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Kansas City Chiefs Team History

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Kansas City Chiefs




  • 1963
  • 1967
  • 1970
  • 1970
  • 1972
  • 2006
  • 2020
  • 2022
  • Kansas City Chiefs 1963

    Moving to Kansas City

    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 on retaining 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 ...
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  • Super Bowl Trophy 1967

    Super Bowl Name

    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 (three). 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 ...
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  • AFL to NFL

    NFL and AFL Merger

    Contrary to common belief, it was not the AFL, but the NFL that initiated discussions for a merger between the two leagues, as it was fearful that Davis’ “take no prisoners” tactics would seriously reduce its talent base. Tex Schramm, the general manager of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys since 1960, secretly contacted AFL owners, led by Lamar Hunt of Kansas ...
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  • Super Bowl IV Kansas City Chiefs 1970

    Super Bowl IV Winner 1970

    Super Bowl IV, the fourth AFL-NFL World Championship Game in professional American football, was played on January 11, 1970, at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana. The American Football League (AFL) champion Kansas City Chiefs defeated the National Football League (NFL) champion Minnesota Vikings by the score of 23–7. This victory by the AFL squared the Super Bowl series with ...
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  • Arrowhead Stadium

    Move to Arrowhead 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 game in which the Chiefs won 24–14. Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, is home to the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs. Part of the Truman Sports ...
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  • Lamar Hunt 1965

    Lamar Hunt Passes Away

    Lamar Hunt died December 13, 2006, at Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas of complications related to prostate cancer. The Chiefs honored their owner for the remainder of the season, as did the rest of the league. Upon his death, his son Clark Hunt was named chairman of the Kansas City Chiefs.
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  • Super Bowl 2020 - Kansas City Chiefs

    Super Bowl LIV Winner 2020

    Super Bowl LIV was an American football game played to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2019 season. The American Football Conference (AFC) champion Kansas City Chiefs defeated the National Football Conference (NFC) champion San Francisco 49ers 31–20, marking their first Super Bowl victory since Super Bowl IV and the Chiefs’ first NFL championship since ...
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  • super-bowl-kansas-city-chiefs-win

    Chiefs Overcome a 10-point deficit to Win Super Bowl 54

    Super Bowl LVII was an American football game played to determine the champion of the National Football League (NFL) for the 2022 season. It was the 57th Super Bowl and was played on Sunday, February 12, 2023, at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, with kickoff time at 4:30 PM MST (UTC-7). The American Football Conference (AFC) champion Kansas City ...
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History of the Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs have a long and storied history in the National Football League. The team was originally founded as the Dallas Texans in 1959 but moved to Kansas City after just one season. Since then, they have become one of the most successful franchises in NFL history, with four Super Bowl appearances and two championships.

In their first year as the Chiefs (1963), they won an AFL Championship Game against rival San Diego Chargers before going on to win Super Bowl IV over Minnesota Vikings 23-7 for their first-ever championship title. They would go on to make three more trips to the big game under legendary head coach Hank Stram; losing all three times - twice against Green Bay Packers (Super Bowl I & II) and once versus Miami Dolphins (Super Bowl VI).

In the 1970s, led by Hall of Fame quarterback Len Dawson’s arm along with other stars such as Otis Taylor and Buck Buchanan – who helped form what is known today as “the greatest defense ever assembled” – KC made another run at a championship but fell short again when Oakland Raiders beat them 17-7 at home during AFC Divisional Playoff contest that same year (1973).

Fast forward nearly 50 years later: After decades of mediocrity from 1990 through 2012 which included only 3 playoff appearances and no division titles during this period, Andy Reid assumed head coaching duties prior 2013 season. He took control over Alex Smith's offense while also helping develop young talents like Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill, Patrick Mahomes, etc., leading the franchise back into playoffs 4 consecutive seasons between 2015–2018 including 2 AFC West Titles(2016 & 2018 )and 1st Lombardi Trophy since 1969 following decisive 31–20 victory over San Francisco 49ers @ Hard Rock Stadium Miami Gardens FL February 2020. This marked not only the end of 44 years drought without a trophy but also solidified Chief's place among elite teams currently playing professional football across the US!





Established
1960

City
Dallas - Kansas City

League History
1970 - Present / National Football League
1960 - 1970 / American Football League

Team History
1963 - Present / Kansas City Chiefs
1960 - 1962 / Dallas Texans

Nickname
Chiefs - Some of the rejected names included the Mules, the Stars and the Royals. Owner Lamar Hunt picked Chiefs as a nickname to honor Kansas City mayor Roe “The Chief” Bartle for his efforts in securing the team. Bartle promised to enlarge Kansas City’s Municipal Stadium and guaranteed Hunt three times as many season ticket sales as his club had in Dallas.

Championship
Super Bowl 3
2022, 2020, 1970
AFL Championship 0
1962

Stadium
1972 - Present / Arrowhead Stadium
1963 - 1971 / Municipal Stadium

*Dallas*
1960 - 1962 / Cotton Bowl

Owner
2006 - Present / Hunt family, led by Clark Hunt
1960 - 2006 / Lamar Hunt

Who is the greatest Kansas City Chiefs?
  • Add your greatest player

To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.

Retired Number
3 / Jan Stenerud
16 / Len Dawson
18 / Emmitt Thomas
28 / Abner Haynes
33 / Stone Johnson
36 / Mack Lee Hill
58 / Derrick Thomas
63 / Willie Lanier
78 / Bobby Bell
86 / Buck Buchanan

*Blue is this team’s history

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