1969 Kansas City Chiefs season The 1969 Kansas City Chiefs season resulted in a 11 – 3 record and a 23 – 7 victory in Super Bowl IV over the NFL ’ s heavily - favored Minnesota Vikings . The team beat their rivals , the Oakland Raiders in the final AFL Championship Game , claiming their third AFL Championship in franchise history . The Chiefs were coached by Hank Stram , led by quarterback Len Dawson and a powerful defense led by Bobby Bell , Willie " Contact " Lanier and Buck Buchanan . The Chiefs ' defense became the fourth defense in the history of pro football to lead its league in fewest rushing yards , fewest passing yards and fewest total yards . The Chiefs were the second AFL team to win the Super Bowl and last AFL team to do so before the AFL - NFL Merger in the following season . The season was marred not only by an injury to quarterback Len Dawson but also controversy surrounding Dawson and his purported involvement in a sports gambling ring . Back - up quarterback Mike Livingston and the Chiefs ' stellar defense led the Chiefs back to the Super Bowl , this time , to win it all . Seven future Hall of Famers played for the Chiefs on the 1969 squad , including QB Len Dawson , LB ' s Willie Lanier and Bobby Bell , DT Buck Buchanan , CB Emmitt Thomas and K Jan Stenerud . Coach Hank Stram has also been enshrined in the Hall of Fame . In 2006 , the 1969 Kansas City Chiefs were ranked as the 18th greatest Super Bowl champions on the NFL Network ' s documentary " " . Offseason . 1969 AFL Draft . In the first round of the 1969 AFL Draft , the Chiefs selected cornerback Jim Marsalis from Tennessee State . Marsalis became an immediate starter at cornerback alongside veteran Emmitt Thomas . He was the only Chiefs rookie to start for the 1969 team , as Ed Podolak and Bob Stein were benched , and Morris Stroud and Jack Rudnay sat out the season with injuries . Regular season . Standings . < / div > After a decisive 27 – 9 win at San Diego ( 9 / 14 ) , the club posted a 31 – 0 shutout at Boston ( 9 / 21 ) , but QB Len 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 . Denver 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 . Mike 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 ) . Postseason . In an AFL Divisional Playoff Game at the New York 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 . Divisional playoffs . Kansas City Chiefs 13 , New York Jets 6 AFL championship game . Kansas City Chiefs 17 , Oakland Raiders 7 Super Bowl IV . Kansas City Chiefs 23 , Minnesota Vikings 7 The fourth annual AFL - NFL Championship Game , now officially known as the " Super Bowl , " was played on January 11 , 1970 , at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans , Louisiana . The AFL champion Kansas City Chiefs defeated the NFL champion Minnesota Vikings , 23 – 7 . Even though the Vikings were 13 - point favorites coming into the game , the Chiefs defense dominated the game by limiting the Minnesota offense to only 67 rushing yards , forcing 3 interceptions , and recovering 2 fumbles . The victory by the AFL evened the Super Bowl series with the NFL at two games apiece . Kansas City ' s Len Dawson became the fourth consecutive winning quarterback to be named Super Bowl MVP . He completing 12 of 17 passes for 142 yards and one touchdown , with 1 interception . Dawson also recorded 3 rushing attempts for 11 yards . Game summary . The Vikings began the game by taking the opening kickoff and marching from their own 20 - yard line to the Kansas City 39 - yard line , but were forced to punt . The Chiefs then drove 42 yards in 8 plays to score on kicker Jan Stenerud ' s Super Bowl record 48 - yard field goal . ( According to Dawson , the Vikings were shocked that the Chiefs would attempt a 48 - yard field goal . " Stenerud was a major factor , " he said . ) Minnesota then managed to reach midfield on their next drive , but were forced to punt again . On the first play of their ensuing drive , Chiefs quarterback Len Dawson threw a 20 - yard completion to wide receiver Frank Pitts , followed by a 9 - yard pass to wide receiver Otis Taylor . Four plays later , on the first play of the second half , a pass interference penalty on Vikings defensive back Ed Sharockman nullified Dawson ' s third down incompletion and gave Kansas City a first down at the Minnesota 31 - yard line . However on third down and 4 at the 25 - yard line , Vikings cornerback Earsell Mackbee broke up a deep pass intended for Taylor . Stenerud then kicked another field goal to increase the Chiefs lead to 6 – 0 . On the second play of their next drive , Vikings wide receiver John Henderson fumbled the ball after catching a 16 - yard reception , and Chiefs defensive back Johnny Robinson recovered the ball at the Minnesota 46 - yard line . But the Vikings made key defensive plays . First defensive tackle Alan Page tackled running back Mike Garrett for a 1 - yard loss , and then safety Paul Krause intercepted Dawson ' s pass at the 7 - yard line on the next play . However , the Vikings also could not take advantage of the turnover . Quarterback Joe Kapp ' s two incompletions and a delay of game penalty forced Minnesota to punt from their own 5 - yard line . The Chiefs then took over at the Viking 44 - yard line after punter Bob Lee ' s kick only went 39 yards . A 19 - yard run by Pitts on a reverse play then set up another field goal by Stenerud to increase the Chiefs ' lead to 9 – 0 . On the ensuing kickoff , Vikings returner Charlie West fumbled the ball , and Kansas City ' s Remi Prudhomme recovered it at Minnesota 19 - yard line . Defensive tackle Jim Marshall sacked Dawson for an 8 - yard loss by on the first play of the drive , but then a 13 - yard run by running back Wendell Hayes and a 10 - yard reception by Taylor gave the Chiefs a first down at the 4 - yard line . Two plays later , running back Mike Garrett ' s 5 - yard touchdown run gave Kansas City a 16 – 0 lead . West returned the ensuing kickoff 27 yards to the 32 - yard line . Then on the first play of the drive , Kapp completed a 27 - yard pass to Henderson to advance the ball to the Kansas City 41 - yard line . However , on the next 3 plays , Kapp threw 2 incompletions and was sacked by defensive tackle Buck Buchanan for an 8 - yard loss . Then on fourth down , kicker Fred Cox ' s 56 - yard field goal attempt fell short of the goal posts . In the third quarter , the Vikings managed to build some momentum . After forcing the Chiefs to punt on the opening possession of the second half , Minnesota drove 69 yards in 10 plays to score on fullback Dave Osborn ' s 4 - yard rushing touchdown to cut the lead , 16 – 7 . However , Kansas City responded on their next possession with a 6 - play , 82 - yard drive to score on Dawson ' s 46 - yard touchdown completion to Taylor three minutes later . The Chiefs would then go on to shut out the Vikings in the fourth quarter , forcing three interceptions on three Minnesota possessions , to clinch the 23 – 7 victory . The defeat was total for the Vikings , as even their " Indestructible " quarterback Joe Kapp had to be helped off the field in the fourth quarter after being sacked by Chiefs defensive lineman Aaron Brown . Garrett was the top rusher of the game , recording 11 carries for 39 yards and a touchdown . He also caught 2 passes for 25 yards and returned a kickoff for 18 yards . Taylor was the Chiefs ' leading receiver with 6 catches for 81 yards and a touchdown . Kapp finished the game with 16 of 25 completions for 183 yards , with 2 interceptions . Henderson was the top receiver of the game with 7 catches for 111 yards . AFL All - Star Game . " The Chiefs sent nine players to the American Football League All - Star game to represent the AFL West . "