The season resulted in a 13–3 winning record, beginning with a nine-game winning streak—the franchise's best start in their 40-year history. The Chiefs won theAFC West and clinched the second seed in theplayoffs to clinch their first playoff berth since1997. Kansas City lost in an offensive shootout at home in the AFC Divisional Playoffs to theIndianapolis Colts 38–31, a game noted for involving no punts from either team's kicking squad.
The season is best remembered for the Chiefs' record-breaking offense. On December 28, running backPriest Holmes brokeMarshall Faulk's single-season touchdown record, along withEmmitt Smith's single-season rushing touchdown record, by scoring his 27th rushing touchdown against theChicago Bears.QuarterbackTrent Green threw for 4,000 yards and kick returnerDante Hall returned four kicks for touchdowns. However, the Chiefs' defense would prove to be too big a weakness, as they failed to stop the Colts in the 2003-04 playoffs. The Chiefs offensive line from the season has frequently been considered one of the best offensive lines in NFL history. Two members of the offensive line,Will Shields andWillie Roaf, have been inducted in thePro Football Hall of Fame along with the tight end from the team,Tony Gonzalez.
This would be the last season the Chiefs went undefeated at home until2024.
The Chiefs originally had the 16th pick in the2003 NFL draft. Vermeil was intent on selecting a defensive player, but felt that there were no defensive players available with their pick, and traded the pick to thePittsburgh Steelers for the 27th pick, as well as the Steelers third and sixth-round picks.[1] With the 27th overall pick in the2003 NFL draft, the Kansas City Chiefs selected running backLarry Johnson fromPenn State.[2]
After beginning the 2003 season 9–0, the Chiefs finished the regular season with a record of 13–3. The Chiefs' offense topped the NFL in almost all statistical categories and Kansas City, at one point in the regular season, became favorites to winSuper Bowl XXXVIII.[3]
The Chiefs clinched their firstAFC West title since1997 with a 45–17 win against theDetroit Lions, as QBTrent Green became the first player in team history to register a "perfect" 158.3 passer rating in a game.[4]
Kansas City concluded its 13–3 regular season with a 31–3 victory vs. Chicago (December 28), marking a perfect 8–0 a record at home and the club's 13th consecutive regular-season victory at Arrowhead Stadium. In that win,Priest 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.[4]
The Chief's five-win improvement 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 1981–1982 as the club produced a franchise-best 484 points. The team also led the NFL with a +19 turnover differential.[4]
Nine Chiefs players receivedPro Bowl recognition, the third-highest total in team history, while the club's six offensive Pro Bowlers marked the most in club annals.[4]
The Steelers scored first on aChad Scott interception, but after leading 10–0 Pittsburgh was torched byDante Hall’s 100-yard kick return score.Priest Holmes ran in three touchdowns while Steelers quarterbackTommy Maddox was intercepted three times including one returned for a touchdown byJerome Woods in a 41–20 Chiefs win. During halftime the chiefs held a ceremony honoring former head coachHank Stram inducting him into the ring of honor at Arrowhead Stadium.
The Ravens held the Chiefs to 265 yards of offense and out-rushed them 202 yards (Jamal Lewis accounted for 115 yards and the tying touchdown in the final six minutes) to 129, butDante Hall raced in the winning score (17–10 Chiefs) on the kickoff following Lewis’ score andKyle Boller was intercepted at the Chiefs 2-yard line in the final minute. Ex-RavenPriest Holmes had 25 touches (22 carries and four catches) for a combined 103 yards.
Dante Hall’s signature touchdown came in the fourth quarter with the 4–0 Chiefs trailing 23–17 against the 4–0 Broncos. In the final nine minutes, he caught a punt, was chased back to his three-yard line, then cut left, and stormed past the Denver punt coverage unit to score.Jason Elam missed a Broncos field goal attempt butPriest Holmes fumbled at the Broncos eight-yard line.Jake Plummer advanced the Broncos to their 28 but went no further.
The Chief's 24–23 win came despite being outgained in yardage 468-262 and despite two turnovers to one by Denver.
This edition of the rematch series fromthe first AFL-NFL World Championship Game became one of the most competitive games of the season. The Packers raced to a 14–0 lead before twoTrent Green touchdowns tied the game. The Packers scored seventeen straight points in the second and third quarters but early in the fourthPriest Holmes scored.Brett Favre was then intercepted byJerome Woods at the Chiefs 21 and Woods scored. Exchanges of field goals (Morten Anderson’s 31-yard kick came with one second left) left the game tied 31–31. The Chiefs in overtime called eight straight Holmes rushes before trying a 48-yard field goal; the kick was blocked byCletidus Hunt. On the Packers possessionAhman Green was immediately stopped by Woods and Woods forced the fumble recovered at the Chiefs 49; Trent Green then unloaded deep toEddie Kennison and Kennison scored, thus ending a 40–34 Chiefs triumph.
Despite 124 rushing yards fromTravis Henry and getting a safety on a Kansas City punt, the Bills were humiliated 38–5.Drew Bledsoe was intercepted three times andAlex Van Pelt two more whileTrent Green had two touchdowns and 273 yards.
Trent Green had 368 yards and three touchdowns, Priest Holmes added two scores on the ground, and the Browns were limited to 199 yards of offense in a 41–20 Chiefs win. During halftime the chiefs in a ceremony honored their former running backMarcus Allen inducting him into the ring of honor.
An undefeated season (attendingMiami's overtime win overthe Ravens members ofthe 1972 Dolphins kept a close watch on this game) would not transpire as the Bengals surged to their fifth win, fulfilling a pregame prediction byChad Johnson (seven catches, 74 yards) of a Bengals win.Jon Kitna’s 77-yard strike toPeter Warrick effectively ended the 24–19 Bengals upset despite a late Trent Green score.
The 3–7 Raiders refused to go quietly as they erased a 21–7 Chiefs lead.Jerry Rice scored for the first time all season but the Chiefs broke a 24–24 tie onMorten Anderson’s field goal with four seconds left.
The Chiefs reached eleven wins leading wire to wire atQualcomm Stadium despite two Trent Green interceptions to go with two Green touchdowns. Priest Holmes exploded to 162 rushing yards and two scores.
The Chiefs suffered their second loss of the season 45–27. The game lead tied or changed six times in the first three quarters but after taking a 24–21 lead the Broncos added 21 more points.Clinton Portis ran in five touchdowns for Denver.
DET –Shawn Bryson 1-yard run (Jason Hanson kick), 3:54.Chiefs 38–17.Drive: 6 plays, 53 yards, 3:02.
KC – Tony Gonzalez 9-yard pass from Trent Green (Morten Andersen kick), 1:02.Chiefs 45–17.Drive: 6 plays, 77 yards, 2:52.
Fourth quarter
No scoring plays.
Top passers
DET – Joey Harrington – 20/36, 197 yards, TD, INT
KC – Trent Green – 20/25, 341 yards, 3 TD
Top rushers
DET – Shawn Bryson – 18 rushes, 105 yards, TD
KC – Priest Holmes – 18 rushes, 94 yards, 3 TD
Top receivers
DET – Az-Zahir Hakim – 6 receptions, 72 yards, TD
KC – Tony Gonzalez – 6 receptions, 93 yards, 2 TD
The 4–9 Lions were crushed 45–17 as Trent Green threw for 341 yards and three touchdowns while Priest Holmes added three scores of his own. It wasSteve Mariucci’s only career loss to the Chiefs. Detroit did not return to Kansas City until the 2023 NFL season opener where the Lions beat the Chiefs 21-20.
Having clinched theAFC West the Chiefs were vying for a playoff bye. The top conference seed slipped away in this Saturday game as the Vikings forced four Chiefs turnovers, raced to a 31–0 lead, and didn't look back despite a three-touchdown barrage by 10:05 to go in the fourth. Despite the 45-20 loss, the Chiefs gained on a playoff bye on Denver's win overthe Colts the next day.
WithNew England's shutout win over the Bills the previous day the Chiefs could only secure a playoff bye as the second conference seed. They did so 31–3 on three rushing scores while the 7-9 Bears used three quarterbacks who combined for two interceptions.
This offensive shootout became the second game without a punt in NFL playoff history, and first since the Buffalo Bills played the San Francisco 49ers in 1992. Colts quarterbackPeyton Manning threw for 304 yards and three touchdowns, whileEdgerrin James ran for a career postseason high 125 yards and two scores. On the Kansas City side,Dante Hall caught a touchdown and returned a kickoff for another; andPriest Holmes, who set the regular-season rushing touchdown record, rushed for 176 yards, caught 5 passes for 32 yards, and scored twice. Kansas City quarterbackTrent Green threw for 212 yards and a touchdown while also rushing for 18 yards in his first career postseason game. The Chiefs defense failed to stop the Colt's offense. Kansas City's defensive coordinatorGreg Robinson was asked to resign the following week. Chiefs lost and in 2004 missed the playoffs 7-9.
