goal during the second overtime of the title game, giving the Texans a 20-17 victory at Houston (12/23). Spanning an elapsed time of 77:54, the game still stands as the second-longest contest in pro football history as the franchise claimed its first of three AFL titles.

Despite the Texans championship season in '62, the Dallas market simply could not sustain two professional football franchises. In early '63, Hunt had taken scouting trips to cities such as Atlanta and Miami. Kansas City Mayor H. Roe Bartle learned of Hunt's interest in a new home for the Texans and extended an invitation for Hunt and Jack Steadman to move the franchise to Mid-America. After the duo visited Kansas City on an incognito basis, an ambitious campaign took shape to deliver on Bartle's guarantee to Hunt of tripling the season-ticket base the Texans had enjoyed in Dallas. Kansas City's mayor, nicknamed "Chief," also promised to add 3,000 permanent seats to Municipal Stadium, as well as 11,000 temporary bleacher seats. Along with Bartle, a number of other prominent Kansas Citians stepped forward to aid in the efforts, putting together more than 1,000 workers to sell season tickets. On May 22nd, Hunt announced he was moving the franchise to Kansas City. Hunt and Stram initially planned on calling the relocated team the Kansas City Texans, but thanks to the insistence of Steadman, the team was officially christened the Chiefs on May 26th, in part to honor the efforts of Bartle. During their inaugural season in Kansas City, the Chiefs charged $7 for box seats and $6 for reserved seats at Municipal Stadium.

Three highly-touted draft choices began their tenures with the club in '63. Hunt's trade of Davidson landed the number one overall selection in the AFL Draft which Kansas City used to select Hall of Fame DT Buck Buchanan (Grambling). Ironically, the Raiders would later draft Hall of Fame G Gene Upshaw in '67 for the express purpose of blocking Buchanan. The Chiefs tabbed G Ed Budde (Michigan State) with their own number one selection, while stealing another future Hall of Fame inductee, LB Bobby Bell (Minnesota) in the seventh round. Buchanan, Budde and Bell all became starters on their way to a combined 526 games with the team. The first appearance of the Chiefs in Municipal Stadium attracted just 5,721 fans for a 17-13 preseason victory vs. Buffalo (8/9). Tragedy struck the club when rookie RB Stone Johnson (Grambling), who was a sprinter in the '60 Olympics in Rome, suffered a fractured vertebra in his neck in a preseason game vs. Oakland (8/30) in Wichita, KS. He died 10 days later on September 8th and his jersey number 33 was subsequently retired.

On January 29th, the AFL and NBC signed a landmark five-year, $36-million television contract beginning with the '65 season. The Chiefs began the year with a 2-1 mark before dropping three consecutive games as several of the team's best players, including LB E.J. Holub, TE Fred Arbanas and S Johnny Robinson, missed numerous games with injuries. Arbanas missed the final two games of the year after undergoing surgery to his left eye, in which he suffered almost total loss of vision. RB Mack Lee Hill (Southern), who signed with the club as a rookie free agent and received a mere $300 signing bonus, muscled his way into the starting lineup and earned a spot in the AFL All-Star Game. The club rounded out the season with two consecutive wins to close the season at 7-7, finishing second in the AFL West behind San Diego (8-5-1). An average of just 18,126 fans attended each home game at Municipal Stadium, prompting discussion at the AFL owners' meeting about the Chiefs future in Kansas City.

Bidding Wars, Merger Talks & Glory Days
 

The AFL and NFL had been openly competing for talent for years, but that bidding war for players heated up for the Chiefs in '65. Kansas City made RB Gale Sayers (Kansas) their first-round draft pick, but Sayers eventually signed with the Bears.

The club suffered a devastating blow when RB Mack Lee Hill suffered torn ligaments in his right knee in the next-to-last regular season game of the year at Buffalo (12/12). Following what was expected to be a routine surgery on December 14th at Menorah Hospital in Kansas City, Hill died from what was termed "a sudden and massive embolism." Hunt called Hill's death "the worst shock possible." Beginning the following year, the club annually bestowed the Mack Lee Hill Award on its top rookie or first-year performer in honor of this fallen young star. Just days after Hill's unexpected death, the mourning Chiefs defeated Denver (12/19) to finish the year with a 7-5-2 record.

The escalation in player salaries paid by the two leagues eventually led to a series of clandestine meetings between Hunt and Tex Schramm of the Cowboys that began in April at Love Field in Dallas. While merger groundwork was being laid, the Chiefs engaged in more subterfuge during the '66 draft. DE Aaron Brown (Minnesota) was highly coveted by many clubs, including the NFL's Steelers. The Steelers couldn't locate Brown on draft day since he was already aboard a flight with Hunt, who carried out the first mid-air signing in team history. Despite being drafted in the 20th round of the AFL Draft, the Chiefs signed Heisman Trophy RB Mike Garrett (USC) who earned AFL Rookie of the Year honors. Plans for the AFL-NFL merger were officially announced by NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle on June 6th.

The Chiefs started the season at 3-0, including a 32-10 win at Oakland (9/18) in the first contest played at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. A crowd of 43,885 attended the Chiefs home opener vs. defending AFC Champion Buffalo (10/2), the largest ever to witness a sports event in Kansas City at the time. The Chiefs dropped a 29-14 decision to the Bills, but after the contest, Stram and Buffalo head coach Joe Collier negotiated a trade in the middle of the field. Kansas City got K Mike Mercer for a fifth-round pick, solidifying one of the few weaknesses on the squad. Dawson led the league in passing, while Taylor became the first 1,000-yard receiver in franchise history, registering 1,297 yards. The Chiefs finished three games in front of Oakland to claim an AFL West title with an 11-2-1 record, setting the stage for the franchise's second trip to the AFL Championship Game.

Using a dazzling I-formation offense and a smothering defense, the Chiefs claimed a dominating 31-7 victory in the AFL title game at Buffalo (1/1) on the same day that future Chiefs star Derrick Vincent Thomas was born in Miami, Florida. That victory propelled Kansas City to the first AFL-NFL World Championship Game, later renamed Super Bowl I. The term "Super Bowl" was coined by Hunt during a committee meeting, inspired by a "super ball" owned by his three children. Although not officially adopted until the third such AFL-NFL World Championship Game, the name Super Bowl was seized upon by the media and quickly became a part of the worldwide sports lexicon. At the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the Chiefs met Vince Lombardi's powerful Green Bay Packers (1/15). The Chiefs played the Packers close for a half, trailing 14-10, but Green Bay took control in the final two quarters, winning the game by a score of 35-10.

The club's special teams got a boost with the addition of K Jan Stenerud (Montana State), who originally enrolled in school on a skiing scholarship and KR Noland "Super Gnat" Smith (Tennessee State). Interest in the team skyrocketed, forcing an increase in seating capacity at Municipal Stadium from 40,000 to 47,000. In June, Jackson County voters approved a $43 million bond issue for construction of a sports complex.

The first contest between AFL and NFL teams in Kansas City resulted in a commanding 66-24 Chiefs victory vs. Chicago at Municipal Stadium (8/23). Injuries again hit the club hard during the regular season as the Chiefs clawed their way to a 9-5 record.

A debate raged in Kansas City whether the club's new stadium should be built downtown or at a "remote" location. A location in Eastern Jackson County was chosen as the site and groundbreaking ceremonies took place in July with plans calling for a unique "rolling roof" design. The '68 Chiefs boasted one of the finest defenses ever assembled by the club, allowing a franchise-low 170 points (12.1 ppg). The nucleus of the defensive unit was clearly in its prime, producing six AFL All-Stars, including all three of the squad's linebackers. Offensively, Dawson led the AFL in passing for the fourth time. The Chiefs began the season with a 7-1 record and rattled off five straight victories to close the regular season at 12-2, sharing the AFL West crown with the Raiders and setting up an AFL Western Division Playoff Game. Kansas City lost a 41-6 decision at Oakland (12/22) in the club's first postseason outing since Super Bowl I as the Raiders advanced to the AFL Championship Game against the N.Y. Jets.

The Chiefs continued the momentum they built during the '68 campaign by posting a perfect 6-0 record during preseason play. Kansas City began the regular season with fourconsecutive road games for the only time in team history. After a decisive 27-9 win at San Diego (9/14), the club posted a 31-0 shutout at Boston (9/21), but Dawson sustained a knee injury against the Patriots. The once-optimistic picture for the Chiefs went from bad to worse the following week when backup QB Jacky Lee went down with a broken ankle in a 24-19 loss at Cincinnati (9/28). That injury left the team's most crucial position in the hands of second-year QB Mike Livingston, who took just five snaps as a rookie in '68. However, Livingston engineered a five-game winning streak, while getting plenty of help from the club's defense. The team's home opener at Municipal Stadium was played in a daylong deluge referred to as a "frog-strangler" by Chiefs radio broadcaster Bill Grigsby. The Chiefs and Oilers combined for 14 fumbles in a 24-0 Kansas City victory (10/12). Dawson returned to the starting lineup in a 27-3 win vs. San Diego (11/9) and guided the club to three wins in the season's next four games. Broncos coach Lou Saban was infuriated following the Chiefs 31-17 win vs. Denver (11/27). Trailing 24-17 late in the game, Denver attempted an onside kick that was recovered by LB Bobby Bell, who promptly returned that kick for a 53-yard TD. Livingston started the following week vs. Buffalo (12/7) for an again-injured Dawson, who returned for the regular season finale at Oakland (12/13). A 10-6 loss vs. the Raiders gave the Chiefs an 11-3 record, good for second in the division behind Oakland (12-1-1). In an AFC Divisional Playoff Game at the N.Y. Jets (12/20), Kansas City rode its dominating defense which produced a crucial goal-line stand en route to a 13-6 win over the defending Super Bowl champions to set up a rematch with the Raiders in the final AFL Championship Game.

In the final game in AFL history, the Chiefs became the league's only three-time champions, defeating the Raiders by a 17-7 count at Oakland (1/4). Making the victory even more satisfying for the Chiefs was the fact that the Raiders players had to sheepishly walk out of the stadium with the luggage they had packed for New Orleans and Super Bowl IV. During the days preceding Kansas City's clash with the heavily-favored Vikings, unsubstantiated media reports associating Dawson with a known gambler hounded the Chiefs quarterback. The night before the game, Ed Sabol of NFL Films approached Vikings coach Bud Grant about being miked for the game. Grant declined, but Stram accepted. As both the Chiefs and the cameras rolled, Stram clamored for his team to run "65 toss power trap" and to "keep matriculating the ball down the field." The Chiefs used the game as a crusade for the American Football League and wore "AFL-10" patches which referred to the league's 10-year existence. The Chiefs used three Stenerud FGs and a Garrett TD run to take a 16-0 halftime lead. A dynamic 46-yard TD pass from Dawson to Taylor in the third quarter sealed the victory as Dawson was named the game's Most Valuable Player. Perhaps the grittiest performance of the day came from S Johnny Robinson, who registered two interceptions and a fumble recovery despite playing with three broken ribs. At approximately 5:20 PM, the final seconds ticked off the clock at Tulane Stadium as the biggest moment in Kansas City sports history came to a peak as the Chiefs were crowned World Champions by claiming a 23-7 victory in Super Bowl IV (1/11). A victory parade ensued upon the club's triumphant return to Kansas City the following day.

Replicating the success of '69 proved a difficult task for Stram and company. RB Mike Garrett, who was the club's all-time leading rusher at the time, was traded to San Diego and replaced in the lineup by RB Ed Podolak. Despite a 44-24 win at Baltimore (9/28) in just the second-ever telecast of ABC's Monday Night Football package, the Chiefs owned a 3-3-1 record at the season's midpoint. One of the season's pivotal junctures came in a 17-17 tie vs. Oakland (11/1). The Chiefs were ahead 17-14 when Dawson apparently sealed the win, running for a first down which would have allowed Kansas City to run out the clock. While on the ground, Dawson was speared by Raiders DE Ben Davidson in an infamous incident that cost the Chiefs a victory and further inflamed the already heated Chiefs-Raiders rivalry. WR Otis Taylor retaliated and a bench-clearing brawl ensued. Offsetting penalties were called, nullifying Dawson's first down. The Chiefs were forced to punt and Raiders K George Blanda eventually booted a game-tying FG with 0:08 remaining. That tie ultimately cost the Chiefs a tie with Oakland for the division crown as Kansas City finished the year with a 7-5-2 record, while the Raiders went 8-4-2.

The '71 Chiefs were regarded by many as the finest squad ever assembled by the franchise, including Lamar Hunt. "I always thought that our best team was the peak of our best team, our '71 squad,"; Hunt recalled. The '71 Chiefs fielded perhaps the most complete squad in franchise history, featuring a team-record 11 Pro Bowl performers. Offensively, WR Otis Taylor led the league with 1,110 receiving yards. In just his third pro season, Podolak surpassed RB Abner Haynes as the all-time leading ground gainer in team history. The longstanding linebacking trio of Willie Lanier, Bobby Bell and Jim Lynch was the league's best. The offensive line was headlined by G Ed Budde and T Jim Tyrer, while the defensive front featured a pair of Pro Bowlers in DTs Buck Buchanan and Curley Culp. Both K Jan Stenerud and P Jerrel Wilson represented the squad in the Pro Bowl, as well. The '71 squad became the first in team annals to register two Monday Night Football wins.

After bolting to a 5-1-1 start, the club went 5-2 during the second half of the season to finish the year at 10-3-1. A 16-14 victory vs. Oakland (12/12) gave the franchise its initial AFC West title.

The great promise of the '71 campaign ended dramatically in the longest game in NFL history, an AFC Divisional Playoff Game played on Christmas Day. It took 82:40, but a 37-yard FG from Dolphins K Garo Yepremian finally ended this epic as Miami claimed a 27-24 double OT win in the final football contest played at Municipal Stadium. Podolak accounted for an incredible 350 combined net yards, a figure that remains an NFL postseason record. The baton of power in the AFC was officially passed to the Dolphins, who went on to appear in three consecutive Super Bowls. It would be the Chiefs last playoff appearance for 15 years, effectively signaling the conclusion of the franchise's glory days.

Fond Farewells

The last original member of the '60 Dallas Texans departed on July 12th when S Johnny Robinson announced his retirement at training camp. Meanwhile, QB Len Dawson ended speculation about his retirement by signing a two-year contract. Hunt became the first AFL figure to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on July 29th.

The Chiefs lost a 20-10 decision vs. Miami (9/17) on Opening Day at Arrowhead in front of a crowd of 79,829. Municipal Stadium hosted its final pro sporting event as the Royals defeated the Rangers by a 4-0 count (10/4). A standing-room-only crowd of 82,094 fans was in attendance for a 27-14 victory vs. Oakland (11/5), the largest "in-house" attendance total for an NFL contest in Arrowhead's history. After a 5-3 start, a three-game losing streak effectively eliminated the club from playoff contention. An 8-6 record was good enough for only a second-place finish in the AFC West behind Oakland. LB Willie Lanier became the first Chiefs player to receive the prestigious NFL Man of the Year Award.

The defense kept the club in virtually every game thanks to a nucleus that still included the bulk of the squad's Super Bowl IV starters. QB Mike Livingston started in a 23-13 Opening Day loss vs. Oakland (9/16), but Dawson returned to rally the club for three consecutive wins to get the club off to a 3-1 start for a third consecutive year. Inconsistency and injuries took their toll down the stretch, though. Dawson made his final start of the year in a 23-14 loss at Buffalo (10/29) and was replaced for the remainder of the year by Livingston, beginning a string of three straight seasons in which both players split time at the position. Livingston led the club to three straight wins, putting the team in first place in mid-November with a 6-3-1 record. A 1-2-1 ledger over the season's final month ended the club's postseason aspirations as the team finished the year in a second-place tie with Denver at 7-5-2. Dawson became the second Chiefs player in as many years to win the NFL Man of the Year Award.

The AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was held at Arrowhead on January 20th with the AFC claiming a 15-13 win thanks to five FGs from Miami K Garo Yepremian. While the club's sparkling new facility was drawing rave reviews, the Chiefs roster was beginning to show its age. The result was the team's first losing season in 11 years as the club was unable to string together consecutive victories during the year, a first in franchise history. Many of the club's key players were entering the twilight of their careers: Dawson was 39, T Jim Tyrer was 35, LB Bobby Bell, DT Buck Buchanan and G Ed Budde were 34, T Dave Hill was 33 and WR Otis Taylor was 32. One of the year's few bright spots in the 5-9 season was CB Emmitt Thomas, who led the league with a franchise-record 12 INTs. The final game of the '74 campaign marked the final time all five of Kansas City's Pro Football Hall of Fame players from the club's Super Bowl era took the field together with Stram. Including Lamar Hunt and five future Vikings Hall of Famers, an amazing total of 12 Hall of Fame inductees were involved in that '74 game. That 35-15 loss vs. Minnesota (12/14) provided an anti-climatic conclusion to Stram's illustrious coaching career in Kansas City and was also the final game in a Chiefs uniform for eight-time All-Pro LB Bobby Bell. Three days later, the only head coach in franchise history was relieved of his duties on December 27th after compiling a 124-76-10 regular season record with the club.

San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Paul Wiggin was named the second head coach in franchise history on January 23rd. A former Pro Bowl defensive end for the Cleveland Browns, Wiggin inherited the unenviable task of rebuilding a squad whose pool of talent had been largely depleted due to age and a number of ill-fated trades that had left the club devoid of first-round draft choices in '73 and '75. After an 0-3 start to the season, Wiggin directed the Chiefs to three straight wins, beginning with a convincing 42-10 victory vs. Oakland (10/12). The highlight of the season was a 34-31 upset win at Dallas (11/10) on Monday Night Football. But the club could not maintain that success. Owning a 5-5 record heading into the homestretch of the season, injuries to a number of key players crippled the team. The team dropped its final four contests of the year to finish at 5-9 for the second consecutive season. The regular season finale at Oakland (12/21) marked the final games in the Hall of Fame careers of Dawson and Buchanan.

Buchanan officially hung up his spikes in February, while Dawson announced his retirement on May 1st. Off the field, Jack Steadman was promoted to President and Jim Schaaf was named General Manager in August. On the field, Kansas City's fortunes didn't improve in the second year of the Wiggin regime. The club dropped three straight home games before suffering a 50-17 setback at Buffalo (10/3), opening the season at 0-4 for the first time in team history. The team registered a 3-1 record during a successful midseason stretch, but could not maintain that momentum. After lingering in Dawson's shadow for eight seasons, QB Mike Livingston was firmly entrenched as the team';s starter, becoming the first signal-caller to start every regular season game since Dawson in '68. Even though he played well and rallied the squad for wins in two of the season's final three games, the Chiefs still ended the year with their third consecutive 5-9 record. RB MacArthur Lane was the club's top offensive threat, becoming the only player in franchise history to lead the league in receptions (66). One of the club's final ties to its glory days was severed when the dismantling of Municipal Stadium began on April 13th. A portion of the site was later developed into a community garden.

On the field, the Chiefs suffered their worst season ever, winning just twice and undergoing a midseason coaching change. An 0-5 start doomed the squad with a 44-7 loss at Cleveland (10/30) effectively sealing Wiggin's fate. Despite the club's record Wiggin was still a popular figure in Kansas City, but was nonetheless relieved of his duties on Halloween, marking the only in-season coaching switch in team history. Wiggin concluded his tenure with an 11-24 record. Defensive backs coach Tom Bettis was named interim coach and claimed a 20-10 victory vs. Green Bay (11/6) in the club's initial contest under his direction, but it was the only victory of his brief head coaching tenure. The team endured a six-game losing streak to conclude the season at 2-12. Bettis and the remainder of the coaching staff assembled by Wiggin were released on December 19th one day after a 21-20 loss at Oakland (12/18) in the regular season finale. Marv Levy, the former head coach of the CFL's Montreal Alouettes, was named the fourth head coach in franchise history on December 20th. The heart and soul of the Chiefs once-vaunted defense departed when roommates Lanier and Lynch, who both joined the club together as second-round draft picks in '67, retired following the '77 campaign. Baltimore later acquired Lanier's rights in a trade, but failed to lure him out of retirement.

The Levy Era

Levy's systematic restocking of a relatively barren defensive roster began with a '78 draft class that included a pair of future Chiefs Hall of Fame enshrinees in DE Art Still (Kentucky) and LB Gary Spani (Kansas State). Another tie to the club's Super Bowl IV team was cut when RB Ed Podolak, who was the club's all-time leading rusher at the time, retired on June 15th. Perhaps Levy's most unconventional tactic in rebuilding the Chiefs was installing the Wing-T offense. "It was a situation where we took over a team that had the worst defensive record in the history of the National Football League,"; he later explained. "We wanted to keep that defense off the field, so we ran the ball 60 times a game." The "78 Chiefs ran and ran often, posting franchise records with 663 rushing attempts and 2,986 ground yards. Levy's squad ran the ball a staggering 69 times in a 24-23 Opening Day win at Cincinnati (9/3), the most rushing attempts in an NFL contest since '48. Five different players had 100-yard rushing games during the year, including RB Tony Reed who finished the season with 1,053 yards to become the team's first 1,000-yard back since '67. Despite the squad's Opening Day success, the club lost 10 of its next 11 games, including a pair of OT decisions. However, the team showed signs of improvement with the defense recording a 23-0 shutout vs. San Diego (11/26) as the club concluded its first 16-game schedule with a 4-12 mark.

Kansas City owned a pair of picks in the first round of the draft, selecting DE Mike Bell (Colorado State) and QB Steve Fuller (Clemson). By the season's third game, Fuller had supplanted QB Mike Livingston as the club's starter. With Fuller at the helm, the Chiefs owned a 4-2 record after six games, but a five-game midseason losing stretch sullied that effort. Despite finishing fifth in the AFC West for a second straight season, Kansas City's 7-9 record was a notable accomplishment considering the fact that the division's other four clubs all posted winning records for a second consecutive season. The Chiefs lost a 3-0 decision at Tampa Bay (12/16) in one of the most water-logged contests in franchise annals. As both clubs struggled to move the ball under monsoon-like conditions, a late, fourth-quarter FG by the Buccaneers averted the NFL's first scoreless tie since '43.

Tragedy, Triumphs and Transitions

With Kenney and Blackledge both on the roster, QB Steve Fuller was traded to the L.A. Rams on August 19th. Kenney earned a Pro Bowl berth after racking up a franchise-record 4,348 yards through the air, while WR Carlos Carson hauled in 80 passes for 1,351 yards. Despite the team's high-flying passing game, Mackovic had trouble finding a suitable replacement for Delaney on the ground. The highest scoring contest in franchise history took place as the Chiefs and Seahawks combined for 99 points in a wild, 51-48 OT loss at Seattle (11/27). A meager crowd of 11,377 attended the club's season-ending 48-17 win vs. Denver (12/18), the smallest attendance figure ever for a Chiefs game at Arrowhead as the club finished the year at 6-10.

Wayne Rudy, the only head trainer the team had ever known, retired and passed the reins to his assistant Dave Kendall in February. Pro Bowl S Gary Barbaro became the most notable Chiefs player to defect to the rival USFL, signing with the New Jersey  Generals on February 2nd after sitting out the entire '83 campaign in a contract dispute. All-America NT Bill Maas (Pitt) and T John Alt (Iowa) were both tabbed in the first round of the draft. Maas was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, while Alt eventually became the cornerstone of the club's offensive line later in the decade. Kansas City's defense registered a team-record 11.0 sacks in a 10-6 win vs. Cleveland (9/30), coming one sack shy of the NFL single-game record. Kenney suffered a broken thumb during the preseason and was sidelined until the season's seventh week. Blackledge opened the first six contests of the season and had the club at 3-3. Kenney returned to the starting lineup at the N.Y. Jets (10/21), but inconsistency marked the rest of the season as the club dropped four of first five contests after his return. However, the team rattled off three consecutive wins to conclude the year at 8-8.

The Chiefs got off to a flying start with a 47-27 win at New Orleans (9/8), while Cherry tied an NFL record by registering four INTs in a 28-7 win vs. Seattle (9/29) as the club boasted a 3-1 record four games into the season. The club was then confronted with a seven-game losing streak that wasn't snapped until Blackledge was installed as the starter vs. Indianapolis (11/24). The team rebounded to win three of its final five contests of the year with Blackledge under center, further inflaming a quarterback controversy that continued into the '86 campaign.

One of the few remaining bright spots in a disappointing 6-10 season came in the regular season finale vs. San Diego (12/22) when WR Stephone Paige set an NFL record with 309 receiving yards in a 38-34 win, breaking the previous mark of 303 yards set by Jim Benton (Cleveland) in '45. Paige's mark was subsequently surpassed by a 336-yard effort by WR Willie Anderson (L.A. Rams) in '89.

The defining moment of the '86 campaign came in the regular season finale at Pittsburgh (12/21). Despite being outgained in total yardage by a 515-to-171-yard margin, the Chiefs were able to notch a 24-19 victory as all of the team's points came via special teams on a blocked punt return, a FG, a kickoff return and a blocked FG return. With a 10-6 record the Chiefs earned an AFC Wild Card berth, winning a tiebreaker with Seattle. Kenney was injured in the fourth quarter of the Steelers contest, meaning Blackledge would draw the starting assignment for the club's first playoff contest since '71, a 35-15 loss at the N.Y. Jets (12/28). Little did anyone know at the time that it would be the final contest of the Mackovic era.

QB Len Dawson became the third Chiefs player inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on August 8th, while injuries forced the retirement of the club's all-time leading tackler LB Gary Spani. A duo of rookies made a splash in a 20-13 win on Opening Day vs. San Diego (9/13) as RB Paul Palmer returned a kickoff for a TD and RB Christian Okoye dashed for 105 yards. A 24-day NFLPA strike began on September 22nd. The club's contest vs. Minnesota (9/27) was cancelled before replacement games were conducted the next three weeks. Much like Marv Levy five years earlier, Gansz's grip on the club's coaching reins was crippled by the labor unrest.

Kansas City's replacement squad consisted primarily of players cut in training camp. One of the few bright spots among this motley crew was RB Jitter Fields, who remained on the active roster following the strike. The Chiefs strike squad received an ominous welcome in Los Angeles when in the early morning hours prior to a contest vs. the Raiders (10/4), an earthquake rattled Southern California. The visibly shaken Chiefs lost a 35-17 decision later that day. The low point of the year came the following week at Miami (10/11) in the first regular season game played at what then was known as Joe Robbie Stadium. Chiefs QB Matt Stevens was injured early in the contest, forcing into duty QB Alex Espinoza, a player who had never taken an NFL snap. The result was a 42-0 Dolphins victory, setting the stage for an 0-3 performance by Kansas City's replacement unit, giving the Chiefs a 1-4 record before the club's regular roster returned at San Diego (10/25). Five straight losses followed, giving the Chiefs a team-record nine-game losing skid. For the only time in team history, five different players started games at quarterback for the club. Behind Kenney, Kansas City won two of its last three games to conclude the strike-shortened 4-11 campaign.

A Return to Prominence: Carl Peterson and Martyball

After compiling an 8-22-1 record in two seasons, Gansz was relieved of his duties as head coach on January 5th. Peterson's selection as Gansz's successor was former Cleveland head coach Marty Schottenheimer, who was named the seventh head coach in Chiefs history on January 24th. The first draft choice of the Peterson era set the tone for the next decade as the club selected LB Derrick Thomas (Alabama) with the fourth overall selection. Thomas paired with Smith to form one of the most feared pass-rushing duos in NFL history, compiling a combined 212.5 sacks during their illustrious Chiefs careers. The Peterson-Schottenheimer era got off to an inauspicious start in a 34-20 loss at Denver (9/10) as DeBerg's first pass attempt was intercepted and returned for a TD. The club won just four times in its next 10 games as former Eagles QB Ron Jaworski and QB Steve Pelluer, who was acquired in a trade from Dallas, each opened three games apiece during that span. DeBerg regained the starting job for the final five weeks of the season, generating four wins that put the Chiefs just out of postseason qualification at 8-7-1. A 34-0 shutout win vs. Houston (11/26) highlighted the club's stretch run. RB Christian Okoye became the first Chief to lead the NFL in rushing with 1,480 yards, while Thomas won consensus NFL Rookie of the Year honors.

The foundation for the club's formidable offensive line of the '90s gathered two key ingredients when C Tim Grunhard (Notre Dame) and G Dave Szott (Penn State) were acquired in the draft. Construction began on the club's indoor practice facility at the Truman Sports Complex, giving the Chiefs an 80-yard indoor field and weight room facilities upon its completion. DT Buck Buchanan was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on August 4th. The Chiefs made their initial overseas appearance, losing a 19-3 American Bowl decision vs. the L.A. Rams at Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Germany (8/11). Schottenheimer's club got out of the starting gate quickly, winning three of their first four games. The club then struggled, splitting its next six contests.

Free agent RB Barry Word produced a team-record 200-yard rushing outburst in a 43-24 victory vs. Detroit (10/14). Kansas City led the NFL with a franchise-record 60.0 sacks, including a team-record 20.0 by LB Derrick Thomas. Thomas established an NFL single-game record with 7.0 sacks in an inspiring Veterans Day performance vs. Seattle (11/11), a game the Seahawks miraculously won, 17-16, on a last-second, 25-yard TD pass to WR Paul Skansi by future Chiefs QB Dave Krieg. That loss brought on the furious stretch run which saw the club record victories in six of its last seven outings. Behind DeBerg's offensive leadership (23 TD passes with just four INTs) Kansas City finished the year with a franchise-best +26 turnover differential. The Chiefs clinched their first postseason berth since '86 with a 24-21 win at San Diego (12/23) and finished the year at 11-5, marking the franchise's best finish since '69.

The Chiefs suffered a heart-breaking, 17-16 loss at Miami (1/5) in an AFC Wild Card Game as K Nick Lowery's potential game-winning 52-yard FG fell short with 0:56 remaining. On July 27th, K Jan Stenerud became the first pure placekicker to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Chiefs became members of Wisconsin's "Cheese League," moving their training camp to the University of Wisconsin - River Falls after spending the previous 28 summers at William Jewell College in Liberty, MO. The club's 14-3 win vs. Atlanta (9/1) on Opening Day initiated the 109-game sellout streak at Arrowhead that carried into the 2004 campaign. The Chiefs were featured on Monday Night Football three times, including a 33-6 victory over the defending AFC Champion Buffalo Bills before a raucous crowd at Arrowhead (10/7), marking the club's first home MNF contest in eight years. The club finished the regular season at 10-6, marking the first time since '68-69 that the franchise had qualified for the playoffs in consecutive seasons. A 27-21 victory at the L.A. Raiders (12/22) in the regular season finale gave the Chiefs the right to host the Silver and Black just six days later in the inaugural postseason game in Arrowhead's history. Thanks to six Los Angeles turnovers, the Chiefs registered their first postseason victory since Super Bowl IV with a 10-6 win in an AFC Wild Card Game (12/28).

The Chiefs lost a 37-14 decision at Buffalo (1/5) in an AFC Divisional Playoff matchup as the Bills dynamic offense proved to be too much for the Chiefs. A longtime nemesis with Seattle, "Plan B" free agent QB Dave Krieg was signed as the club's starter on March 19th. A melancholy off-season awaited the Chiefs, who mourned the passing of Player Personnel Director Whitey Dovell on May 22nd and Hall of Fame DT Buck Buchanan on July 16th. Both Dovell and Buchanan lost courageous battles with cancer. Six-time Pro Bowl S Deron Cherry who originally joined the club as a free agent punter, announced his retirement in July after registering 50 interceptions in 11 seasons with the franchise. The Chiefs retired the jerseys of Buchanan (86), LB Willie Lanier (63) and K Jan Stenerud (3) in a ceremony prior to a preseason contest vs. Buffalo (8/24).

First-round draft pick CB Dale Carter (Tennessee) won the Bert Bell trophy as the NFL's Rookie of the Year. The very first time Carter touched the ball in an NFL contest, he registered a 46-yard punt return TD in a 24-10 win at San Diego (9/6). RB Christian Okoye surpassed Ed Podolak as the all-time leading rusher in team history vs. Seattle (9/13). Injuries eventually made the '92 campaign Okoye's last with the Chiefs after he compiled 4,897 rushing yards with the franchise. The club got off to a 3-1 start, but was faced with a 4-4 record at the season's midpoint. Despite four consecutive victories, the club's postseason hopes still came down to the season's final contest. Owning a 9-6 record and needing one more victory to secure a playoff berth, the Chiefs defense tallied three TDs, while Krieg tossed a pair of scoring passes as Kansas City claimed a 42-20 win vs. Denver (12/27) to finish the season at 10-6.

The Chiefs made a quick exit from the playoffs as Krieg was sacked 7.0 times in a 17-0 AFC Wild Card loss at San Diego (1/2). The Chiefs spent the off-season installing the "West Coast" offense under the direction of new offensive coordinator Paul Hackett, who at one time served as QBs coach to Joe Montana in San Francisco. On April 20th, the Chiefs traded for Montana, who directed the 49ers to four Super Bowl victories. G Will Shields (Nebraska) was selected with the club's third-round draft choice, rounding out the "law firm" of Grunhard, Szott and Shields which anchored the interior of Chiefs offensive line for most of the decade. On June 9th the club signed another future Canton enshrinee, inking unrestricted free agent RB Marcus Allen, who had spent 11 seasons tormenting the Chiefs as a member of the Raiders. Montana and Allen made their debuts in a 27-3 win at Tampa Bay (9/5), marking Montana's first Opening Day appearance since '90. Shields initiated a franchise-record streak of 175 consecutive starts the following week at Houston (9/12). Thanks to a pair of Monday Night Football wins at Arrowhead, the club owned a 6-2 midseason mark. Before taking the field in a Sunday night contest at Minnesota (12/26), the team learned it had clinched its first AFC West title since '71 thanks to a Raiders loss earlier in the day. The team finished the season with an 11-5 regular season record, marking the club's fourth consecutive year with a double-digit victory tally. LB Derrick Thomas was named the NFL's Man of the Year following the season. Thomas, who founded "The Third and Long Foundation," received the honor in large part due to his efforts in promoting children's literacy.

Kansas City got its first true taste of "Montana Magic" as the Hall of Fame passer engineered a brilliant comeback in a 27-24 OT win in an AFC Wild Card thriller vs. Pittsburgh (1/8). Next up was a red-hot Oilers squad that had won 11 straight games to conclude the regular season. Heavily-favored Houston opened up a 13-7 lead in the fourth quarter, but once again, Montana had a comeback in mind, guiding the club to a 28-20 victory at Houston (1/16). The Chiefs playoff journey ended as the club made its initial AFC Championship Game appearance at Buffalo (1/23). Montana was knocked out of the contest early in the second half as Buffalo claimed its fourth straight AFC title by a score of 30-13.

While the previous off-season saw the Chiefs stockpile several key free agents, a number of familiar faces departed following the '93 season, most notably CBs Albert Lewis (Raiders) and Kevin Ross (Falcons), as well as K Nick Lowery (Jets). QB Steve Bono was acquired in a trade with San Francisco on May 2nd to serve as Montana's backup. The most dramatic change in Arrowhead's appearance occurred as a grass playing field was also installed, replacing the previous AstroTurf surface. The club made its second American Bowl appearance, meeting Minnesota in Tokyo, Japan (8/7).

The Chiefs home opener was one of the most-ballyhooed regular season contests in team history as Montana made his only career appearance vs. San Francisco (9/11). The Chiefs prevailed over the 49ers and Montana's replacement, QB Steve Young, by a 24-17 count before a crowd of 79,907, the second-largest "in-house" attendance in Arrowhead history. After starting the season 3-0, the Chiefs dropped back-to-back games before snapping an 11-game losing streak at Denver's Mile High Stadium (10/17) in a memorable Monday night contest. Montana orchestrated a masterful comeback, connecting with WR Willie Davis for a five-yard TD with 0:08 remaining to give the Chiefs a 31-28 triumph. A late-season, three-game losing skid put the club's playoff hopes in jeopardy. The Chiefs found themselves at 8-7 faced with a do-or-die regular season finale vs. the L.A. Raiders (12/24) in the final NFL contest ever played at the L.A. Coliseum. Allen had his finest game in a Chiefs uniform, rushing 33 times for 132 yards en route to a 19-9 win. At 9-7, Kansas City qualified for the playoffs for a fifth straight season. However, the Chiefs made a rapid departure from the playoffs in Montana's final professional contest at Miami (12/31). Montana and Dolphins QB Dan Marino conducted a masterful first-half duel that ended deadlocked at 17-17, but Miami eventually prevailed by a 27-17 count.

Montana announced his retirement from football after 16 years in the NFL on April 18th and Bono was promoted to the starting job. Immediately, so-called media experts predicted much gloom and doom for the '95 Chiefs, leading Schottenheimer to quip during training camp that his club had been picked "sixth in a five-team division." Led by Bono, who merited a Pro Bowl berth, Kansas City posted an NFL-best 13-3 record with unblemished 8-0 marks in the AFC West and at Arrowhead. The Chiefs led the NFL in rushing offense (138.9 ypg), scoring defense (15.1 ppg) and turnover ratio (+12). A 24-3 win at Arizona (10/1) featured a surreal, 76-yard TD run on a bootleg by Bono as the Chiefs initiated a seven-game winning streak, the franchise's longest since '69. In a Monday Night Football classic vs. San Diego (10/9), WR Tamarick Vanover returned a punt for an 86-yard TD to provide the winning points in a 29-23 victory, the team's third straight home win in overtime. The club's defense began to flex its muscle, beginning with a 21-7 win at Denver (10/22). The contest, played in a Rocky Mountain snowstorm, featured the 100th rushing TD of Marcus Allen's career. The Chiefs won a home game for the third time on a last-second return score that concluded in Arrowhead's West end zone when CB Mark Collins scooped up a fumble for a 20-13 win vs. Houston (11/19). Kansas City clinched a division title with a 29-23 victory at Oakland (12/3) en route to a franchise-best 13-3 regular season record and a team-record sixth consecutive postseason berth. The Chiefs were represented by seven players in the Pro Bowl, more than any other AFC team.

The Chiefs dropped an AFC Divisional Playoff Game vs. Indianapolis (1/7) on a blustery afternoon with the temperature at 11 degrees and a wind chill of -9. Three INTs and a trio of missed FGs contributed to the 10-7 loss at Arrowhead. The Chiefs entered the '96 campaign with essentially the same lineup as the club boasted in '95 and were featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated along with Green Bay as preseason Super Bowl favorites. Kansas City made its third American Bowl appearance, this time vs. Dallas in Monterrey, Mexico (8/5). The club started the season with a 4-0 record for the first time in team history, but the season's lofty expectations came crashing down as the squad lost three of its next four games. A three-game winning streak, including a victory over the eventual Super Bowl champion Packers, put the club back in postseason contention at 8-3.

That rosy picture quickly crumbled in a 28-14 loss vs. San Diego (11/24) as Bono was relieved in the second half by QB Rich Gannon. Gannon assumed the starting reins for a 28-24 win in a Thanksgiving Day game at Detroit (11/28) as Allen registered his 111th career rushing TD to surpass Walter Payton as the NFL's all-time leader in that department, a mark that was later broken by Emmitt Smith. Needing just one more win to qualify for the playoffs, the Chiefs dropped their next two games as an injury-hampered Gannon was sidelined for good in the second quarter of a 24-19 loss vs. Indianapolis (12/15). Faced with a must-win situation in a frigid regular season finale at Buffalo (12/22), the club's postseason hopes hinged on Bono. Despite a 20-9 loss to the Bills,  the Chiefs still had a shot to slip into the playoffs if Atlanta could secure a win at Jacksonville. However, Atlanta K Morten Andersen's 30-yard FG attempt went wide left with 0:04 remaining, preserving a 19-17 win and the AFC's final Wild Card spot for the Jaguars, who won a tiebreaker with Kansas City. The Chiefs finished with a 9-7 record, missing the postseason for the first time since '89.

Kansas City dramatically retooled its roster in '97, beginning with free agent QB Elvis Grbac, who signed with the club on March 17th. In addition to Grbac, the Chiefs lineup featured 11 new starters, including WR Andre Rison, who won team MVP honors after becoming the club's first Pro Bowl receiver in a decade. On defense, the club's top four picks from the '96 Draft, S Jerome Woods, S Reggie Tongue, DE John Browning and LB Donnie Edwards, all emerged as starters. T John Alt announced his retirement at training camp in River Falls, WI on July 21st. All the new faces quickly formed a cohesive unit as the Chiefs posted a 13-3 record, an 8-0 Arrowhead mark and their second AFC West title in three years. The club engineered several dramatic finishes, the first of which came in a Monday Night Football thriller at Oakland (9/8) when Grbac connected with Rison on an improbable 32-yard TD pass with just 0:03 remaining to cap a 28-27 win. Six days later, Kansas City's defense produced a remarkable goal-line stand to preserve a 22-16 victory at Arrowhead vs. Buffalo (9/14).

After posting a 6-2 record during the season's first half, Kansas City's good fortune appeared to run out vs. Pittsburgh (11/3) when Grbac suffered a broken clavicle. However, Gannon led the team to a 5-1 mark in their next six outings.

K Pete Stoyanovich provided one of the year's most memorable moments, connecting on a line-drive 54-yard FG as time expired to give Kansas City a 24-22 win vs. Denver (11/16). San Francisco entered Arrowhead boasting an 11-game winning streak and departed after suffering a 44-9 defeat (11/30), while the Chiefs vaunted defensive unit pitched a 30-0 shutout vs. Oakland (12/7). The Chiefs led the NFL in scoring defense, allowing a mere 14.5 points per game. The 232 total points permitted by the Chiefs in '97 were the lowest tally ever allowed in a 16-game season in team history. Kansas City also broke a 63-year-old mark owned by the '34 Detroit Lions by not permitting a second-half TD in 10 consecutive games. Grbac returned for the regular season finale vs. New Orleans (12/21) as the squad finished the year with six consecutive victories, a first in team history.

The two teams with the AFC's top records squared off when Denver (12-4) visited Kansas City (13-3) for an AFC Divisional Playoff Game (1/4). Grbac started the contest for Kansas City and despite holding an edge in total yardage, the Chiefs could not convert on several key scoring opportunities, dropping a 14-10 decision to their division foe. On April 9th, RB Marcus Allen announced his retirement, concluding a brilliant 16-year NFL career. A whirlwind preseason saw the Chiefs play another American Bowl contest, this time vs. Green Bay in Tokyo, Japan (8/1), as well as a preseason game vs. Tampa Bay in Norman, Oklahoma (8/8).

A '98 campaign which began with much promise had its high hopes dashed as the Chiefs suffered several major injuries beginning in a season-opening victory vs. Oakland (9/6) that featured 6.0 sacks from LB Derrick Thomas. Grbac was lost for four games due to a shoulder injury, while All-Pro G Dave Szott's year came to an end with a biceps tear. In total, 11 different starters missed a total of 45 games due to injuries. Gannon led the team to a 4-1 start that included a water-logged, 17-6 Sunday night win vs. Seattle (10/4), a contest that was delayed for 54 minutes due to torrential rains. However, the club would never recover from an ensuing six-game losing streak, the longest of Schottenheimer's tenure. The low point of that stretch came in a penalty-marred 30-7 loss vs. Denver (11/16) on Monday Night Football. The club was hampered by crucial penalties throughout the season, setting dubious NFL records for penalties (158) and penalty yardage (1,304). Despite registering wins in three of the season's final five games, the club finished the year at 7-9, snapping a string of nine consecutive winning seasons.

Gun's Run, A Fallen Hero & A New Era

On January 11th, head coach Marty Schottenheimer announced his retirement after 10 seasons of distinguished service with the club. His 101-58-1 (.634) record gave him the best winning percentage of any coach in franchise history. During his tenure, the Chiefs captured three AFC West titles and qualified for the playoffs seven times. Schottenheimer also produced a remarkable 18-3 (.857) record against the Raiders. Gunther Cunningham was appointed the eighth head coach in franchise history on January 22nd. During his four seasons ('95-98) as the Chiefs defensive coordinator, Kansas City's defense allowed a league-low 16.4 points per game. The club responded to their new leader's high-energy style as Cunningham produced a 9-7 record in his initial season at the club's helm, the best record of any rookie head coach in franchise history and the best mark of any first-year head coach in the NFL that season. The club became the sixth team in NFL history to record 100 regular season wins in a decade with a 16-10 triumph at Denver (12/5). Only Buffalo (103-57) finished the '90s with a better record than Kansas City's 102-58 mark. Under Cunningham, Kansas City led the NFL with a +21 turnover ratio and won the NFL's turnover triple crown in the '90s with a remarkable +128 turnover ratio, a league-high 365 takeaways and an NFL-low 237 giveaways. The Chiefs also recorded 11 return TDs on the season, including a franchise-best nine on defense. The Chiefs ran the ball more times (521) than any other team in the league and ranked fourth in the NFL in rushing (130.1 ypg). After a three-game mid-season losing streak put the club at 5-5 and on the brink of playoff elimination, the team rallied for a four-game winning string, setting up a make-or-break game in the regular season finale vs. Oakland.

The Chiefs needed a win vs. Oakland at Arrowhead (1/2) in the regular season finale to seal the AFC West title, while a loss would mean postseason elimination. Kansas City leapt out to a 17-0 lead, but a blocked punt turned the momentum in the game which was eventually won by Oakland 41-38 in OT. That loss provided an ominous start to a year which turned tragic on January 23rd when nine-time Pro Bowl LB Derrick Thomas was seriously injured in an auto accident.

Despite an 0-2 start, Kansas City bounced back to win five of its next six contests to sit 5-3 at the season's midway point. The Chiefs faced Seattle (10/2) in a Monday Night Football contest which was simulcast to 4,391 fans in Kauffman Stadium. The 82,893 fans assembled at Arrowhead and Kauffman Stadiums marked the largest on-site attendance figure in team history. The club's early-season success was also highlighted by a 54-34 win over the defending Super Bowl champion St. Louis Rams (10/22), a contest which featured the most points ever scored at Arrowhead. However, a stretch of five road games over a six-week span took its toll on the club as the Chiefs dropped five straight contests to fall out of playoff contention, finishing the year at 7-9.

After compiling a 16-16 record in two seasons, Cunningham was relieved of his duties on January 5th. Dick Vermeil, who guided St. Louis to a win in Super Bowl XXXIV following the '99 season, was named the ninth head coach in franchise history on January 12th. On April 20th, the club acquired QB Trent Green in a trade with St. Louis and also signed unrestricted free agent RB Priest Holmes.

The initial regular season victory of the Vermeil era came in convincing fashion at Washington (9/30) when the Chiefs defeated their former head coach Marty Schottenheimer and the Redskins by a 45-13 margin. Although the club finished its initial campaign under Vermeil at 6-10, the team began to take shape down the stretch, winning three of its final four games. Holmes provided a spark to the offense, becoming just the second player in franchise history to lead the NFL in rushing, amassing 1,555 yards to break Christian Okoye's previous single-season record of 1,480.

The club initiated a season-long series to commemorate the franchise's 40th Anniversary Season in Kansas City in 2002. On April 15th, the Chiefs Honor Grove of over 40 stately Giant Redwoods was established in the Southeast corner of the Truman Sports Complex to epitomize the deep and lasting roots the organization has developed in Mid-America. Hunt's inspiration for the honor grove was a quote from Vikings QB Joe Kapp, who was knocked out of Super Bowl IV. "The Chiefs defensive line was very active and looked like a Redwood Forest," Kapp said after the game. On April 25th, members of the Chiefs coaches, players, staff and cheerleaders visited numerous locations throughout the greater Kansas City community, thanking them for their support of the franchise.

In a season filled with wild comebacks and fantastic finishes, the Chiefs pulled out a remarkable 40-39 Opening Day win at Cleveland (9/8). Starting with that contest, virtually every game was a nail-biter with all but one of the club's eight losses being decided by seven points or less. But despite leading the NFL in scoring for the first time in team history with 467 points and setting a franchise record with 6,000 yards of total offense, the club finished 8-8 to miss the postseason in Vermeil's second season. The team remained in playoff contention until the season's final game thanks to its explosive offense that broke nine team records. The Chiefs also set NFL records by fumbling just seven times and losing just two of those loose balls. Holmes continued the torrid pace he began in 2001, earning NFL Offensive Player of the Year honors from the AP and surpassing his own team record with 1,615 rushing yards. The club's special teams were bolstered by WR Dante Hall, who produced three kick returns for TDs and became the first Chiefs return man to earn a Pro Bowl berth since J.T. Smith following the '80 season.

Hank Stram and RB Marcus Allen were enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame on August 2nd. "Voice of the Chiefs" Mitch Holthus broadcast his 151st game as the club's play-by-play announcer at Houston (9/21), breaking Kevin Harlan's previous record (150). The Chiefs started the regular season with a 9-0 record for the first time in team history, becoming just the ninth team since the AFL-NFL merger to accomplish that feat. That hot start to the season was sparked by Hall, who tied an NFL single-season record by registering four kick return TDs over that span. Hall also became the first player in league annals to accomplish that feat in four consecutive games. The Chiefs overcame a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit for the first time in team history, pulling out an improbable 40-34 OT win at Green Bay (10/12). Kansas City's winning streak came to an end in a 24-19 loss at Cincinnati (11/16).

The Chiefs clinched their first AFC West title since '97 with a 45-17 win vs. Detroit (12/14) as QB Trent Green became the first player in team history to register a "perfect" 158.3 passer rating in a game. Kansas City concluded its 13-3 regular season with a 31-3 victory vs. Chicago (12/28), marking a perfect 8-0 record at home and the club's 13th consecutive regular season victory at Arrowhead Stadium. In that win, Holmes set a trio of TD records. He finished the season with 27 rushing scores, establishing NFL single-season records for both rushing TDs and total TDs. Holmes (61) also bypassed WR Otis Taylor (60) for the most career TDs scored by a player in Chiefs history. The Chiefs five-game improvement in the win column from the previous season tied as the best mark in franchise history. Kansas City became the first AFC team to lead the NFL in scoring in consecutive seasons since San Diego in '81-82 as the club produced a franchise-best 484 points. The team also led the NFL with a +19 turnover differential. Nine Chiefs players received Pro Bowl recognition, the third-highest total in team history, while the club's six offensive Pro Bowlers marked the most in club annals. G Will Shields earned his ninth consecutive Pro Bowl berth and extended his franchise-record string of starts to 175 consecutive games.

The Chiefs hosted an AFC Divisional Playoff Game vs. Indianapolis (1/11) in which neither team was forced to punt. Sensational performances by Holmes (176 rushing yards, two TDs) and Hall (208 kickoff return yards, 1 TD) weren't enough as the Colts recorded a 38-31 victory. Defensive coordinator Greg Robinson resigned on January 13th. Vermeil agreed to a two-year contract extension on January 16th. On January 20th, Vermeil hired Gunther Cunningham, who returned to Kansas City as the club's defensive coordinator. On January 30th, Shields was named the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year, becoming the fourth Kansas City player to win that prestigious accolade.

TE Tony Gonzalez earned his sixth consecutive Pro Bowl berth and finished the season with a flourish, setting a single-game franchise record with a 14-catch performance in the regular season finale at San Diego (1/2). Gonzalez became just the third tight end since the AFL-NFL merger to lead the league in receptions (102), the highest total ever amassed by a member of the Chiefs. Despite Gonzalez's record-setting performance, a 24-17 loss to the Chargers brought a disappointing 7-9 campaign to a close.

A daunting early-season schedule faced the Chiefs during the 2005 regular season with three playoff opponents from 2004 and a pair of prime-time road contests in the season's first four weeks. Kansas City finished that stretch with a 2-2 record after claiming a convincing 27-7 home win vs. the N.Y. Jets (9/11) and winning a 23-17 Sunday night decision at Oakland (9/18). However, the club would suffer a 30-10 loss at Denver on Monday Night Football and was handed a 37-31 loss vs. Philadelphia (10/2) as the Eagles erased an 18-point Chiefs lead to leave Kansas City's record at 2-2 entering the bye week.

Hurricane Wilma forced the Chiefs to play their first regular season Friday night game since '64 as a game originally slated for October 23rd was hastily rescheduled. Kansas City actually flew to Miami on the day of the game and defeated the Dolphins by a 30-20 margin. Two weeks later, trailing by three points with only five seconds left and the ball on the one-yard line, head coach Dick Vermeil eschewed a potential game-tying FG attempt and went for broke, putting the game in the hands of RB Larry Johnson vs. Oakland (11/6). Johnson burst into the end zone to give the Chiefs a memorable 27-23 win as Kansas City's record stood at 5-3 at the season's midway point.

The Raiders contest marked the initial start of the season for Johnson, who opened the final nine games of the year in place of RB Priest Holmes, who was lost for the year following a head/neck injury at San Diego (10/30). Johnson went on a rushing rampage during the second half of the year, topping the 100-yard barrier in all nine of those contests. He finished the season with 1,750 rushing yards, the highest single-season total in franchise history.

Shields continued his assault on the record book, as well. The club's contest at Buffalo (11/13) marked the 200th consecutive start of Shields' career, making him just the fourth player since the AFL-NFL merger to accomplish such a feat. In addition to pushing his string of consecutive starts to 207 games by season's end, he was also rewarded with his 11th consecutive Pro Bowl berth, extending another franchise record.

A three-game late-season winning streak boosted the club's postseason hopes, beginning with a 45-17 win at Houston (11/20). Johnson established a franchise record of his own with 211 rushing yards against the Texans en route to earning his initial Pro Bowl berth. Kansas City then registered convincing home victories against a pair of playoff-bound teams with wins vs. New England (11/27) vs. Denver (12/4), putting the club at 8-4 with four games remaining. However, a pair of road losses put the club's postseason hopes in peril. A 20-7 win in a Christmas Eve quagmire vs. San Diego (12/24) meant the club would need a win in its regular season finale and some help in order to qualify for the AFC playoff field.

A new beginning & a final chapter

After registering a convincing 37-3 win vs. Cincinnati in the club's first-ever regular season New Year's Day contest, the winds of change blew into Kansas City. Head coach Dick Vermeil publicly announced his retirement following the win over the Bengals, ending season-long speculation about his future. Kansas City finished the season at 10-6, becoming just fourth team since '90 to miss the postseason with a double-digit victory total.

Vermeil conducted a final farewell press conference on January 3rd. He concluded his five-year run as Kansas City's head coach with a 44-36 (.550) record, giving him the third-highest victory tally in team history. Under his guidance, the Chiefs established 34 single-season team records and 14 single-game team records, leading the NFL in total offense by averaging 380.9 yards per game from 2001-05. Despite those many notable offensive accomplishments, the club returned to its defensive roots with the selection of its next head coach.

On January 9th, Herm Edwards was appointed the 10th head coach in franchise history. Edwards returned to Kansas City after serving as both a scout and an assistant coach with the Chiefs during the '90s. He rejoined the Chiefs organization after a five-year stint as head coach of the N.Y. Jets, leading that franchise to five postseason game appearances. He initially left the Chiefs to serve with former Kansas City assistant coach Tony Dungy in Tampa Bay, where that duo helped restore the Buccaneers franchise to NFL prominence.

On January 24th, the Chiefs and Royals both signed 25-year leases with Jackson County officials to keep both clubs at the Truman Sports Complex. On April 4th, Jackson County voters approved a 3/8 cent tax measure that was anticipated to raise $425 million in improvements to the Sports Complex, including $325 for Arrowhead. Those renovation plans also included a new practice facility and office complex for the Chiefs, thanks to contributions from the Hunt family.

The Edwards era got off to an inauspicious start on Opening Day vs. Cincinnati (9/10). QB Trent Green suffered a severe head trauma in the third quarter when he scrambled and went into a hook slide. Bengals DE Robert Geathers delivered a blow to the Chiefs signal caller, whose head violently bounced off the turf. Green lay motionless on the field for several minutes before he was taken to a local hospital. The Chiefs would lose the contest by a 23-10 count.

For the first time since 2000, a quarterback other than Green started a contest for Kansas City as backup QB Damon Huard served as field general the following week at Denver (9/17). Kansas City would drop a tough 9-6 OT decision to the Broncos as the club fell to 0-2.

After an early bye week, Kansas City got its intial victory of the Edwards era in convincing fashion with a 41-0 win at Arrowhead vs. San Francisco (10/1). Huard guided the club to a 23-20 comeback win the following week at Arizona (10/8), but a 45-7 drubbing at Pittsburgh (10/15) left the club's record at 2-3 entering a pivotal two-game homestand.

K Lawrence Tynes drilled a game-winning 53-yard FG to give Kansas City a 30-27 victory vs. San Diego (10/22). That triumph sparked a three-game winning streak to put the club's record at 5-3 at the season's halfway point.

Huard compiled a 5-3 record as a starter in Green's absence, throwing 10 TDs and just one INT over that eight-game span. After several weeks of practice and countless medical tests, Green finally made his return to the lineup in a 17-13 home win vs. Oakland (11/19) in what would be the final game witnessed in person by Chiefs Founder Lamar Hunt, who was admitted to Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas on November 22nd.

Hunt had long lobbied the NFL for a third game on Thanksgiving and those persistent efforts were rewarded as the fifth-largest paid crowd in Arrowhead history (79,484) packed the stadium for a holiday spectacle. Kansas City won its second contest at Arrowhead in five days as the Chiefs defense turned in a masterful performance in a 19-10 primetime win vs. Denver (11/23), a contest that also marked the initial live game telecast by the NFL Network.

Owning a 7-4 record, Kansas City appeared poised to make a serious run at the postseason, but a three-game losing streak that began with an unlikely 31-28 OT loss at Cleveland (12/3) put those hopes in serious jeopardy. The month of December proved particularly gloomy for the Chiefs as the health of the franchise's patriarch steadily declined.

After originally being diagnosed with prostate cancer in '98, Hunt quietly and bravely underwent many treatments and surgeries in the ensuing years without complaint. On December 13th, he peacefully passed away in Dallas, surrounded by his family. Memorial services celebrating the life of Hunt were conducted on the SMU campus in Dallas on December 16th and at the Community of Christ Auditorium in Independence, Missouri on December 19th.

A mourning team would return to the field the following Sunday and capture a 20-9 win at Oakland (12/23) to keep the Chiefs playoff hopes afloat entering the regular season finale vs. Jacksonville (12/31). The Chiefs prevailed by a 35-30 count against the Jaguars as RB Larry Johnson established a NFL record with 416 rushing attempts on the season and broke his own franchise single-season record with 1,789 rushing yards. After Cincinnati and Tennessee lost earlier in the day. The Chiefs officially got their ticket to the postseason punched when San Francisco won an unlikely 26-23 OT decision at Denver (12/31) to eliminate the Broncos from playoff contention.

The Chiefs made their first postseason appearance on the road since '94 in an AFC Wild Card Game at Indianapolis (1/6). Despite enjoying the support of a throng of Kansas City fans who made the trek to the RCA Dome and a valiant first-half performance from the Chiefs defense, Kansas City lost a 23-8 decision.

An artist's rendering for the club's new office complex and practice facility was unveiled in March, while design work and plans for Arrowhead's rehabilitation continued. On June 2nd, the club announced that it was partnering with HBO Sports and NFL Films to produce Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Kansas City Chiefs - a five-hour documentary series. On June 6th, QB Trent Green was traded to Miami, ending months of speculation about his future. Green concluded his successful six-year run with the franchise owning a team-record 87.3 passer rating.

The summer months were highlighted by a pair of groundbreaking ceremonies at the Truman Sports Complex. A private, staff-only groundbreaking session for the Chiefs new office and practice headquarters was conducted by Clark Hunt on July 25th. In addition, the Hunt Family, Chiefs officials, Senator Kit Bond, Jackson County Executive Mike Sanders and other county legislators participated in a groundbreaking ceremony for the "New Arrowhead" on August 22nd.

On the field, Kansas City overcame an 0-2 start to register a 4-3 record at the bye week, securing sole possession of first place in the AFC West standings. That early-season turnaround was highlighted by a 30-16 comeback win at San Diego (9/30) that served as coming out party for WR Dwayne Bowe who set a Chiefs single-game rookie record with 164 receiving yards, including a 51-yard TD catch. Bowe would shatter the franchise's single-season rookie receiving records with 70 catches for 995 yards, figures that led all NFL rookies. Meanwhile, TE Tony Gonzalez became the NFL's all-time TD catch leader among tight ends in a 27-20 win vs. Cincinnati (10/14).

However, Kansas City could not maintain any of that positive momentum after the bye week. The downward spiral began when RB Larry Johnson suffered a season-ending right foot injury in a 33-22 loss vs. Green Bay (11/4). That setback began a nine-game losing streak to conclude the regular season. Second-year QB Brodie Croyle supplanted QB Damon Huard in the second half the following week vs. Denver (11/11).

Croyle enjoyed a solid debut in his initial NFL start in the club's next contest at Indianapolis (11/18). That game that would mark the final chapter in the illustrious career of RB Priest Holmes, who announced his retirement on November 21st. The all-time leading rusher in franchise history with 6,070 yards made a remarkable comeback after missing almost a season-and-a-half of action. He returned to play four games in 2007, including two starts, before eventually hanging up his cleats for good.

Despite the mounting losses, the defense continued its improvement. Kansas City led the NFL in third-down defense (31.3%), while ranking second in both Red Zone defense (37.2 TD %) and defensive TD efficiency (14.5%) by allowing just 28 offensive TDs on 193 opponent drives. DE Jared Allen led the league with 15.5 sacks and became the club's first Pro Bowl defensive end since '95.

After suffering a thumb injury at Detroit (12/23), Croyle returned for the season finale at the N.Y. Jets (12/30) as Kansas City suffered a 13-10 OT setback. Gonzalez recorded his 820th career reception in the game, the most catches of any tight end in NFL history. Gonzalez earned his ninth straight Pro Bowl berth and finished the year with 1,172 receiving yards.

Head coach Herm Edwards named Chan Gailey his offensive coordinator on January 16th. CB Emmitt Thomas was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame on February 2nd and was officially enshrined in Canton on August 3rd.

Kansas City and Minnesota orchestrated a major trade on April 23rd as the Chiefs sent Pro Bowl DE Jared Allen and a sixth-round pick to the Vikings. In exchange, Kansas City received a first-round selection, two third-round picks and a sixth-round selection. Upon the team's return from training camp in August, the club's football operations moved into the organization's new practice facility. The rest of the franchise's administrative staff completed the move from Arrowhead by season's end.

On the field, the Chiefs owned the dubious distinction of becoming just the fourth team since the AFL-NFL merger to start three different quarterbacks in the season's first three weeks in a non-strike season. TE Tony Gonzalez surpassed TE Shannon Sharpe (10,060) for the most receiving yards by a tight end in NFL history at Carolina (10/5).

After QBs Brodie Croyle and Damon Huard both suffered season-ending injuries vs. Tennessee (10/19), the club eventually turned to QB Tyler Thigpen for good for the season's final nine games. The Coastal Carolina product showed flashes of promise and set a single-season franchise record for QBs with 386 rushing yards. Thigpen outplayed QB Brett Favre, but the Jets signal caller rallied his club as the Chiefs dropped a 28-24 decision at the N.Y. Jets (10/26).

That Jets contest marked the first in a series of excruciating losses. Kansas City squandered a 21-point lead in a 30-27 OT loss vs. Tampa Bay (11/2) and lost a 20-19 decision at San Diego (11/9) as a botched PAT and a failed two-point try doomed the club.

Thigpen's lone victory of the season was a 20-13 win at Oakland (11/30), but the losses continued to mount, including a second one-point setback vs. San Diego (12/14) as the Chargers overcame an 18-point deficit, scoring the game's final 19 points.

On December 15th, President/General Manager and CEO Carl Peterson announced his resignation, effective at the end of the season. The Chiefs dropped a 38-31 decision vs. Miami (12/21). Based on wind chill of -12 at kickoff, it was second-coldest contest in Arrowhead history. A four-game losing streak to end the season closed out with a 16-6 loss at Cincinnati (12/28) as the Chiefs finished the year at 2-14.

A new era at Arrowhead

Peterson officially concluded his 20-year tenure with the franchise on January 6th with a farewell press conference. Under Peterson's tenure, Kansas City amassed a 176-143-1 (.552) regular season record, made nine playoff appearances, won the AFC West four times and reached the AFC Championship Game in '93.

On January 13th, longtime New England Patriots executive Scott Pioli was named by Chairman of the Board Clark Hunt as the fifth General Manager in franchise history. During his tenure in New England, the Patriots won Super Bowls XXXVI, XXXVIII and XXXIX, claimed the Lamar Hunt Trophy four times as the AFC Champion and won six AFC East titles. During Pioli's tenure from 2000-08, the Patriots compiled an NFL-best 102-42 (.708) regular season record.

On January 23rd, Herm Edwards was relieved of his duties as head coach. He produced a 15-33 regular season record in three seasons guiding the franchise. The late LB Derrick Thomas was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2009 on January 31st. Thomas became the 10th member of the Chiefs to be enshrined in Canton. He joined LBs Bobby Bell (Class of '82) and Willie Lanier (Class of '86) as the third linebacker in that esteemed group.

Hunt and Pioli introduced former Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Todd Haley as the 11th head coach in franchise history on February 6th. He helped the Cardinals reach Super Bowl XLIII, marking the franchise's first NFL title game since '47. The son of longtime NFL personnel executive Dick Haley, the younger Haley oversaw an Arizona offense that registered a franchise-record 427 points in 2008. The Cardinals ranked fourth in the NFL total offense, averaging 365.8 yards per game. The first major move of the Chiefs new leadership team came on February 28th when the club acquired QB Matt Cassel and LB Mike Vrabel in a trade with New England.

The club unveiled its 50th anniversary logo on April 14th as the team began a year-long commemoratation of the franchise's 50th season, as well as the 50th anniversary of the creation of the American Football League by Lamar Hunt. On April 23rd, the Chiefs traded 10-time Pro Bowl TE Tony Gonzalez to Atlanta. Gonzalez finished his Chiefs career with the most receptions (916), receiving yards (10,940) and TD catches (76) in franchise history. On May 8th, Hunt named Denny Thum as the fourth President of the Chiefs. Thum is just three employees in team history to serve with the team during the tenure of every head coach in franchise history.

Note: Information compiled from various sources including previous Chiefs Yearbook stories by Jim Carr and Bob Gretz. Other sources include – Going Long: The Wild 10-Year Saga of the Renegade American Football League In the Words of Those Who Lived It by Jeff Miller, The NFL Record and Fact Book, NFL Total Football II and previous Chiefs media guides, as well as the archives of The Kansas City Star and The Kansas City Times. Additional research assistance provided by Lamar Hunt, current and previous Chiefs staffers, Gretz, the Pro Football Hall of Fame and the Kansas City Public Library. Photography courtesy of Hank Young, the Pro Football Hall of Fame, The Kansas City Star and the personal collection of the Hank Stram family.

Stadium History

Arrowhead Seating

The Kansas City Chiefs and St. Louis Cardinals played the inaugural game at Arrowhead Stadium on August 12, 1972. Since that initial contest, much has changed at the Truman Sports Complex. On April 4, 2006 Jackson County, Missouri taxpayers approved a 3/8 cent sales tax that is expected to raise $212.5 million for the Sports Complex with another $37.5 million coming from the State of Missouri. In addition, the Hunt family contributed $125 million to the $375 million project which officially commenced with a groundbreaking ceremony on August 22, 2007. These improvements will maintain Arrowhead’s longstanding status as one of the nation’s top venues for fans to experience the excitement of collegiate or NFL football.

Fans will be greeted with numerous new areas including the Founder’s Plaza, the Horizon Level, the Chiefs Sports Lab, the Chiefs Hall of Honor, a Founder’s Club, a luxurious Club Level and a new team store. Other improvements include an upgraded sound and scoreboard system, a 360-degree video ribbon board, concourses that are doubled in size and an upgraded variety of food and beverage options.

While other venues of a similar vintage have long since been termed obsolete, thanks to the foresight and vision of the leadership of Jackson County, the Hunt family, the Chiefs and the taxpayers who made it a reality, Arrowhead has stood the test of time.

At the time of its dedication in ’72, the legendary founder of the Chicago Bears, George Halas called Arrowhead, “the most revolutionary, futuristic, sports complex I have ever seen.” Hal Lebovitz, Sports Editor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer added, “It took courage to sell the citizens of Kansas City on the twin park plan. But they bought it because they want the best.”

In the late ’60s, after design and seating capacity concerns caused plans for a single, multi-purpose domed stadium to be scrapped, Kansas City opted to construct two separate stadiums, one for football and one for baseball. Voters approved the Sports Complex bond issue in ’67, which included plans for a revolutionary concept – the world’s first rolling stadium roof. Construction cost overruns and project delays caused by a lengthy strike eventually forced the roof concept to be put on hold, but Arrowhead was completed in time for the ’72 season.

In ’84, the Jackson County Sports Authority again investigated the feasibility of a dome - this time made of fabric - but that concept too was shelved as being unnecessary and financially impractical.

A decade later, in ’94, under Arrowhead’s continued open-air arrangement, a natural playing surface was installed in the facility for the first time, just one of numerous improvements which were made prior to the current renovation. In ’99, all 33,975 seats in the upper level of the stadium were replaced, while all 35,277 lower level seats and all 10,199 club level seats were replaced for the 2000 season.

Undoubtedly one of the finest facilities in the NFL, Arrowhead and the fans who consistently fill it have helped produce a distinct homefield advantage for the Chiefs. Dating back to ’90, Kansas City owns the seventh-best regular season home winning percentage among all NFL teams with a 106-54 (.663) record over that span. It’s been 40 years since the first plans were being devised for Kansas City’s two stadium setup, which is now the norm for professional football and baseball venues across the country.

During the 30th Anniversary season of Arrowhead in 2001, Chiefs Founder Lamar Hunt, expressed the organiza tion’s thanks to Colorado-based architect, the late Charles Deaton, who conceived the two-stadium concept. Hunt praised the governmental bodies who took the initiative, and the workers who built Arrowhead, as well as the support of the Jackson County tax payers who financed this futuristic venture. Hunt also wished to extend on behalf of the entire the Chiefs organization a hearty salute to all who have unquestionably made Arrowhead Stadium - The Home of the ... CHIEFS!