| Kansas City Chiefs | |||||||||||||
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 Current season | |||||||||||||
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| General information | |||||||||||||
| Established | August 14, 1959; 66 years ago (August 14, 1959)[1][2] | ||||||||||||
| Stadium | Arrowhead Stadium Kansas City, Missouri | ||||||||||||
| Headquartered | University of Kansas Health System Training Facility Kansas City, Missouri[3] | ||||||||||||
| Colors | Red, gold, white[4][5][6] | ||||||||||||
| Fight song | "Tomahawk chop chant" "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)" | ||||||||||||
| Mascot | Warpaint (1963–1988, 2009–2020) K. C. Wolf (1989–present) | ||||||||||||
| Website | chiefs | ||||||||||||
| Personnel | |||||||||||||
| Owner | Hunt family[7][8] | ||||||||||||
| Chairman | Clark Hunt | ||||||||||||
| CEO | Clark Hunt | ||||||||||||
| President | Mark Donovan | ||||||||||||
| General manager | Brett Veach | ||||||||||||
| Head coach | Andy Reid | ||||||||||||
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| Team history | |||||||||||||
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| League / conference affiliations | |||||||||||||
American Football League (1960–1969)
National Football League (1970–present)
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| Championships | |||||||||||||
League championships: 5†
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| Conference championships: 5 | |||||||||||||
| Division championships: 17 | |||||||||||||
| Playoff appearances (27) | |||||||||||||
| Owners | |||||||||||||
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TheKansas City Chiefs are a professionalAmerican football team based inKansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in theNational Football League (NFL) as a member of theAmerican Football Conference (AFC)West division.
Established in 1959 as a charter member of theAmerican Football League (AFL), the Chiefs started playing in1960 as theDallas Texans, owned by league founderLamar Hunt.[12] In1963, the team moved to Kansas City,[13][14] and adopted its current name.[15][16] The Chiefs joined the NFL in1970 as a result of theAFL–NFL merger; entering the2024 season, the team is valued at over US$4.85 billion. After Hunt's death in 2006, his wife, Norma, and children became legal owners of the team. After Norma's death in 2023, the Hunt children inherited her stake in the franchise.Clark Hunt, one of the Hunts' children, has served as chairman and CEO since 2006 and is the ultimate authority over personnel decisions. He is also the team representative at league owner meetings.
The Chiefs were victorious and won three AFL championships, in1962,1966, and1969,[17][18] and were the second AFL team (after theNew York Jets) to defeat an NFL team in aSuper Bowl when they wonSuper Bowl IV, which was the final game before the league merger went into full effect. The Chiefs were also the second team, after theGreen Bay Packers (whom they played inSuper Bowl I), to appear in more than one Super Bowl (and the first AFL team to do so) and the first to appear in the championship game in two different decades. Despite this post-season success, the team failed to find success in the playoffs for decades, including losing ten of twelve playoff games from1993 to2017, which included an eight-game losing streak.
Since then, the Chiefs have risen todynastic success underhead coachAndy Reid,quarterbackPatrick Mahomes,tight endTravis Kelce, anddefensive tackleChris Jones, appearing in five Super Bowls since2019 and being victorious in three:LIV,LVII, andLVIII.[19][20][21]
In 1959,Lamar Hunt began talking with other businessmen about creating a professional football league torival theNational Football League.[17][22][23] Hunt's desire to secure a football team rose after watching the1958 NFL Championship Game between theNew York Giants andBaltimore Colts.[22][24] After he tried and failed to buy the NFL'sChicago Cardinals and move the team to his hometown ofDallas, Texas,[17][25] Hunt went to the NFL and asked to create an expansion franchise in Dallas. The NFL turned him down, so Hunt established theAmerican Football League and started his own team, theDallas Texans, to begin play in 1960.
Hunt hired a little-known assistant coach from theUniversity of Miami football team,Hank Stram, to be the team's head coach[22] after the job offer was declined byBud Wilkinson andTom Landry.[22]Don Klosterman, hired as head scout, was widely credited for luring a wealth of talent to the Texans from the NFL, often hiding players and using creative means to land them.
The Texans shared theCotton Bowl with the NFL'sDallas 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.[22] 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's.[22] In the franchise's first two seasons, the team managed records of 8–6 and 6–8.[26]
In their third season, the Texans tallied an 11–3 record and a berth in the team's firstAmerican Football League Championship Game, against theHouston Oilers.[25][26] The game was broadcast nationally onABC and the Texans defeated the Oilers 20–17 in double overtime.[25] The game lasted 77 minutes and 54 seconds, setting a record for longest game in professional American football. It is still the longest championship game in American Football League history.[25]
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 theDallas–Fort Worthmedia market couldn't sustain two professional football franchises.[25][27] He considered moving the Texans to eitherAtlanta orMiami for the 1963 season.[25] He was ultimately swayed by an offer fromKansas City MayorHarold Roe Bartle.[25][27][28] Bartle promised to triple the franchise's season ticket sales and expand the seating capacity ofMunicipal Stadium to accommodate the team.[25][27][28]
Hunt agreed tomove the franchise to Kansas City on May 22, 1963,[13][14] and on May 26, the team was renamed theKansas City Chiefs.[15][25][27][28] Hunt and head coachHank 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, theTribe of Mic-O-Say.[25][28] 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".[29][30] 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."[31]
The franchise became one of the strongest teams in the now thriving American Football League,[17] with the most playoff appearances for an AFL team (tied with theOakland Raiders), and the most AFL Championships (three).[25] The team's dominance helped Lamar Hunt become a central figure in negotiations with NFL CommissionerPete Rozelle to agree on anAFL–NFL merger.[25][32] The leagues' officials agreed to hold amerged league championship game in January 1967, after the 1966 seasons ended. Hunt insisted on calling the game the "Super Bowl" after seeing his children playing with a popular toy at the time, aSuper Ball.[25][32][33] 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.[34]
The Chiefs cruised to an 11–2–1 record in 1966, and defeated the defending AFL ChampionBuffalo Bills in the AFL Championship Game.[35] The Chiefs were invited to play the NFL's league championGreen Bay Packers inthe 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.[36] The Chiefs lost the game but gained the respect of several Packers opponents after the game.[37] 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.[25] The next August, Kansas City hosted the NFL'sChicago Bears in the 1967 preseason and won the game 66–24.[25]
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.[26] Backup quarterbackMike Livingston led the team in a six-game winning streak afterLen Dawson suffered a leg injury that kept him out of most of the season's games.[25]
While getting plenty of help from the club's defense, Dawson returned from the injury and led the Chiefs toSuper Bowl IV.[25] Against the NFL championMinnesota Vikings,[17] who werefavored by12+1⁄2, the Chiefs dominated the game 23–7 to claim the team's first Super Bowl championship.[25] Dawson was named the game'sMost Valuable Player after completing 12-of-17 passes for 142 yards and one touchdown, with 1 interception.[38] 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.[25] The Chiefs were placed in theAmerican Football Conference'sWest Division.[26]
From 1960 to 1969, the Chiefs/Texans won 87 games, which is the most in the ten-year history of the AFL.[39]
In 1970, the Chiefs went 7–5–2 and missed the playoffs.[40] The next season, the Chiefs tallied a 10–3–1 record and won the AFC West Division.[41] Head coach Hank Stram considered his 1971 Chiefs team as his best, but they failed to capture their championship dominance from 1969.[41] Most of the pieces of the team that won Super Bowl IV two years earlier were still in place for the 1971 season.[41] The Chiefs tied with theMiami Dolphins for the best record in the AFC, and both teams met in aChristmas Day playoff game which the Chiefs lost 27–24 in double overtime.[41] The Dolphins outlasted the Chiefs with a 37-yardfield goal.[41] The game surpassed the 1962 AFL Championship Game as the longest ever at 82 minutes and 40 seconds.[41] The game was also the final football game at Kansas City's Municipal Stadium.[41]
In 1972, the Chiefs moved into the newly constructedArrowhead Stadium at theTruman Sports Complex outside ofdowntown Kansas City.[41] The team's first game at Arrowhead was against theSt. Louis Cardinals, a preseason game that the Chiefs won 24–14.[41] LinebackerWillie Lanier and quarterback Len Dawson won theNFL Man of the Year Award in 1972 and 1973, respectively.[42]
The Chiefs did not return to thepost-season for the remainder of the 1970s, and the 1973 season was the team's last winning season for seven years.[41] Hank Stram was fired after a 5–9 season in 1974, and many of the Chiefs' futureHall of Fame players departed by the middle of the decade.[41] From 1975 to 1988, the Chiefs had become a team that rarely won, which provided Chiefs fans with nothing but futility.[43][44] Five head coaches struggled to achieve the same success as Stram, compiling an 81–121–1 record.[43]
In 1980, Coach Marv Levy cut future Hall of Fame KickerJan Stenerud for little-knownNick Lowery, who would become the most accurate kicker in NFL history over the next 14 years. In 1981, running backJoe Delaney rushed for 1,121 yards and was named theAFC Rookie of the Year.[45] The Chiefs finished the season with a 9–7 record and entered the 1982 season with optimism.[45] TheNFL Players Association strike curbed the Chiefs' chances of returning to the postseason for the first time in over a decade.[45] The Chiefs tallied a 3–6 record[26] and in the off-season, Joe Delaney died while trying to save several children from drowning in a pond near his home in Louisiana.[46]
The Chiefs drafted quarterbackTodd Blackledge over future greats such asJim Kelly andDan Marino in the1983 NFL draft.[47][48] Blackledge never started a full season for Kansas City while Kelly and Marino played Hall of Fame careers.[48] While the Chiefs struggled on offense in the 1980s, they had a strong defensive unit consisting of Pro Bowlers such asBill Maas,Albert Lewis,Art Still andDeron Cherry.[45]
John Mackovic took over head coaching duties for the 1983 season afterMarv Levy was fired.[45] 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 the1986 NFL playoffs.[26] They lost to theNew York Jets in the wild-card round.[45] 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.[49]Frank Gansz served as head coach for the next two seasons, but won only eight of 31 games.[50][51]
On December 19, 1988, owner Lamar Hunt hiredCarl Peterson as the team's new president, general manager, and chief executive officer. Peterson fired head coach Frank Gansz two weeks after taking over and hiredMarty Schottenheimer as the club's seventh head coach.[45] In the1988 and1989NFL drafts, the Chiefs selected both defensive endNeil Smith and linebackerDerrick Thomas, respectively.[45][53] The defense that Thomas and Smith anchored in their seven seasons together was a big reason why the Chiefs reached the postseason in six straight years.[54]
In Schottenheimer's ten-season tenure as head coach, the Chiefs became a perennial playoff contender, featuring offensive players includingSteve DeBerg,Christian Okoye,Stephone Paige andBarry Word, a strong defense, anchored by Thomas, Smith, Albert Lewis and Deron Cherry, and on special teams, Nick Lowery, who was then the most accurate kicker in NFL History.[17] The team recorded a 101–58–1 record, and clinched seven playoff berths.[55] The Chiefs' 1993 season was the franchise's most successful in 22 years.[53] With newly acquired quarterbackJoe Montana and running backMarcus Allen, two formerSuper Bowl champions and Most Valuable Player Award winners, the Chiefs further strengthened their position in the NFL.[53] The 11–5 Chiefs defeated thePittsburgh Steelers andHouston Oilers on their way to the franchise's firstAFC Championship Game appearance against the Buffalo Bills.[53] The Chiefs were overwhelmed by the Bills and lost the game by a score of 30–13.[53] The Chiefs' victory on January 16, 1994, against the Oilers remained the franchise's last post-season victory for 22 years until their 30–0 victory over the Houston Texans on January 9, 2016.[56]
In the1995 NFL playoffs, the 13–3 Chiefs hosted theIndianapolis Colts in a cold, damp late afternoon game at Arrowhead Stadium.[26][53] Kansas City lost the game 10–7 against the underdog Colts, afterkickerLin Elliot missed three field-goal attempts and quarterback Steve Bono threw three interceptions.[53] The Chiefs selectedtight endTony Gonzalez with the 13th overall selection in the1997 NFL draft, a move which some considered to be a gamble being that Gonzalez was primarily abasketball player atCalifornia. During a 1997 season full of injuries to starting quarterbackElvis Grbac, backup quarterbackRich Gannon took the reins of the Chiefs' offense as the team headed to another 13–3 season.[26][53] Head coach Marty Schottenheimer chose Grbac to start the playoff game against theDenver Broncos despite Gannon's successes in previous weeks.[53] Grbac's production in the game was lacking, and the Chiefs lost to the Broncos 14–10.[53] Denver went on to capture their fifth AFC Championship by defeating Pittsburgh and then defeated the Green Bay Packers inSuper Bowl XXXII. Coach Schottenheimer announced his resignation from the Chiefs after the 1998 season.[57]
Defensive coordinatorGunther Cunningham took over coaching duties for the next two seasons, compiling a 16–16 record.[53] By the end of the Chiefs' decade of regular-season dominance, Gannon had signed with theOakland Raiders, Neil Smith signed with the Denver Broncos, and Derrick Thomas was paralyzed in a car accident on January 23, 2000.[53] Thomas died from complications of his injury weeks later.[53] Head coach Gunther Cunningham was fired.[58][59]
Looking to change the Chiefs' game plan which relied on a tough defensive strategy for the past decade, Carl Peterson contactedDick Vermeil about the Chiefs' head coaching vacancy for the 2001 season.[58] Vermeil previously led theSt. Louis Rams to a victory inSuper Bowl XXXIV.[59] Vermeil was hired on January 12.[60] The Chiefs then traded a first-round draft pick in the2001 NFL draft to St. Louis for quarterbackTrent Green and signed free agent running backPriest Holmes to be the team's cornerstones on offense.[61][62] In Vermeil's first season with the Chiefs, he led the team to a 6–10 record.[63] The team improved to an 8–8 record in 2002 but still missed the postseason.[64]
In 2003, Kansas City began the season with nine consecutive victories, a franchise record.[65] They finished the season with a 13–3 record and the team's offense led the NFL in several categories under the direction of USA Today's Offensive Coach of the Year honoree, Al Saunders.[59] Running back Priest Holmes surpassedMarshall Faulk's single-season touchdown record by scoring his 27th rushing touchdown against theChicago Bears in the team's regular-season finale.[59][66] The team clinched the second seed in the2003 NFL playoffs and hosted theIndianapolis Colts in the AFC Divisional Playoffs.[67] In a game where neither team punted, the Chiefs lost the shoot-out 38–31.[68] It was the third time in nine seasons that the Chiefs went 8–0 at home in the regular season, only to lose their post-season opener at Arrowhead.
After a disappointing 7–9 record in 2004, the 2005 Chiefs finished with a 10–6 record but no playoff berth.[69][70] They were the fourth team since 1990 to miss the playoffs with a 10–6 record.[59] Running backLarry Johnson started in place of the injured Priest Holmes and rushed for 1,750 yards in only nine starts.[71] Head coach Dick Vermeil announced his retirement[72] before the season's final game, in which the Chiefs defeated the playoff-boundCincinnati Bengals, 37–3.[73]
Within two weeks of Vermeil's retirement, the Chiefs returned to their defensive roots with the selection of its next head coach.[59] The team introducedHerm Edwards, a former Chiefs scout and head coach of the New York Jets, as the team's tenth head coach after trading a fourth-round selection in the2006 NFL draft to the Jets.[74] Quarterback Trent Green suffered a severe concussion in the team's season opener to the Cincinnati Bengals which left him out of play for eight weeks.[75] Backup quarterbackDamon Huard took over in Green's absence and led the Chiefs to a 5–3 record.[76]
Kansas City was awarded aThanksgiving Day game against the Denver Broncos in response to ownerLamar Hunt's lobbying for a third Thanksgiving Day game.[59] The Chiefs defeated the Broncos 19–10 in the first Thanksgiving Day game in Kansas City since 1969.[59] Hunt was hospitalized at the time of the game and died weeks later on December 13 due to complications ofprostate cancer.[32][59] The Chiefs honored their owner for the remainder of the season, as did the rest of the league.[59] Trent Green returned in the middle of the season, but struggled in the final stretch,[59] and running back Larry Johnson set an NFL record with 416 carries in a season.[77] Kansas City managed to clinch their firstplayoff berth in three seasons with a 9–7 record and a bizarre sequence of six losses from other AFC teams onNew Year's Eve, culminating with aBroncos loss to the49ers.[59] TheIndianapolis Colts hosted the Chiefs in the Wild Card playoffs and defeated Kansas City 23–8.[78]
In 2007, Trent Green was traded to theMiami Dolphins[79] leaving the door open for either Damon Huard orBrodie Croyle to become the new starting quarterback.[59] After starting the season with a 4–3 record, the Chiefs lost the remaining nine games when running backLarry Johnson suffered a season-ending foot injury and the quarterback position lacked stability with Huard and Croyle.[59] Despite the team's 4–12 record, tight endTony Gonzalez brokeShannon Sharpe's NFL record for touchdowns at the position (63) anddefensive endJared Allen led the NFL inquarterback sacks with 15.5.[80][81]
The Chiefs began their 2008 season with the youngest team in the NFL.[82] The starting lineup had an average of 25.5 years of age.[82] By releasing several veteran players such as cornerbackTy Law and wide receiverEddie Kennison and trading defensive end Jared Allen,[83] the Chiefs began a youth movement.[82][84] The Chiefs had a league-high thirteen selections in the2008 NFL draft and chose defensive tackleGlenn Dorsey and offensive linemanBranden Albert in the first round. Analysts quickly called Kansas City's selections as the best of the entire draft.[83][85][86][87]
Entering the season, the Chiefs were unsure if injury-prone quarterback Brodie Croyle, who was the incumbent starter, could be their quarterback in the long-term.[87] Croyle was injured in the team's first game of the season and Damon Huard started in Croyle's absence.[88]Tyler Thigpen become the third Chiefs starting quarterback in as many games for a start against theAtlanta Falcons.[89][90] After a poor performance by Thigpen, in which he threw three interceptions against the Falcons defense,[90] Huard was retained as the starting quarterback.[91] The Chiefs struggled off the field as much as on as tight end Tony Gonzalez demanded a trade and running back Larry Johnson was involved in legal trouble.[92][93][94][95]
Croyle returned for the Chiefs' game against the Tennessee Titans, but both he and Damon Huard suffered season-ending injuries in the game.[96] The Chiefs reorganized their offense to a newspread offense game plan focused around Tyler Thigpen.[84][88][97][98] The Chiefs' new offense was implemented to help Thigpen play to the best of his abilities and also in the absence of Larry Johnson, who was suspended for his off-field conduct.[93][97][98][99] The Chiefs gambled by using the spread offense, as most in the NFL believe that it cannot work in professional football, and also head coach Herm Edwards was traditionally in favor of more conservative, run-oriented game plans.[98] The 2008 season ended with a franchise worst 2–14 record, where the team suffered historic blowout defeats nearly week-in and week-out,[26][90][100] a 34–0 shut-out to theCarolina Panthers,[101] and allowed a franchise-high 54 points against the Buffalo Bills.[102] The team's general manager, chief executive officer, and team president Carl Peterson resigned at the end of the season,[103] and formerNew England Patriots vice president of player personnelScott Pioli was hired as his replacement for 2009.[104]
On January 23, 2009,Herm Edwards was fired as head coach,[105][106] and two weeks laterTodd Haley signed a four-year contract to become Edwards' successor.[107][108] Haley had a background with Pioli, which made him an attractive hire for Pioli's first coach in Kansas City. In April 2009,Tony Gonzalez was traded to theAtlanta Falcons after failed trade attempts over the previous two seasons.[109] Notably, head coach Todd Haley fired offensive coordinatorChan Gailey just weeks before the start of the 2009 season and chose to take on the coordinator duties himself. Throughout 2009 the Chiefs acquired veterans to supplement the Chiefs' young talent includingMatt Cassel,Mike Vrabel,Bobby Engram,Mike Brown,Chris Chambers, andAndy Alleman.[110][111][112] The team finished with a 4–12 record, just a two-game improvement upon their record from the 2008 season.
For the 2010 season, the Chiefs made significant hires for their coaching staff, bringing on former Patriots assistant coachesCharlie Weis andRomeo Crennel to coach the offense and defense, respectively.[113] The coaching additions proved to be very successful, as the Chiefs would go on to secure their first AFC West title since 2003. Their ten victories in the 2010 season combined for as many as the team had won in their previous three seasons combined.[114]
On January 9, 2011, the Chiefs lost their home Wild Card playoff game to the Baltimore Ravens 30–7.[115] Six players were chosen for thePro Bowl:Dwayne Bowe,Jamaal Charles,Brian Waters,Tamba Hali, Matt Cassel, and rookie safetyEric Berry. Jamaal Charles won the FEDEX ground player of the year award and Dwayne Bowe led the NFL in touchdown receptions.[116]
For their first pick in the2011 NFL draft, the team selectedJon Baldwin.[117] After a poor start, Haley was relieved of duties as head coach on December 12. Clark Hunt made note of "bright spots at different points this season," but felt that overall the Chiefs were not progressing.[118] The highest point of the 2011 season was an upset win against the Packers, who at that time, were undefeated with a 13–0 record.[119] Defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel would be named the team's interim head coach for the remaining three games of the season, including the aforementioned Packers game.[120] On January 9, 2012, Crennel was named the 11th full-time head coach in Chiefs history.[121]
The 2012 Chiefs became the first team since the 1929Buffalo Bisons to not lead in regulation through any of their first nine games.[122] The Chiefs tied their franchise-worst record of 2–14 and clinched the No. 1 overall pick in the2013 NFL draft.[123] It is the first time since the merger they have held the first overall pick.[124]
After the 2012 season, the Chiefs fired head coachRomeo Crennel and general managerScott Pioli.[125][126] FormerPhiladelphia Eagles head coachAndy Reid was brought in as head coach to work with new general managerJohn Dorsey, a formerGreen Bay Packers head scout.[127][128] The Chiefs acquired quarterbackAlex Smith from theSan Francisco 49ers for the Chiefs' second-round pick, 34th overall, in the 2013 draft and a conditional pick in the 2014 draft.[129] Matt Cassel was released shortly after.[130] The Chiefs selectedEric Fisher with the first overall pick of the2013 NFL draft[131] along withTravis Kelce who was drafted in the third round (63rd pick overall) in the same draft.[132]
In 2013, the Chiefs started 9–0 for the second time in team history.[133] The team finished with a 11–5 record and made the playoffs.[134] They led in their wildcard game against theIndianapolis Colts 38–10 shortly after halftime, but collapsed late and lost 45–44.[135]
In 2014, the Chiefs attempted to make the playoffs for the second straight season for the first time since 1995, finishing 9–7 and getting eliminated in Week 17.[136] 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 atorn ACL.[137] They made 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 after a 1–5 start.[138]
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 the2015 AFC Wild-Card playoff game, held atNRG Stadium inHouston, Texas on January 9, 2016. The Chiefs defeated theHouston Texans 30–0 to earn their firstNFL playoff win in 23 seasons, dating back to the1993–94 NFL playoffs, a win that also came in Houston. The Chiefs' Wild-Card playoff victory ended what was at the time the third-longestdrought in the NFL, and it also ended a then NFL record eight-game playoff losing streak.[139] Riddled with injuries, they were defeated by the New England Patriots 27–20 in the AFC Divisional Round.[140]
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The Chiefs first game of the 2016 season was against their division rival, theSan Diego Chargers. After facing a 24–3 deficit with six minutes left in the 3rd quarter, the Chiefs engineered a 33–27 comeback win 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.[141] OnChristmas Day, the Chiefs defeated theDenver 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, where they fell to thePittsburgh Steelers 18–16 in the divisional round asChris Boswell hit six field goals.[142]
The Chiefs finished the 2017 season with a 10–6 record, and won the AFC West.[143] This was the first time in Chiefs history that they won the AFC West in back-to-back years.[144] In the Wild Card round, the Chiefs lost a tight game to theTennessee Titans 22–21, allowingDerrick Henry to rush for 156 yards. The loss extended their NFL record for most consecutive home playoff losses to six.[145] The game marked the end of Alex Smith's five-year tenure with the Chiefs, as he was traded to theWashington Redskins a few weeks later.[146]
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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.[147]
The Chiefs began the 2018 season with first-year starter 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 rivalsLos Angeles Chargers,Oakland Raiders andDenver Broncos (twice), along with important conference victories over thePittsburgh Steelers,Cincinnati Bengals, andJacksonville Jaguars. Their first loss of the season came at the hands of the New England Patriots with a last-second field goal.[148] Their second loss of the season came against theLos Angeles Rams witha 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.[149] Mahomes finished the season with 5,097 yards and 50 touchdowns, both team records.[150] He became the 11th quarterback to throw for 5,000 yards and the third to throw for 50 touchdowns.[151] He joined Peyton Manning as only the 2nd player in NFL history to throw for 5,000 yards and 50 touchdowns.[152] For his performance during the season, he was namedAP NFL MVP, the first Chief to ever win the award.[153]
In the AFC Divisional round on January 12, 2019, the Chiefs defeated theIndianapolis Colts 31–13 to move on to the AFC Championship Game.[154] This marked the Chiefs' first playoff win in Arrowhead Stadium in 25 years.[155] This also enabled the Chiefs to host the AFC Championship Game for the first time ever.[156] The next week, Kansas City's bid for its first Super Bowl berth in 49 years ended with a 37–31 overtime loss to theNew England Patriots.[157]
The Chiefs finished the2019 regular season with a 12–4 record, winning theAFC West division title for the fourth straight year, and clinched the AFC's second seed behind theBaltimore Ravens.[158] The Chiefs defeated theHouston 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.[159] The Chiefs hosted their second AFC Championship game in consecutive years facing the sixth-seedTennessee Titans. The Chiefs then defeated the Titans 35–24 and advanced toSuper Bowl LIV.[160] This marked their first Super Bowl appearance in 50 years, sinceSuper Bowl IV.[161]
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On February 2, 2020, inHard Rock Stadium inMiami Gardens,Florida, the Chiefs played against the NFC's top seed, theSan Francisco 49ers. At halftime, the teams were tied at ten points. In the second half, Mahomes threw 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. Sparked bya 44-yard completion to Tyreek Hill on 3rd and 15, Mahomes threw touchdowns on successive drives toTravis Kelce andDamien Williams.[162] With a 24–20 lead with under two minutes remaining, Williams had a 38-yard touchdown run to 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 theSuper Bowl Most Valuable Player Award, ending the Chiefs' Super Bowl drought dating to theAFL-NFL Merger.[163]
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, tripling the previous record (which was for a shorter 5 years, signed byMatt Ryan of the Atlanta Falcons).[164] With their week-14 victory over theMiami 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 theCleveland Browns andBuffalo Bills to win the AFC Championship for the second consecutive year.[165][166] The Chiefs would face theTampa Bay Buccaneers inSuper Bowl LV atRaymond James Stadium inTampa, ultimately losing 9–31, failing to score a touchdown in the game.[167]
In their2021 season, the Chiefs beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 36–10, earning the team's sixth straight AFC West title on December 26, 2021.[168] The Chiefs began their playoff slate with a win against thePittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card round, and advanced to play theBuffalo Bills in the divisional round. Their 42–36 victory over Buffalo came in a game sports commentators and analysts dubbed asone of the greatest modern day NFL playoff games.[169][170][171][172][173][174] Despite being the first team to host the AFC Championship game for four consecutive seasons, the team finished the season losing 24–27 in overtime to theCincinnati Bengals.
The Chiefs begantheir 2022 season by tradingTyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins,[175] and instead opting to stock up on picks in the2022 NFL draft. They finished the season with a 14–3 regular season record, with losses coming from theColts,Bills, andBengals. All three losses were by margins of less than four points. The Chiefs won their seventh consecutive AFC West division championship, and secured the #1 seed in the AFC playoffs.[176] The team hosted their fifth consecutive AFC Championship Game,[177] and second consecutive against the Cincinnati Bengals, winning 23–20 on a game-winning field goal fromHarrison Butker.[178] InSuper Bowl LVII, the Chiefs defeated thePhiladelphia Eagles 38–35 again on a field goal from Butker[179] and two fourth-quarter touchdowns using theCorn Dog play. With the victory, Mahomes became the first player sinceKurt Warner in1999 to win both theNFL MVP Award andSuper Bowl MVP Award, and lead the league in passing yards in the same season.[180] Head coach Andy Reid won his second Super Bowl championship over the Eagles, the team he had previously led to a Super Bowl appearance.[181]
Entering the2023 season as defending champions, the Chiefs failed to improve on their 14–3 record from the previous season, despite this they secured their eleventh consecutive winning season and became division champions for the eighth consecutive season.[182][183][184] Their overall record was 11–6, their least successful record under quarterbackPatrick Mahomes. In theplayoffs, the Chiefs defeated theMiami Dolphins 26–7 in the wildcard round in frigid weather. In the divisional round, the team held on to a narrow 27–24 win over theBuffalo Bills on the road. This was the Chiefs third playoff win in four years over the Bills. They made their sixth consecutiveAFC Championship Game appearance, but their first on the road, defeating theBaltimore Ravens 17–10 to advance to their fourth Super Bowl in five years. In a rematch ofSuper Bowl LIV, the Chiefs overtime defeat of theSan Francisco 49ers 25–22 inSuper Bowl LVIII moved the franchise tofour Super Bowl titles, becoming the seventh franchise to accomplish that number. This was only the second overtime game in Super Bowl history.[185] This marked the first back-to-back Super Bowl wins sinceSuper Bowl XXXIX, making it three Super Bowl wins in five years.[186][187]
In2024, the Chiefs won a franchise record 15 games and received a first round bye. They defeated theHouston Texans 23–14 in the Divisional Round, followed by a 32–29 win over theBuffalo Bills in the AFC Championship Game, becoming the first team in NFL history to win back-to-back Super Bowls, then return to the Super Bowl in the third season. This also made them the first NFL team to appear in seven consecutive conference championships and the first NFL team to appear in five Super Bowls over a six-year period. They faced thePhiladelphia Eagles again inSuper Bowl LIX, as they had done inSuper Bowl LVII, and lost the rematch, 40–22.[188]
The Chiefs have won four Super Bowl Championships. They have won three AFL Championships: two as the Chiefs and one as the Dallas Texans.[18][189]
| Year | Coach | Super Bowl | Stadium | Location | Opponent | Score | MVP | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969 | Hank Stram | IV | Tulane Stadium | New Orleans, Louisiana | Minnesota Vikings | 23–7 | QBLen Dawson | 11–3 |
| 2019 | Andy Reid | LIV | Hard Rock Stadium | Miami Gardens, Florida | San Francisco 49ers | 31–20 | QBPatrick Mahomes | 12–4 |
| 2022 | LVII | State Farm Stadium | Glendale, Arizona | Philadelphia Eagles | 38–35 | 14–3 | ||
| 2023 | LVIII | Allegiant Stadium | Paradise, Nevada | San Francisco 49ers | 25–22 (OT) | 11–6 | ||
| Total Super Bowl championships won: | 4 | |||||||
| Year | Coach | Game | Stadium | Location | Opponent | Score | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Hank Stram | 1962 AFL Championship Game | Jeppesen Stadium | Houston, Texas | Houston Oilers | 20–17 | 12–3 |
| 1966 | 1966 AFL Championship Game | War Memorial Stadium | Buffalo, New York | Buffalo Bills | 31–7 | 12–2–1 | |
| 1969 | 1969 AFL Championship Game | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum | Oakland, California | Oakland Raiders | 17–7 | 12–3 | |
| Total AFL championships won: | 3 | ||||||
| Year | Coach | Stadium | Location | Opponent | Score | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Andy Reid | Arrowhead Stadium | Kansas City, Missouri | Tennessee Titans | 35–24 | 12–4 |
| 2020 | Buffalo Bills | 38–24 | 14–2 | |||
| 2022 | Cincinnati Bengals | 23–20 | 14–3 | |||
| 2023 | M&T Bank Stadium | Baltimore, Maryland | Baltimore Ravens | 17–10 | 11–6 | |
| 2024 | Arrowhead Stadium | Kansas City, Missouri | Buffalo Bills | 32–29 | 15–2 | |
| Total AFC championships won: | 5 | |||||
When the Texans began playing in 1960, the team's logo consisted of the state ofTexas in white with a yellow star marking the location of the city of Dallas. Originally, Hunt choseColumbia blue andorange for the Texans' uniforms, butBud Adams chose Columbia blue and scarlet for hisHouston Oilers franchise.[5] Hunt reverted to red and gold for the Texans' uniforms, which even after the team moved to Kansas City, remain as the franchise's colors to this day.[5]
The state of Texas on the team's helmet was replaced by anarrowhead design originally sketched by Lamar Hunt on a napkin.[5] Hunt's inspiration for the interlocking "KC" design was the "SF" inside of an oval on theSan Francisco 49ers helmets.[5] Unlike the 49ers' logo, Kansas City's overlapping initials appear inside a white arrowhead instead of an oval and are surrounded by a thin black outline.[5] From 1960 to 1973, the Chiefs had grey facemask bars on their helmets, but changed to white facemasks in 1974, making them one of the first teams (alongside the San Diego Chargers, who introduced a yellow facemask that same year) in the NFL to use a non-gray facemask.[5]
The Chiefs' uniform design has essentially remained the same throughout the club's history with only four minor changes occurring.[5] It consists of a red helmet, and either red or white jerseys with the opposite color numbers and names.[5] White pants were used with both jerseys from 1960 to 1967, and 1989 to 1999.[5] Beginning in 2009, during the Pioli/Haley era, the team has alternated between white and red pants for road games during the season. Until September 15, 2013, the Chiefs always wore white pants with their red jerseys. The Chiefs do not have an official alternate jersey, although unofficial alternate jerseys are sold for retail.
The Chiefs wore their white jerseys with white pants at home for the 2006 season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals. The logic behind the uniform selection that day was that the Bengals would have to wear their black uniform on a day when hot temperatures were forecast.[190]
In 2007, the Kansas City Chiefs honored Lamar Hunt and the AFL with a special patch.[191] It features the AFL's logo from the 1960s with Hunt's "LH" initials inside the football.[191] In 2008, the patch became permanently affixed to the left chest of both Kansas City's home and away jerseys.[191]
In select games for the 2009 season, the Chiefs, as well as the other founding teams of theAmerican Football League, wore a "throwback" uniform to celebrate the AFL's 50th anniversary.[192]
For the first time in team history, the Chiefs wore red jerseys with red pants, forming an all-red combo in their home opener against the Dallas Cowboys on September 15, 2013.[193] The all-red uniform is now an official uniform combination and has been used multiple times since. It is commonly used for prime-time games at home. The all-red look also served as the basis for the Chiefs'Color Rush design.
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Arrowhead Stadium has been the Chiefs' home field since 1972 and has a capacity of 76,416,[194] which makes it thefifth-largest stadium in the NFL. The stadium underwent a $375 million renovation, completed in mid-2010, which included new luxury boxes, wider concourses and enhanced amenities.[195][104] The stadium renovation was paid for by $250 million in taxpayer money and $125 million from the Hunt Family.[108] The stadium cost $53 million to build in 1972, and an average ticket in 2009 costs $81.[195]Aramark serves as the stadium's concession provider andT-Mobile,Anheuser-Busch andCoca-Cola are major corporate sponsors.[195]
Dating back to the Chiefs' home opener in 1991 to mid-2009, the Chiefs had 155 consecutive sellout games.[195] The streak ended with the final home game of the 2009 season against the Cleveland Browns, resulting in the first local TV blackout in over 19 years.[196] Arrowhead has been called one of the world's finest stadiums[17] and has long held a reputation for being one of the toughest and loudest outdoor stadiums for opposing players to play in.[104][197][198][199] All noise is directly attributed to its fans[200] and was once measured at 116decibels by the Acoustical Design Group ofMission, Kansas.[201] By way of comparison, take-off of aircraft may lead to a sound level of 106 decibels at the ground.[201]Sports Illustrated named Arrowhead Stadium the "toughest place to play" for opposing teams in 2005.[202] Thetailgate party environment outside the stadium on gameday has been compared to a "college football" atmosphere.[203] Arrowhead Stadium features frequentfly-overs from aB-2 Spiritstealth bomber from nearbyWhiteman Air Force Base. Since the1994 NFL season, the stadium has had a naturalgrass playing surface.[204] From 1972 to 1993, the stadium had anartificialAstroTurf surface.[204]
During the game against the Oakland Raiders on October 13, 2013, Arrowhead Stadium once again became the loudest stadium in the world when the fans set the Guinness Book of World Records record for loudest crowd in an outdoor stadium (137.5 dB), breaking the record set by the Seattle Seahawks just four weeks earlier. A few weeks after, Seattle re-gained the record by reaching a noise level of 137.6 decibels.[205][206] Chiefs fans have reclaimed the record once again on September 29, 2014, onESPN'sMonday Night Football against theNew England Patriots, the fans recorded a sound reading of 142.2 decibels.[207]
The stadium has been officially named GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium (pronounced G.E.H.A.) since 2021. The stadium was renamed afterGEHA signed a naming rights deal with the Chiefs.[208]
When the franchise was based in Dallas, the team conducted their inauguraltraining camp at theNew Mexico Military Institute inRoswell, New Mexico.[25] They moved camp toSouthern Methodist University, owner Lamar Hunt'salma mater, for 1961 and continued to practice there until 1965.[25] From 1966 to 1971, the Chiefs practiced inSwope Park in Kansas City,[209] and from 1972 to 1991 held camp atWilliam Jewell College inClay County, Missouri–where Lamar Hunt had extensive business dealings includingWorlds of Fun,Oceans of Fun andSubTropolis.[53]
From 1992 to 2009 the Chiefs conducted summer training camp at theUniversity of Wisconsin–River Falls inRiver Falls, Wisconsin.[210] The Chiefs' 2007 training camp was documented in theHBO/NFL Filmsdocumentaryreality television series,Hard Knocks.[211] After the passage of a $25 million state tax credit proposal, the Chiefs moved their training camp toMissouri Western State University inSt. Joseph, Missouri, in 2010.[212] The bulk of the tax credits went for improvements to Arrowhead Stadium with $10 million applied to the move to Missouri Western.[213] A climate-controlled, 120-yard NFL regulation grass indoor field, and office space for the Chiefs was constructed at Missouri Western adjacent to the school'sSpratt Stadium before the 2010 season.[214]
Outside of training camp and during the regular season, the Chiefs conduct practices at their own training facility nearby Arrowhead Stadium. The facility is located near the Raytown Road entrance to the Truman Sports Complex just east ofInterstate 435 and features three outdoor fields (two grass and one artificial turf) as well as an indoor facility with its own full-size field.
The rivalry between the Chiefs and theLas Vegas Raiders is considered as one of the NFL's most bitter, extending back into the infancy of the AFL.[215] Most notably during the era; both the Chiefs and Raiders appeared in the first two Super Bowl games.[216][217][218] Since the AFL was established in1960, the Chiefs and Raiders have shared the same division, first being the AFL Western Conference, and since the AFL–NFL merger, theAFC West.The Chiefs lead the regular season series 73–55–2 as of the end of the 2023 season, including a 2–1 playoff record against Las Vegas.[219]
A historic divisional battle for the Chiefs; the rivalry with theLos Angeles Chargers reignited during the 2020s as matchups would feature an offensive battle between Patrick Mahomes and Chargers' pro-bowl quarterbackJustin Herbert.[220] The Chiefs lead 69–58–1 as of the end of the 2023 season,[221] but the Chargers won 17–0 in the only playoff meeting between the two teams, a1992 AFC wild card game.[222]
Chiefs lead 72–56 as of the 2023 season, which included a run of 16 straight wins,[223] but the Broncos won the only playoff game between the two teams, a1997 AFC Divisional game.[224][225]
The series originated during the American Football League's inaugural season in 1960, as both the Kansas City Chiefs, then known as the Dallas Texans, andBuffalo Bills were charter teams in the league.[226] Despite being in two different divisions since their founding in 1960, the Bills and Chiefs have had many notable moments in NFL postseason history, most notably the1966 AFL Championship Game, the1993 AFC Championship Game betweenKelly andMontana, the2021 AFC Divisional playoff game (known especially for the infamous '13 Seconds'), and the 2023 AFC Divisional playoff game (known as 'Wide Right II'). Since 2020, the rivalry has redeveloped as both teams consistently contended for the AFC title. A rivalry has also developed between Bills quarterbackJosh Allen and Chiefs quarterbackPatrick Mahomes, with many comparing it to theformer rivalry betweenTom Brady andPeyton Manning.[227] At the end of the 2024–25 season, Buffalo leads the series 30–26–1, but Kansas City leads the playoff series 5–2. Of the seven playoff meetings the teams have contested, four were AFL/AFC championship games.[228]
The Chiefs established cross-state rivalries with NFL teams inSt. Louis, Missouri, with a trophy being awarded to the winner of each game. From 1960 to 1988, the Chiefs played theSt. Louis Cardinals before they moved toArizona. The series found new life from 1995 to 2015, when theRams played in St. Louis, ending upon the team's return toLos Angeles in 2016. The Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams played each other in 2018, amatchup that was the third-highest scoring of all time[229] and is hailed by many as one of the greatest in league history.[230][231] As of the 2023 season, the Chiefs lead the all-time series 8–5.[232]
The Chiefs' first mascot wasWarpaint, a nickname given to several breeds ofpinto horse. Warpaint served as the team's mascot from 1963 to 1988.[24][233][234] The first Warpaint (born in 1955, died in 1992) was ridden bareback by rider Bob Johnson who wore a fullNative American headdress.[24][233] Warpaint circled the field at the beginning of each Chiefs home game and performed victory laps after each Chiefs touchdown.[24][233] On September 20, 2009, a new Warpaint horse was unveiled at the Chiefs' home opener.[235] Warpaint was ridden by a cheerleader in its return.[236] The Chiefs again retired Warpaint in 2021 as a part of their commitment to stop the use of Native American imagery.[237]
In the mid-1980s, the Chiefs featured a short-lived unnamed "Indian man" mascot which was later scrapped in 1988.[233] Since 1989 the cartoon-likeK. C. Wolf, portrayed by Dan Meers in awolf costume, has served as the team's mascot.[24][238] The mascot was named after the Chiefs' "Wolfpack", a group of rabid fans from the team's days at Municipal Stadium.[233] K. C. Wolf is one of the most popular NFL mascots and was the league's first mascot inducted into theMascot Hall of Fame in 2006.[239]
The Chiefs have employed a cheerleading squad since the team's inception in 1960.[240] In the team's early days, the all-female squad was referred to as the Chiefettes.[241] In addition to the Cheerleaders, in the early 1970s, there was also a dance/drill team that performed for pre-game and halftime. From 1986 to 1992, the cheerleader squad featured a mix of men and women.[240] From 1993 to 2019, the all-female squad has been known as the Chiefs Cheerleaders, and in 2020, one male joined the team.[233][240][241]
| Kansas City Chiefs retired numbers | ||||
| No. | Player | Position | Tenure | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | Jan Stenerud | K | 1967–1979 | |
| 16 | Len Dawson | QB | 1962–1975 | |
| 18 | Emmitt Thomas | CB | 1966–1978 | |
| 28 | Abner Haynes | RB | 1960–1964 | |
| 33 | Stone Johnson12 | RB | 1963 | |
| 36 | Mack Lee Hill2 | RB | 1964–1965 | |
| 58 | Derrick Thomas2 | LB | 1989–1999 | |
| 63 | Willie Lanier | LB | 1967–1977 | |
| 78 | Bobby Bell | LB | 1963–1974 | |
| 86 | Buck Buchanan | DT | 1963–1975 | |
| 1Never on a Chiefs regular season roster. His number was retired after his death after an injury in a preseason game in 1963. 2Number wasposthumously retired. Names inbold spent entire playing career with the Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs. The number 37 has not been worn since the death ofJoe Delaney. Number 58 was not issued after the death ofDerrick Thomas until it was officially retired in 2009. The numbers 16 and 28 are the only numbers to have been worn by a single player (both Dawson and Haynes respectively). | ||||
Twenty-five members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame spent at least some portion of their career with the Chiefs. Thirteen spent the majority of the career with the Chiefs. Ten of the Chiefs in the Hall of Fame were involved with the Chiefs during theirSuper Bowl Championship season of1969. The Chiefs have 3 contributors, 3 coaches, and 18 players in the Hall of Fame.Derrick Thomas is the only Chief in the Hall of Fame that was inducted posthumously. Listed below are only people whose tenure with the Chiefs is their reason for induction, not former Chiefs coaches inducted as a player, the only exception beingEmmitt Thomas who was inducted as a player for the Chiefs and later become an assistant coach for the team.
| Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame enshrinees | ||||
| Players | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Name | Position | Tenure | Inducted |
| 78 | Bobby Bell12 | LB | 1963–1974 | 1983 |
| 63 | Willie Lanier12 | LB | 1967–1977 | 1986 |
| 16 | Len Dawson23 | QB | 1963–1975 | 1987 |
| 86 | Buck Buchanan12 | DT | 1963–1975 | 1990 |
| 3 | Jan Stenerud123 | K | 1967–1979 | 1991 |
| 53 | Mike Webster | C | 1989–1990 | 1997 |
| 19 | Joe Montana | QB | 1993–1994 | 2000 |
| 32 | Marcus Allen | RB | 1993–1997 | 2003 |
| 1 | Warren Moon | QB | 1999–2000 | 2006 |
| 18 | Emmitt Thomas12 | CB | 1966–1978 | 2008 |
| 58 | Derrick Thomas | LB | 1989–1999 | 2009 |
| 77 | Willie Roaf | T | 2002–2005 | 2012 |
| 61 | Curley Culp123 | DT | 1968–1974 | 2013 |
| 68 | Will Shields | G | 1993–2006 | 2015 |
| 8 | Morten Andersen | K | 2002–2003 | 2017 |
| 88 | Tony Gonzalez3 | TE | 1997–2008 | 2019 |
| 24 | Ty Law | CB | 2006–2007 | 2019 |
| 42 | Johnny Robinson12 | S | 1960–1971 | 2019 |
| 24 | Darrelle Revis | CB | 2017 | 2023 |
| 69 | Jared Allen | DE | 2004–2007 | 2025 |
| Coaches and contributors | ||||
| Name | Position | Tenure | Inducted | |
| Lamar Hunt | Founder of franchise and American Football League | 1960–2006 | 1972 | |
| Marv Levy | Head coach | 1978–1982 | 2001 | |
| Hank Stram123 | Head coach | 1960–1974 | 2003 | |
| Bill Polian | Contributor | 1978–1982 | 2015 | |
| Bobby Beathard | Contributor | 1963, 1966–1967 | 2018 | |
| Dick Vermeil | Head coach | 2001–2005 | 2022 | |
| 1Began career in theAmerican Football League. 2Member of1969Super Bowl championship team. 3Spent majority of their career with the Chiefs (names inbold). | ||||
Established in 1970, the Chiefs Hall of Honor has inducted a new member, with the exception of the 1983 and 2020 seasons, every year to honor their players, coaches, and contributors in an annual ceremony.[242][243] The requirements for induction are that a player, coach, or contributor must have been with the Chiefs for four seasons and been out of the NFL for four seasons at the time of induction.[242] There are some exceptions, such asJoe Delaney andDerrick Thomas, Delaney was with the team for only two seasons before his death, Thomas was inducted 1 year after his death in January 2000 (2 years after his final season). The Chiefs have the second-most enshrinees of any NFL team in their team Hall of Fame behind theGreen Bay Packers, who have enshrined over 100 players and team contributors over the years in theGreen Bay Packers Hall of Fame.[242] Nineteen players and the coach of theSuper Bowl IV championship team have been inducted into the ring of honor. Three players were posthumously inducted, Derrick Thomas, Joe Delaney, andMack Lee Hill.
| Chiefs Hall of Honor | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inducted | No. | Player | Position | Tenure |
| 1970 | — | Lamar Hunt | Team founder/Owner | 1960–2006 |
| 1971 | 36 | Mack Lee Hill* | RB | 1964–1965 |
| 1972 | 75 | Jerry Mays | DT | 1961–1970 |
| 1973 | 84 | Fred Arbanas | TE | 1962–1970 |
| 1974 | 42 | Johnny Robinson | S | 1960–1971 |
| 1975 | 88 | Chris Burford | WR | 1960–1967 |
| 1976 | 55 | E. J. Holub | C/LB | 1961–1970 |
| 1977 | 77 | Jim Tyrer | T | 1961–1973 |
| 1978 | 21 | Mike Garrett | RB | 1966–1970 |
| 1979 | 16 | Len Dawson | QB | 1963–1975 |
| 1980 | 78 | Bobby Bell | LB | 1963–1974 |
| 1981 | 86 | Buck Buchanan | DT | 1963–1975 |
| 1982 | 89 | Otis Taylor | WR | 1965–1975 |
| 1983 | No induction | |||
| 1984 | 71 | Ed Budde | G | 1963–1976 |
| 1985 | 63 | Willie Lanier | LB | 1967–1977 |
| 1986 | 18 | Emmitt Thomas | CB | 1966–1978 |
| 1987 | — | Hank Stram | Coach | 1960–1974 |
| 1988 | 44 | Jerrel Wilson | P | 1963–1977 |
| 1989 | 14 | Ed Podolak | RB | 1969–1977 |
| 1990 | 51 | Jim Lynch | LB | 1967–1977 |
| 1991 | 28 | Abner Haynes | RB | 1960–1964 |
| 1992 | 3 | Jan Stenerud | K | 1967–1979 |
| 1993 | 69 | Sherrill Headrick | LB | 1960–1967 |
| 1994 | 58 | Jack Rudnay | C | 1969–1982 |
| 1995 | 32 | Curtis McClinton | RB | 1962–1969 |
| 1996 | 20 | Deron Cherry | S | 1981–1991 |
| 1997 | 73 | Dave Hill | T | 1963–1974 |
| 1998 | 67 | Art Still | DE | 1978–1987 |
| 1999 | 34 | Lloyd Burruss | S | 1981–1991 |
| 2000 | 35 | Christian Okoye | RB | 1987–1992 |
| 2001 | 58 | Derrick Thomas* | LB | 1989–1999 |
| 2002 | 76 | John Alt | T | 1984–1996 |
| 2003 | 59 | Gary Spani | LB | 1978–1986 |
| 2004 | 37 | Joe Delaney* | RB | 1981–1982 |
| 2005 | — | Jack Steadman | President/GM | 1960–1989 |
| 2006 | 90 | Neil Smith | DE | 1988–1996 |
| 2007 | 29 | Albert Lewis | CB | 1983–1993 |
| 2008 | 61 | Curley Culp | DT | 1968–1974 |
| 2009 | 8 | Nick Lowery | K | 1980–1993 |
| 2010 | — | Marty Schottenheimer | Coach | 1989–1998 |
| 2011 | 31 | Kevin Ross | CB | 1984–1993, 1997 |
| 2012 | 68 | Will Shields | G | 1993–2006 |
| 2013 | 26 | Gary Barbaro | S | 1976–1982 |
| 2014 | 31 | Priest Holmes | RB | 2001–2007 |
| 2015 | 24 | Gary Green | CB | 1977–1983 |
| 2016 | 49 | Tony Richardson | FB | 1995–2005 |
| 2017 | 88 | Carlos Carson | WR | 1980–1989 |
| 2018 | 88 | Tony Gonzalez | TE | 1997–2008 |
| 2019 | 54 | Brian Waters | G | 2000–2010 |
| 2020 | No induction | |||
| 2021 | 61 | Tim Grunhard | C | 1990–2000 |
| 2022 | 38 | Kimble Anders | FB | 1991–2000 |
| 2023 | 82 | Dante Hall | WR† | 2000–2006 |
| 2024 | 91 | Tamba Hali | DE/LB | 2006–2017 |
| 2025 | 63 | Bill Maas | DE/DT | 1984–1992 |
*Posthumous induction
†Hall's primary position was wide receiver and is listed in the Chiefs Hall of Honor as a receiver. However, he was inducted because of his accomplishments as a return specialist.
Three Chiefs players own major NFL records.Patrick Mahomes owns the record for career quarterback rating with a minimum of 1,500 attempts with 103.9,[244]Derrick Thomas owns the record for sacks in a single game with 7 which he accomplished in 1990,[245] andTravis Kelce owns the record for career receptions in the playoffs.[246] Additionally,Tony Gonzalez, who spent the majority his career with the Chiefs, is the career receiving yards and receptions leader among tight ends. Chiefs players own several less notable records, for example, Mahomes owns the record for fastest quarterback to 100 career passing touchdowns. For a list of franchise records, seeList of Kansas City Chiefs records
2018:Patrick Mahomes, QB
2022: Patrick Mahomes, QB
1984:Bill Maas, DT
1989:Derrick Thomas, LB
1992:Dale Carter, CB
2015:Marcus Peters, CB
2002:Priest Holmes, RB
2018:Patrick Mahomes, QB
1969:Len Dawson, QB (IV)
2019:Patrick Mahomes, QB (LIV)
2022: Patrick Mahomes, QB (LVII)
2023: Patrick Mahomes, QB (LVIII)
1972:Willie Lanier, LB
1973:Len Dawson, QB
1993:Derrick Thomas, LB
2003:Will Shields, G
2009:Brian Waters, G
2015:Eric Berry, S
Thirteen head coaches have served the Texans/Chiefs franchise since their first season in 1960.[247]Hank Stram, the team's first head coach, led the Chiefs to three AFL championship victories and two appearances in theSuper Bowl.[248] Stram was the team's longest-tenured head coach, holding the position from 1960 to 1974.[41]Marty Schottenheimer was hired in 1989 and led Kansas City to seven playoff appearances in his ten seasons as head coach.[45][53] Schottenheimer had the bestwinning percentage (.634) of all Chiefs coaches.[55]Gunther Cunningham was on the Chiefs' coaching staff in various positions from 1995 to 2008, serving as the team's head coach in between stints as the team'sdefensive coordinator.[58][59]Dick Vermeil coached the team to a franchise-best 9–0 start in the2003 season.[249] Of the ten Chiefs coaches, Hank Stram,Marv Levy, and Dick Vermeil have been elected into thePro Football Hall of Fame, Levy is more well known for his time with the Buffalo Bills.[250]Herm Edwards served as the team's head coach from 2006 to 2008, compiling a 15–33 record and a franchise worst 6–26 record over a two-year span.[105][106][251][252]Todd Haley compiled a 19–26 record with the team from 2009 to 2011, including an AFC West division title in 2010.[107] Haley was fired with three games left in the 2011 season.Romeo Crennel was named interim coach, and was promoted to full-time coach in January 2012. Crennel was fired on Monday, December 31, 2012, after finishing the 2012 season with a 2–14 record. On January 5, 2013, the Chiefs hiredAndy Reid to be their next head coach. In Reid's tenure, the Chiefs have never had a sub-.500 season, making the playoffs in 10 of his 11 seasons as head coach, winning the division six times, and twice having two consecutive Super Bowl appearances, and three wins. With a 21–14 victory over the Miami Dolphins, on November 5, 2023, in Frankfurt Germany, Andy Reid tied former Chiefs head coach Hank Stram on the franchise's all-time regular season wins list with 124 victories.[253][254]
The franchise was founded in 1959 by Lamar Hunt after a failed attempt by Hunt to purchase an NFL franchise and move them to Texas.[255] Hunt remained the team's owner until his death in 2006.[255] The Hunt family kept ownership of the team after Lamar's death andClark Hunt, Lamar's son, represents the family's interests.[195] While Hunt's official title is CEO andChairman of the Board, he represents the team at all owner meetings.[256][257] In 2010, Hunt assumed role asCEO alongside his role as chairman of the board.[258] According toForbes, the team began the 2024 season valued at $4.85 billion USD, ranking them 24th among the 32 NFL teams.[259]
Owner Lamar Hunt served as the team's president from 1960 to 1976. Because of Lamar Hunt's contributions to the NFL, the AFC Championship trophy is named after him.[260] He promoted general managerJack Steadman to become the team's president in 1977.[260] Steadman held the job untilCarl Peterson was hired by Hunt in 1988 to replace him.[260] Peterson resigned the title as team president in 2008.[261]Denny Thum became the team's interim president after Peterson's departure and was officially given the full position in May 2009.[261][262] Thum resigned from his position on September 14, 2010.[258]
Don Rossi served as the team's general manager for half of the 1960 season, resigning in November 1960.[25] Jack Steadman assumed duties from Rossi and served in the position until 1976.[25][41][260] Steadman was promoted to team president in 1976 and despite being relieved of those duties in 1988,[260] he remained with the franchise until 2006 in various positions.[41][45]Jim Schaaf took over for Steadman as general manager until being fired in December 1988.[45] Carl Peterson was hired in 1988 to serve as the team's general manager, chief executive officer and team president.[45][260] Peterson remained in the position for nineteen years until he announced his resignation from the team in 2008.[261][263] Denny Thum served as interim general manager[261] until January 13, 2009, when the Chiefs namedNew England Patriots executiveScott Pioli the team's new general manager.[104][264]Pioli was released in early January after the hiring of Andy Reid, and was replaced by John Dorsey. Pioli's record as the Chief's general manager was 23–41.
On June 22, 2017, the Chiefs fired Dorsey.[265] They hiredBrett Veach as the new general manager on July 10, 2017.[266]
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Kansas City radio stationKFNZ-FM (96.5) is theflagship station forThe Chiefs Football Radio Network. The network has affiliates across Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, and Texas, and national reach through desktop and mobile devices. AFC Championship and Super Bowl broadcasts are exclusive to KCSP and WDAF-FM due to NFL rules surrounding the exclusivity of Westwood One's coverage outside of the immediate Kansas City area.
As part of the newest television contracts, non-primetime games are broadcast onCBS orFox with the biggest markets being the metropolitan areas ofKansas City,Wichita, andOmaha.
The Chiefs' in-house production company is named 65 Toss Power Trap Productions, after a play from the ChiefsSuper Bowl IV victory which led to a five-yard touchdown run byMike Garrett.[267] By 2024, the team established another production company called "Foolish Club Studios", named afterthe founders of the AFL. That production company helped produce a 2024Hallmark Channel originalChristmas movie, calledHoliday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story.[268]
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The Chiefs boast one of the most loyal fan bases in the NFL.[196][269] Kansas City is the sixth-smallestmedia market with an NFL team, but they have had the second-highest attendance average over the last decade.[200] Studies byBizjournals in 2006 gave the Chiefs high marks for consistently drawing capacity crowds in both good seasons and bad.[270] The Chiefs averaged 77,300 fans per game from 1996 to 2006, second in the NFL behind theWashington Redskins.[270] The franchise has an official fan club calledChiefs Kingdom which gives members opportunities to ticket priority benefits and VIP treatment.[271][272]
At the end of "The Star-Spangled Banner" before home games, many Chiefs fans intentionally yell out "CHIEFS!" rather than singing "brave" as the final word.[273] This can also occasionally be heard in road games[274] and even at sporting events for the nearbyUniversity of Kansas.[275] In 1996, general manager Carl Peterson said "We all look forward, not only at Arrowhead, but on the road, too, to when we get to that stanza of the National Anthem... Our players love it."[273] After theSeptember 11, 2001 attacks, Chiefs fans refrained from doing so in honor of those who lost their lives in the tragedy and continued to do so for the remainder of the 2001 season.[276] At the Chiefs' September 23, 2001, home game against the New York Giants, fans gave the opposing Giants a standing ovation.[199]
In the past, fans would chant while pointing in the direction of the visiting team, "We're gonna beat the hell outta you...you...you, you, you, you!" over the song "Rock and Roll Part 2".[277] The chant starts after the third "hey!" in the song.[277] The original version of the song byGary Glitter was previously used until the NFL banned his music from its facilities in 2006 after the British rocker was convicted of sexual abuse charges in Vietnam.[277] A cover version of the song played by Tube Tops 2000[277] was used from 2006 until the 2015 season.[278] The practice was later completely discontinued before the 2015 season after Glitter was arrested again.[279] The team would eventually adoptBeastie Boys' "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)" after Travis Kelce shouted the main chorus while celebrating victories in the AFC Championship Game and Super Bowl.[280]
Notable fans includeBrad Pitt,Paul Rudd,Jason Sudeikis,Henry Cavill,David Koechner,Rob Riggle,Taylor Swift,Heidi Gardner,John Amos,Melissa Etheridge, andEric Stonestreet.[281]
Arrowhead Stadium is also recognized byGuinness World Records as having the loudest outdoor stadium in the world. This was achieved on September 29, 2014, in aMonday Night Football game against theNew England Patriots when the crowd achieved a roar of 142.2decibels[282] which is comparable to standing 100 feet (30 m) from a jet engine, which even with short term exposure, can cause permanent damage.[283]
The NFL introduced the league's international home marketing area program in 2021,[284] which sees teams secure international marketing rights in countries beyond the United States. The Chiefs were designated as a home team toGermany alongside theCarolina Panthers,New England Patriots, andTampa Bay Buccaneers. In 2023 the NFL also granted the Chiefs permission to expand its marketing and fan outreach toAustria andSwitzerland.[285]
The Chiefs have played international regular season games againstDetroit in2015 inLondon, theLA Chargers in2019 inMexico City, andMiami inBerlin in2023.[286][287] The team participated in preseason exhibition games dubbed theAmerican Bowl in Berlin (1990),Tokyo (1994 and1998), andMonterrey, Mexico (1996).[286] They were the first NFL team to win games in four different countries.[268]
The Chiefs' fan base has expanded across the world like many other NFL teams. ATwitter account is dedicated to Chiefs fans in the UK and has been recognized by the Kansas City Chiefs and is their official UK fan page. They have many dedicated fans writing articles and interviewing players of the team such asTamba Hali.[288]
From various periods between 1963 and the 2008 season,trumpeter Tony DiPardo and The T.D. Pack Band played live music at every Chiefs home game.[289][290] The band was known as The Zing Band when the team was located at Municipal Stadium. DiPardo was honored by head coach Hank Stram in 1969 with aSuper Bowl ring for the team's victory in Super Bowl IV.[289] When his health was declining, DiPardo took a leave of absence from the band from 1983 to 1988.[290] DiPardo's daughter took over as bandleader in 1989, by which time DiPardo returned to the band by popular demand.[290][291] For the 2009 season, due to renovations at Arrowhead Stadium, the band did not return to perform at the stadium.
DiPardo died on January 27, 2011, at age 98. He had been hospitalized since December 2010 after suffering a brain aneurysm.[292]
For various reasons, the team has faced charges of racism and anti-Indigenous cultural appropriation and misuse of names, symbols, and practices.[294][295] The name comes from the nickname of former Kansas City mayorHarold Roe Bartle, who nicknamed himself "Chief" as part of creating theTribe of Mic-O-Say, a group affiliated with theBoy Scouts of America.[296] Over the years, these have also been displayed: an arrowhead logo, fans' "tomahawk chop" gestures during games, a horse named Warpaint, the use of a large drum, and the wearing of face paint, headdresses, and other Native American symbols.[297][298]
Chiefs fans also carry on a tradition that began atFlorida State University in the mid-1980s by using the Seminole WarChant as a rallying cry during key moments in their football games.[299][300] Before each home game, a former Chiefs player[301] or a famous Chiefs fan (such as NASCAR driverClint Bowyer[302] or rapperTech N9ne[303]), called the honorary drum leader, bangs on a drum with a large drum stick to start theTomahawk chop.
The Chiefs' and their fans' use of Native American imagery and stereotypes has been criticized for its use of symbols like the "war drum", songs and spectacles like the "Tomahawk chop", and stereotypical dress of fans in faux war paint and headdresses. In 2016, Native American groups asked the Kansas City Chiefs to stop doing the chop.[304] In the same year a similar request was made ofExeter Chiefs.[305] The editorial board of the Kansas City Star newspaper called for the cessation of "the chop" in late 2019, noting opposition from Native Americans and Tribes, and stating that the practice stereotypes and dehumanizes Native Americans.[306] TheNational Congress of American Indians and the Kansas City Indian Center have called for the mascot to be retired.[307] SecretaryDeb Haaland (Laguna Pueblo), the first IndigenousUS Secretary of the Interior has called for teams with Native-themed mascots to change mascots, including the Chiefs.[308]Lily Gladstone (Siksikaitsitapii,Nimíipuu), the first Indigenous person nominated for anAcademy Award, has also called on the Chiefs to change the name and stop the chop.[309]
The Chiefs have escaped the more intense criticism of other teams, such as theWashington Redskins andCleveland Indians who changed their names beginning with their 2022 seasons, for using Native American names and logos. Attention increased in 2020 in advance of their appearance inSuper Bowl LIV.[310] While there have been efforts to address other issues, such as fans wearing warpaint and headdresses, the tomahawk chop and the accompanying chant is defended, including by some local Native Americans. In a national survey, half of Native Americans said the "tomahawk chop" bothered or offended them, rising to 65% among those more engaged in American Indian traditions.[311]
At one of the initial organizational meetings of the American Football League in late '59 – before the teams even had any players or coaches – the AFL owners choose their team colors. Lamar Hunt desires Columbia Blue and Orange for his Dallas Texans franchise. But before Hunt or any other owner can make a selection, Houston's Bud Adams claims Columbia Blue for his Oilers franchise. Hunt reverts to Red and Gold for the Texans, which remains the primary color scheme for the Chiefs to this day.
Lamar Hunt, who died in December, coined the term Super Bowl in the late 1960s after watching his kids play with a Super Ball, the bouncy creation of iconic toy manufacturer Wham-O.
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