2005 Kansas City Chiefs season The 2005 Kansas City Chiefs season resulted in a 10 – 6 record , but no playoff berth . The Chiefs became the sixth 10 – 6 team to fail to qualify for the playoffs since the NFL introduced the wild card . The final season of head coach Dick Vermeil was a swan song for one of the NFL ' s most prolific offensive squads in years , and the breakout season of running back Larry Johnson , who finished the season with 1 , 750 rushing yards in only nine starts . After running back Priest Holmes was injured in week 8 against the San Diego Chargers , Johnson took over the reins of the Chiefs ’ offense and it almost resulted in a playoff berth . For the 2005 campaign , the Chiefs brought several new players to boost a defense that has finished among the worst units the past three years . Starting with first draft pick , LB Derrick Johnson from the University of Texas , free agent LB Kendrell Bell , free agent S Sammy Knight , and also trading for CB Patrick Surtain from the Miami Dolphins for a second - round Draft pick , the Chiefs had high hopes for the ' 05 season . Offseason . Speculation on Dick Vermeil ’ s future . Speculation was heavy over the future of coach Dick Vermeil ’ s job in Kansas City for the 2006 season . Vermeil initially signed on with the Chiefs for three years , but was entering his fifth . The 69 - year old Vermeil entered the season as the oldest current head coach in the NFL . Free agents . The Chiefs attempted to bulk up their weak defense with veteran free agents whom have proven themselves in the past . With the acquisitions of Kendrell Bell , Sammy Knight , and Patrick Surtain , the Chiefs had high hopes for the 2005 season . 2005 NFL Draft . With the 15th overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft , the Kansas City Chiefs selected linebacker Derrick Johnson from University of Texas . Regular season . The Chiefs got off to a good 2 – 0 start , winning their Week 1 home - opener against the New York Jets ( 27 – 7 ) and then went on the road to beat their old time division - rival Oakland Raiders ( 23 – 17 ) . However , they then lost at INVESCO Field at Mile High 30 – 10 to the Denver Broncos , another division rival . Then in Week 4 , the Chiefs hosted the Philadelphia Eagles . Kansas City got off to a fast start and led 24 – 13 at halftime . However , the Eagles managed to work back into the fray , despite their starting quarterback having a sports hernia . The Chiefs would go on to lose the game , 37 – 31 . They then used their Bye Week in Week 5 to regroup and get back to what they do best . They managed to win a very good fight at home with the Washington Redskins , 28 – 21 . The Chiefs had little time to celebrate , because they were informed that because Hurricane Wilma was going to strike Miami on Sunday , they would have to face the Dolphins two days earlier . Despite the sudden change of the schedule , the Chiefs managed to win against the Miami Dolphins 30 – 20 . However , despite having over a week to prepare , they couldn ' t defeat the San Diego Chargers on the road and lost 28 – 20 . The Chiefs would rebound at home and win a well - fought rematch with their arch - rivals , the Oakland Raiders , with a final of 27 – 23 . However , the Chiefs ' next game would not fare as well , as they ended losing the Buffalo Bills , despite outgaining them in yards from scrimmage . The Chiefs would then proceed to start a three - game winning streak going . First , they would beat the Houston Texans on Sunday night ( 45 – 17 ) and then they would win back - to - back home games against the two - time defending champion New England Patriots and then a rematch win their division rival , Denver Broncos ( 31 – 27 ) . In the following weeks , the Chiefs dug themselves a huge hole with back - to - back interconference road losses to the Dallas Cowboys and the New York Giants . Fortunately , the Chiefs were able to keep their very slim playoff hopes alive after a 20 – 7 home victory over the San Diego Chargers in week 16 . In Week 17 , even though the Chiefs got a blowout win at home against the Cincinnati Bengals 37 – 3 , the Steelers won against the Lions 35 – 21 , taking AFC Wild Card # 2 and ending the Chiefs ' chances of getting into the playoffs . Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt was honored before the week 14 game against the Dallas Cowboys and had the honors of the pre - game coin - flip . Hunt was recognized for his contributions to the City of Dallas , and his establishment of the American Football League ’ s Dallas Texans ( now the Kansas City Chiefs ) , one of the Cowboys ’ AFL rivals . The loss of Priest Holmes . Kansas City ' s starting running back Priest Holmes was injured in the week 8 matchup against the San Diego Chargers . Holmes was injured by Chargers rookie linebacker Shawne Merriman and suffered severe head and neck trauma . Larry Johnson entered the game and claimed the starting position for the remainder of the season , an event which would eventually lead to Johnson ' s selection in the 2006 Pro Bowl . Vermeil ' s retirement . On December 31 , 2005 , Dick Vermeil announced at a team meeting of his intention to retire following the 2005 season , and by the early morning , the news had spread throughout all of Kansas City and the nation . The following day , the Chiefs soundly defeated the Cincinnati Bengals , whom were already heading to the playoffs , with a final score of 37 – 3 . With the clock winding down on the game and Vermeil ' s coaching career , Vermeil was met with enormous applause and chanting of " one more year . " Vermeil received a Gatorade dunk from Lional Dalton and Jared Allen for his final game . Playoffs . Despite their 10 – 6 record and second place finish in the AFC West , the Chiefs failed to qualify for the 2006 playoffs . In week 17 , the Chiefs needed the Detroit Lions to defeat the Pittsburgh Steelers in order to clinch the final AFC wild card . The Steelers defeated the Lions 35 – 21 and eventually won Super Bowl XL , becoming the first sixth - seeded team to play in and win the Super Bowl .