Kansas City Chiefs

The **Kansas City Chiefs** are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division.

The team was founded in 1960 as the Dallas Texans by businessman Lamar Hunt, and was a charter member of the American Football League (AFL). In spring 1963, the team relocated to Kansas City, and assumed its current name. The Chiefs joined the NFL as a result of the merger in 1970, and the team is valued at over $2 billion. Hunt's son, Clark Hunt, serves as chairman and CEO. While Hunt's ownership stakes passed to his widow and children after his death in 2006, Clark is the operating head of the franchise; he represents the Chiefs at all league meetings, and has ultimate authority on personnel changes.

The Chiefs won three AFL championships, in 1962, 1966, and 1969, and were the second AFL team (after the New York Jets) to defeat an NFL team in an AFL–NFL World Championship Game, when they defeated the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV. That victory on January 11, 1970, was the final game before the leagues' merger went into full effect. The Chiefs were also the second team, after the Green Bay Packers, to appear in more than one Super Bowl (and the first AFL team to do so) as well as the first to appear in the championship game in two different decades. Despite post-season success early in the franchise's history, winning five of their first six postseason games, the team struggled to find success in the playoffs for decades, including losing ten of eleven playoff games from 1993 to 2017, which included an eight-game losing streak. Since then, the Chiefs have won five of their last six playoff games, including Super Bowl LIV in 2020 over the San Francisco 49ers, which earned the franchise their first championship in fifty years. In February 2021, the team made it to Super Bowl LV, but lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

### Formation

In 1959, Lamar Hunt began discussions with other businessmen to establish a professional football league that would rival the National Football League. Hunt's desire to secure a football team was heightened after watching the 1958 NFL Championship Game between the New York Giants and Baltimore Colts. After unsuccessful attempts to purchase and relocate the NFL's Chicago Cardinals to his hometown of Dallas, Texas, Hunt went to the NFL and asked to create an expansion franchise in Dallas. The NFL turned him down, so Hunt then established the American Football League and started his own team, the Dallas Texans, to begin play in 1960. Hunt hired a little-known assistant coach from the University of Miami football team, Hank Stram, to be the team's head coach after the job offer was declined by Bud Wilkinson and Tom Landry.

After Stram was hired, Don Klosterman was hired as head scout, and was credited by many for bringing a wealth of talent to the Texans after luring it away from the NFL, often hiding players and using creative means to land them.

### Early success

The Texans shared the Cotton Bowl with the NFL's Dallas Cowboys for three seasons. The Texans were to have exclusive access to the stadium until the NFL put an expansion team, the Dallas Cowboys, there. While the team averaged a league-best 24,500 at the Cotton Bowl, the Texans gained less attention due to the AFL's relatively lower profile compared to the NFL. In the franchise's first two seasons, the team managed only an 8–6 and 6–8 record, respectively. In their third season, the Texans strolled to an 11–3 record and a berth in the team's first American Football League Championship Game, against the Houston Oilers. The game was broadcast nationally on ABC and the Texans defeated the Oilers 20–17 in double overtime. The game lasted 77 minutes and 54 seconds, which still stands as the longest championship game in professional football history.

It turned out to be the last game the team would play as the Dallas Texans. Despite competing against a Cowboys team that managed only a 9–28–3 record in their first three seasons, Hunt decided that the Dallas–Fort Worth media market could not sustain two professional football franchises. He considered moving the Texans to either Atlanta or Miami for the 1963 season. However, he was ultimately swayed by an offer from Kansas City Mayor Harold Roe Bartle. Bartle promised to triple the franchise's season ticket sales and expand the seating capacity of Municipal Stadium to accommodate the team.

Hunt agreed to relocate the franchise to Kansas City on May 22, 1963, and on May 26, the team was renamed the Kansas City Chiefs. Hunt and head coach Hank Stram initially planned to retain the Texans name, but a fan contest determined the new "Chiefs" name in honor of Mayor Bartle's nickname that he acquired in his professional role as Scout Executive of the St. Joseph and Kansas City Boy Scout Councils, and founder of the Scouting Society, the Tribe of Mic-O-Say. Despite the historical use of Native American features, it has been acknowledged that the team's naming was not a direct reference to Native Americans but only to Bartle's nickname "Chief". Business Insider journalist Meredith Cash even stated in January 2020 that Bartle "insisted on the team being named after himself" and that "Bartle was known as Chief Lone Bear within Mic-O-Say circles, and eventually the nickname "Chief" caught on among people throughout Kansas City."

The franchise became one of the strongest teams in the now thriving American Football League, with the most playoff appearances for an AFL team (tied with the Oakland Raiders), and the most AFL Championships (3). The team's dominance helped Lamar Hunt become a central figure in negotiations with NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle to agree on an AFL–NFL merger. In the meetings between the two leagues, a merged league championship game was agreed to be played in January 1967 following the conclusion of the leagues' respective 1966 seasons. Hunt insisted on calling the game the "Super Bowl" after seeing his children playing with a popular toy at the time, a Super Ball. While the first few games were designated the "AFL–NFL World Championship Game", the Super Bowl name became its officially licensed title in years to come.

The Chiefs cruised to an 11–2–1 record in 1966, and defeated the defending AFL Champion Buffalo Bills in the AFL Championship Game. The Chiefs were invited to play the NFL's league champion Green Bay Packers in the first AFL–NFL World Championship Game. Kansas City and Green Bay played a close game for the first half, but Green Bay took control in the final two quarters, winning the game by a score of 35–10. The Chiefs lost the game but gained the respect of several Packers opponents following the game. The Chiefs' inter-league match-up with the Packers was not the last time that they would face an NFL opponent, especially on the championship stage. The following August, Kansas City hosted the NFL's Chicago Bears in the 1967 preseason and won the game 66–24.

Despite losing to the division rival Oakland Raiders twice in the regular season in 1969, the two teams met for a third time in the AFL Championship Game, where Kansas City won 17–7. Backup quarterback Mike Livingston led the team in a six-game winning streak after Len Dawson suffered a leg injury which kept him out of most of the season's games. While getting plenty of help from the club's defense, Dawson returned from the injury and led the Chiefs to Super Bowl IV. Against the NFL champion Minnesota Vikings, who were favored by 12+1⁄2, the Chiefs dominated the game 23–7 to claim the team's first Super Bowl championship. Dawson was named the game's Most Valuable Player after completing 12-of-17 passes for 142 yards and one touchdown, with 1 interception. The following season, the Chiefs and the rest of the American Football League merged with the National Football League after the AFL–NFL merger became official. The Chiefs were placed in the American Football Conference's West Division.

From 1960 to 1969, the Chiefs/Texans won 87 games, which is the most in the ten-year history of the AFL.

In 1970, the Chiefs won only seven games in their first season in the NFL and missed the playoffs. The following season, the Chiefs tallied a 10–3–1 record and won the AFC West Division. Head coach Hank Stram considered his 1971 Chiefs team as his best, but they failed to capture their championship dominance from 1969. Most of the pieces of the team which won Super Bowl IV two years earlier were still in place for the 1971 season. The Chiefs tied with the Miami Dolphins for the best record in the AFC, and both teams met in a Christmas Day playoff game which the Chiefs lost 27–24 in double overtime. The Dolphins outlasted the Chiefs with a 37-yard field goal. The game surpassed the 1962 AFL Championship Game as the longest ever at 82 minutes and 40 seconds. The game was also the final football game at Kansas City's Municipal Stadium.

In 1972, the Chiefs moved into the newly constructed Arrowhead Stadium at the Truman Sports Complex outside of Downtown Kansas City. The team's first game at Arrowhead was against the St. Louis Cardinals, a preseason game which the Chiefs won 24–14. Linebacker Willie Lanier and quarterback Len Dawson won the NFL Man of the Year Award in 1972 and 1973, respectively.

### Decline

The Chiefs would not return to the post-season for the remainder of the 1970s, and the 1973 season was the team's last winning season for seven years. Hank Stram was fired following a 5–9 season in 1974, and many of the Chiefs' future Hall of Fame players would depart by the middle of the decade. From 1975 to 1988, the Chiefs had become a team that rarely won which provided Chiefs fans with nothing but futility. Five head coaches struggled to achieve the same success as Stram, compiling an 81–121–1 record.

In 1980, Coach Marv Levy cut future Hall of Fame Kicker Jan Stenerud for little-known Nick Lowery, who would become the most accurate kicker in NFL History over the next fourteen years. In 1981, running back Joe Delaney rushed for 1,121 yards and was named the AFC Rookie of the Year. The Chiefs finished the season with a 9–7 record and entered the 1982 season with optimism. However, the NFL Players Association strike curbed the Chiefs' chances of returning to the postseason for the first time in over a decade. The Chiefs tallied a 3–6 record and in the off-season, Joe Delaney died while trying to save several children from drowning in a pond near his home in Louisiana.

The Chiefs made a mistake in drafting quarterback Todd Blackledge over future greats such as Jim Kelly and Dan Marino in the 1983 NFL Draft. Blackledge never started a full season for Kansas City while Kelly and Marino played Hall of Fame careers. While the Chiefs struggled on offense in the 1980s, the Chiefs had a strong defensive unit consisting of Pro Bowlers such as Bill Maas, Albert Lewis, Art Still and Deron Cherry.

John Mackovic took over head coaching duties for the 1983 season after Marv Levy was fired. Over the next four seasons, Mackovic coached the Chiefs to a 30–34 record, but took the team to its first postseason appearance in 15 years in the 1986 NFL playoffs. They lost to the New York Jets in the wild-card round. Despite leading the Chiefs to only their third winning season and second playoff appearance since the merger, Mackovic was fired for what Hunt described as a lack of chemistry. Frank Gansz served as head coach for the next two seasons, but won only eight of 31 games.

### Andy Reid, John Dorsey era

Following the 2012 season, the Chiefs fired head coach Romeo Crennel and general manager Scott Pioli. Former Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid was brought in as head coach to work with new general manager John Dorsey, a former Green Bay Packers head scout.

The Chiefs acquired quarterback Alex Smith from the San Francisco 49ers for the Chiefs' second-round pick, 34th overall, in the 2013 draft and a conditional pick in 2014 draft. Matt Cassel was released shortly after. The Chiefs selected Eric Fisher with the first overall pick of the 2013 NFL Draft.

In 2013, the Chiefs started 9–0 for the second time in team history. They led in their wildcard game against the Indianapolis Colts 38–10 shortly after halftime, but collapsed late and lost 45–44.

In 2014, the Chiefs attempted to make the playoffs for the second straight season for the first time since 1995, however, they finished 9–7 and were eliminated in Week 17.

After a promising win for the Chiefs against Houston in Week 1, Kansas City went on a five-game losing streak culminating in a 16–10 loss to Minnesota and the loss of Jamaal Charles to a torn ACL. However, they managed one of the most improbable season comebacks in the NFL and won ten straight to improve their record from 1–5 to 11–5. The team clinched a playoff berth after a 17–13 win over Cleveland in Week 16 to become only the second post-merger NFL team to make the playoffs following a 1–5 start.

The streak achieved by the Chiefs broke a franchise record for nine straight (2003, 2013) and second nine plus game win streak under Reid. After a Week 17 win over Oakland 23–17, the Chiefs achieved their longest winning streak in franchise history at ten games. They qualified for the playoffs, playing in the 2015 AFC Wild-Card playoff game, held at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas on January 9, 2016. The Chiefs defeated the Houston Texans 30–0 to earn their first NFL playoff win in 23 seasons, dating back to the 1993–94 NFL playoffs, a win that also came in Houston. The Chiefs' Wild-Card playoff victory ended what was at the time the third-longest drought in the NFL, and it also ended a then NFL record eight-game playoff losing streak. Riddled with injuries, they were defeated by the New England Patriots 27–20 in the AFC Divisional Round.

After facing a 24–3 deficit with six minutes left in the 3rd quarter, the Chiefs engineered a 33–27 comeback win against the San Diego Chargers ending with a two-yard touchdown run by Alex Smith in overtime to give the Chiefs their largest regular season comeback to start the season at 1–0.

On Christmas Day, the Chiefs defeated the Denver Broncos 33–10 to give Kansas City their tenth straight win against divisional opponents.

On January 1, 2017, the Chiefs clinched the AFC West and the second seed going into the playoffs that year. However, they fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers 18–16 in the divisional round as Chris Boswell hit 6 field goals.

The Chiefs finished the 2017–18 season with a 10–6 record, and won the AFC West. This was the first time in Chiefs history that they won the AFC West in back-to-back years. In the Wild Card round, the Chiefs lost a tight game to the Tennessee Titans 22–21, allowing Derrick Henry to rush for 156 yards. The loss extended their NFL record for most consecutive home playoff losses to six. The game marked the end of Alex Smith's five-year tenure with the Chiefs, as he was traded to the Washington Redskins a few weeks later.

**Patrick Mahomes era**

Patrick Mahomes made his NFL debut and first career start in the December 31, 2017 game against the Denver Broncos. The Chiefs won the game 27-24, with Mahomes going 22 for 35 with 284 yards and one interception. The Chiefs began the 2018 season with first-year starter Patrick Mahomes as their quarterback and finished the regular season with a record of 12–4, clinching the AFC West for the third year in a row and the AFC's top seed. This included victories over division rivals Los Angeles Chargers, Oakland Raiders and Denver Broncos (twice), along with important conference victories over the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals, and Jacksonville Jaguars. Their first loss of the season came at the hands of the New England Patriots with a last-second field goal. Their second loss of the season came against the Los Angeles Rams with a final score of 51–54, in which the Kansas City Chiefs made history by becoming the first NFL team to lose a game after scoring more than 50 points. Mahomes finished the season with 5,097 yards and 50 touchdowns, both team records. He became the 11th quarterback to throw for 5,000 yards and the 3rd to throw for 50 touchdowns. He joined Peyton Manning as only the 2nd player in NFL history to throw for 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns. For his performance during the season, he was named AP NFL MVP, the first Chief to ever win the award.

In the AFC Divisional round on January 12, 2019, the Chiefs defeated the Indianapolis Colts 31–13 to move on to the AFC Championship Game. This marked the Chiefs' first playoff win in Arrowhead Stadium in 25 years. This also enabled the Chiefs to host the AFC Championship Game for the first time ever. However, the following week, Kansas City's bid for its first Super Bowl berth in 49 years ended with a 37–31 overtime loss to the New England Patriots.

The Chiefs finished the 2019 regular season with a 12–4 record, winning the AFC West division title for the fourth straight year, and clinched the AFC's second seed behind the Baltimore Ravens. The Chiefs defeated the Houston Texans 51–31 in the AFC Divisional Game after falling behind 24–0 at the start of the second quarter with Mahomes throwing for five touchdowns. The Chiefs hosted their second AFC Championship game in consecutive years facing the sixth-seed Tennessee Titans. The Chiefs then defeated the Titans 35–24 and advanced to Super Bowl LIV. This marked their first Super Bowl appearance in 50 years, since Super Bowl IV.

On February 2, 2020, in Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, the Chiefs played against the NFC's top seed, the San Francisco 49ers. Following halftime when both teams were tied at ten points, Mahomes threw 2 interceptions in back to back drives in the 3rd and 4th quarters, resulting in the 49ers having a 20–10 lead with under 12 minutes remaining in the game. However, the Chiefs would score touchdowns on their next 2 possessions, with Mahomes throwing touchdowns to Travis Kelce and Damien Williams. With a 24–20 lead with under two minutes remaining, Williams had a 38-yard touchdown run to effectively seal the game for the Chiefs. This marked the first time in NFL postseason history that a team faced ten point deficits in three straight games and won all three by double-digit margins. Mahomes won the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Award, ending the Chiefs' Super Bowl drought dating back to the AFL-NFL Merger.

On July 6, 2020, Mahomes signed a record ten–year, $503 million contract extension keeping him under contract until the conclusion of the 2031 season. The contract is the largest ever signed in North American sports, more than tripling the value of the previous largest contract signed (although said contract was for a shorter 5 years, signed by Matt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons). With their week 14 victory over the Miami Dolphins, the Chiefs clinched their fifth consecutive division title. The victory also gave the Chiefs their first 12–1 record in franchise history. They would later win 14 games for the first time in franchise history. In the playoffs they defeated the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills to win the AFC Championship for the second consecutive year. The Chiefs would face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, ultimately losing 9–31, failing to score a touchdown in the game.

On December 26, 2021, the Chiefs beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 36-10, earning the team's sixth straight AFC West title.

**Current Roster**

* 4 Chad Henne
* 15 Patrick Mahomes

**Running backs**
* 45 Michael Burton FB
* 25 Clyde Edwards-Helaire
* 40 Derrick Gore
* 1 Jerick McKinnon
* 31 Darrel Williams

**Wide receivers**
* 19 Josh Gordon
* 17 Mecole Hardman
* 10 Tyreek Hill
* 85 Marcus Kemp
* 13 Byron Pringle
* 11 Demarcus Robinson

**Tight ends**
* 81 Blake Bell
* 83 *Noah Gray*
* 87 Travis Kelce
* 66 Austin Blythe C
* 57 Orlando Brown Jr. T
* 52 *Creed Humphrey* C
* 69 Kyle Long G
* 67 Lucas Niang T
* 65 *Trey Smith* G
* 70 Prince Tega Wanogho T
* 62 Joe Thuney G
* 77 Andrew Wylie G

**Defensive linemen**
* 55 Frank Clark DE
* 51 Mike Danna DE
* 95 Chris Jones DT
* 91 Derrick Nnadi DT
* 97 Alex Okafor DE
* 90 Jarran Reed DT
* 98 Tershawn Wharton DT
* 50 Willie Gay OLB
* 53 Anthony Hitchens OLB
* 24 Melvin Ingram OLB/DE
* 56 Ben Niemann MLB
* 44 Dorian O'Daniel OLB

**Defensive backs**
* 39 *Zayne Anderson* FS
* 30 Deandre Baker CB
* 27 Rashad Fenton CB
* 21 Mike Hughes CB
* 32 Tyrann Mathieu SS
* 38 L'Jarius Sneed CB
* 49 Daniel Sorensen FS
* 22 Juan Thornhill FS
* 35 Charvarius Ward CB
* 23 Armani Watts SS

**Special teams**
* 7 Harrison Butker K
* 5 Tommy Townsend P
* 41 James Winchester LS
* -- *Malik Herring* DE (NF-Inj.)
* 59 *Joshua Kaindoh* DE (IR-DFR)
* 26 Chris Lammons CB (IR-DFR)
* 75 Mike Remmers T (IR)
* 99 Khalen Saunders DT (IR-DFR)

**Practice squad**
* 2 *Dicaprio Bootle* CB
* 79 Cortez Broughton DT
* -- *Matt Bushman* TE
* 92 Shilique Calhoun LB
* 12 Gehrig Dieter WR
* 60 Austin Edwards DE
* 82 Daurice Fountain WR
* 48 Nakia Griffin-Stewart TE
* 47 Darius Harris OLB
* 20 Josh Jackson CB (COVID-19)
* -- *Devon Key* SS
* 34 Elijah McGuire RB
* 14 *Cornell Powell* WR
* 43 *Elijah Sullivan* OLB
* 80 *Mark Vital* TE
* 64 Darryl Williams C