68-749: This page details awards won by the Kansas City Chiefs , a professional American football team from the National Football League . The Chiefs have never had a winner of the Coach of the Year award, Offensive Rookie of the Year, or Defensive Player of the Year. The Chiefs are tied with the Chicago Bears for the most winners of the Walter Payton Man of the Year award with 5. The most recent winner of
136-584: A Broncos loss to the 49ers . The Indianapolis Colts hosted the Chiefs in the Wild Card playoffs and defeated Kansas City 23–8. In 2007, Trent Green was traded to the Miami Dolphins leaving the door open for either Damon Huard or Brodie Croyle to become the new starting quarterback. After starting the season with a 4–3 record, the Chiefs lost the remaining nine games when running back Larry Johnson suffered
204-401: 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
272-634: 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
340-466: 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. 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,
408-479: 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 drafted 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
476-446: 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 coaches Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel to coach the offense and defense, respectively. 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
544-598: A 5–3 record. Kansas City was awarded a Thanksgiving Day game against the Denver Broncos in response to owner Lamar Hunt 's lobbying for a third Thanksgiving Day game. The Chiefs defeated the Broncos 19–10 in the first Thanksgiving Day game in Kansas City since 1969. Hunt was hospitalized at the time of the game and died weeks later on December 13 due to complications of prostate cancer . The Chiefs honored their owner for
612-516: A 9–28–3 record in their first three seasons, Hunt decided that the Dallas–Fort Worth media market just couldn't sustain two professional football franchises. He considered moving the Texans to either Atlanta or Miami for the 1963 season. 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
680-509: 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 ,
748-454: 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,
SECTION 10
#1732870122463816-464: 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
884-614: 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 the 2006 NFL draft to the Jets. 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. Backup quarterback Damon Huard took over in Green's absence and led the Chiefs to
952-542: A franchise worst 2–14 record, where the team suffered historic blowout defeats nearly week-in and week-out, a 34–0 shut-out to the Carolina Panthers , and allowed a franchise-high 54 points against the Buffalo Bills. The team's general manager, chief executive officer, and team president Carl Peterson resigned at the end of the season, and former New England Patriots vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli
1020-511: A major NFL award is Patrick Mahomes who won league MVP for the 2022 season, his second time winning the award. The Chiefs have two awards that are awarded by the team which are voted on by the players and coaches. The Derrick Thomas award is awarded to the team MVP and the Mack Lee Hill award is awarded to the Rookie of the Year. Mahomes has won the most awards of any Chiefs player. He has won
1088-594: 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
1156-581: A season-ending foot injury and the quarterback position lacked stability with Huard and Croyle. Despite the team's 4–12 record, tight end Tony Gonzalez broke Shannon Sharpe 's NFL record for touchdowns at the position (63) and defensive end Jared Allen led the NFL in quarterback sacks with 15.5. The Chiefs began their 2008 season with the youngest team in the NFL. The starting lineup had an average of 25.5 years of age. By releasing several veteran players such as cornerback Ty Law and wide receiver Eddie Kennison and trading defensive end Jared Allen ,
1224-519: 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. The team recorded a 101–58–1 record, and clinched seven playoff berths. The Chiefs' 1993 season was the franchise's most successful in 22 years. With newly acquired quarterback Joe Montana and running back Marcus Allen , two former Super Bowl champions and Most Valuable Player Award winners,
1292-881: A total of fifteen awards, six awards from the NFL, six from outside the NFL, and three awarded by the Chiefs. He also was a member of 3 different teams that won team awards at the ESPYs. He has won 8 different awards. 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 Awards listed below are awards provided outside of
1360-566: A wealth of talent to the Texans after luring it away from the NFL, often hiding players and using creative means to land them. 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,
1428-666: 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. The Chiefs first game of the 2016 season was against their division rival, the San Diego Chargers . After facing
SECTION 20
#17328701224631496-466: Is given to the Chiefs rookie of the year as determined by the players and coaches. It has been awarded since 1966. The award was named after former Chiefs running back Mack Lee Hill beginning in 2001. Kansas City Chiefs National Football League ( 1970 –present) The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri . The Chiefs compete in
1564-580: 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
1632-519: 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, finishing 9–7 and getting 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
1700-486: The National Football League (NFL) as a member of the American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The Chiefs started playing in 1959 as the Dallas Texans by businessman Lamar Hunt and was a charter member of the American Football League (AFL). In 1963 , the team moved to Kansas City, and kept its current name. The Chiefs joined the NFL as a result of the 1970 AFL–NFL merger ; entering
1768-612: 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. On December 19, 1988, owner Lamar Hunt hired Carl 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 hired Marty Schottenheimer as
1836-492: The San Francisco 49ers for the Chiefs' second-round pick, 34th overall, in the 2013 draft and a conditional pick in the 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. The team finished with a 11–5 record and made the playoffs. They led in their wildcard game against
1904-615: 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 that 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. The Chiefs did not return to the post-season for the remainder of the 1970s, and the 1973 season
1972-414: The 13th overall selection in the 1997 NFL draft , a move which some considered to be a gamble being that Gonzalez was primarily a basketball player at California . During a 1997 season full of injuries to starting quarterback Elvis Grbac , backup quarterback Rich Gannon took the reins of the Chiefs' offense as the team headed to another 13–3 season. Head coach Marty Schottenheimer chose Grbac to start
2040-420: The 1980s, they 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
2108-559: The 2010 season combined for as many as the team had won in their previous three seasons combined. On January 9, 2011, the Chiefs lost their home Wild Card playoff game to the Baltimore Ravens 30–7. Six players were chosen for the Pro Bowl : Dwayne Bowe , Jamaal Charles , Brian Waters , Tamba Hali , Matt Cassel , and rookie safety Eric Berry . Jamaal Charles won the FEDEX ground player of
List of Kansas City Chiefs award winners - Misplaced Pages Continue
2176-636: The 2024 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, in 1962 , 1966 , and 1969 , and were
2244-695: 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 went 7–5–2 and missed the playoffs. The following season,
2312-446: The Chiefs began a youth movement. The Chiefs had a league-high thirteen selections in the 2008 NFL draft and chose defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey and offensive lineman Branden Albert in the first round. Analysts quickly called Kansas City's selections as the best of the entire draft. Entering the season, the Chiefs were unsure if injury-prone quarterback Brodie Croyle , who was the incumbent starter, could be their quarterback in
2380-624: The Chiefs further strengthened their position in the NFL. The 11–5 Chiefs defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Oilers on their way to the franchise's first AFC Championship Game appearance against the Buffalo Bills. The Chiefs were overwhelmed by the Bills and lost the game by a score of 30–13. 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
2448-518: 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
2516-511: The Houston Texans on January 9, 2016. In the 1995 NFL playoffs , the 13–3 Chiefs hosted the Indianapolis Colts in a cold, damp late afternoon game at Arrowhead Stadium. Kansas City lost the game 10–7 against the underdog Colts, after kicker Lin Elliot missed three field-goal attempts and quarterback Steve Bono threw three interceptions. The Chiefs selected tight end Tony Gonzalez with
2584-408: 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
2652-771: The NFL. 2016: Eric Berry , S, Best Comeback Player 2019: Patrick Mahomes , QB, Best NFL Player 2021: Laurent Duvernay-Tardif , T, Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award 2023: Patrick Mahomes, QB, Best NFL Player 2023: Patrick Mahomes, QB, Best Male Athlete 2019: 2018 Team , Best Game , 2018 Regular Season game vs Los Angeles Rams 2022: 2021 team , Best Game, 2021-22 NFL Playoffs Divisional game vs Buffalo Bills 2023: 2022 team , Best Team 2020: Patrick Mahomes , QB 2020: Laurent Duvernay-Tardif , T 2020: Patrick Mahomes , QB 2023: Patrick Mahomes, QB 2024: Travis Kelce , TE The Ed Block Courage Award has annually honored one player from every NFL team who exemplifies commitment to
2720-505: The No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft . It is the first time since the merger they have held the first overall pick. 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
2788-531: The Packers, who at that time, were undefeated with a 13–0 record. 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. On January 9, 2012, Crennel was named the 11th full-time head coach in Chiefs history. The 2012 Chiefs became the first team since the 1929 Buffalo Bisons to not lead in regulation through any of their first nine games. The Chiefs tied their franchise-worst record of 2–14 and clinched
List of Kansas City Chiefs award winners - Misplaced Pages Continue
2856-553: 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
2924-464: The Texans defeated the Oilers 20–17 in double overtime. The game lasted 77 minutes and 54 seconds, which, at the time, was the longest game in the history of professional American Football. It is still the longest championship game in American Football League 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
2992-468: The Texans gained less attention due to the AFL's relatively lower profile compared to the NFL's. 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 tallied 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
3060-474: The Year honoree, Al Saunders. Running back Priest Holmes surpassed Marshall Faulk 's single-season touchdown record by scoring his 27th rushing touchdown against the Chicago Bears in the team's regular-season finale. The team clinched the second seed in the 2003 NFL playoffs and hosted the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Divisional Playoffs. In a game where neither team punted, the Chiefs lost
3128-537: The club's seventh head coach. In the 1988 and 1989 NFL Drafts , the Chiefs selected both defensive end Neil Smith and linebacker Derrick Thomas , respectively. 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. In Schottenheimer's ten-season tenure as head coach, the Chiefs became a perennial playoff contender, featuring offensive players including Steve DeBerg , Christian Okoye , Stephone Paige and Barry Word ,
3196-466: The field as much as on as tight end Tony Gonzalez demanded a trade and running back Larry Johnson was involved in legal trouble. Croyle returned for the Chiefs' game against the Tennessee Titans, but both he and Damon Huard suffered season-ending injuries in the game. The Chiefs reorganized their offense to a new spread offense game plan focused around Tyler Thigpen. The Chiefs' new offense
3264-656: 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 eleven playoff games from 1993 to 2018 , which included an eight-game losing streak. Since then, the Chiefs have risen to dynastic performance under head coach Andy Reid , quarterback Patrick Mahomes , tight end Travis Kelce , and defensive tackle Chris Jones , appearing in four Super Bowls since 2019 and being victorious in three: LIV , LVII , and LVIII . In 1959, Lamar Hunt began discussions with other businessmen to establish
3332-416: The injured Priest Holmes and rushed for 1,750 yards in only nine starts. Prior to the Chiefs' final game of the season, head coach Dick Vermeil announced his retirement. The Chiefs won the game 37–3 over the playoff-bound Cincinnati Bengals . Within two weeks of Vermeil's retirement, the Chiefs returned to their defensive roots with the selection of its next head coach. The team introduced Herm Edwards ,
3400-577: The long-term. Croyle was injured in the team's first game of the season and Damon Huard started in Croyle's absence. Tyler Thigpen become the third Chiefs starting quarterback in as many games for a start against the Atlanta Falcons . After a poor performance by Thigpen, in which he threw three interceptions against the Falcons defense, Huard was retained as the starting quarterback. The Chiefs struggled off
3468-489: The loss of Jamaal Charles to a torn ACL . 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 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
SECTION 50
#17328701224633536-470: 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. 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
3604-488: The next two seasons, compiling a 16–16 record. By the end of the Chiefs' decade of regular-season dominance, Gannon had signed with the Oakland Raiders , Neil Smith signed with the Denver Broncos , and Derrick Thomas was paralyzed in a car accident on January 23, 2000. Thomas died from complications of his injury weeks later. After allegedly reading online that he would be relieved of duties, head coach Gunther Cunningham
3672-646: The playoff game against the Denver Broncos despite Gannon's successes in previous weeks. Grbac's production in the game was lacking, and the Chiefs lost to the Broncos 14–10. Denver went on to capture their fifth AFC Championship by defeating Pittsburgh, and then defeated the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XXXII . Coach Schottenheimer announced his resignation from the Chiefs following the 1998 season. Following Schottenheimer's resignation, defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham took over coaching duties for
3740-417: The previous two seasons. Notably, head coach Todd Haley fired offensive coordinator Chan 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 including Matt Cassel , Mike Vrabel , Bobby Engram , Mike Brown , Chris Chambers , and Andy Alleman . The team finished with
3808-472: The principles of sportsmanship and courage. The award is selected by a vote of their teammates. The Derrick Thomas Award is given to the Chiefs MVP as determined by the players and coaches. The award was named after the former Chiefs linebacker beginning with the 2001 award. Running back Jamaal Charles has won the award more times than any other player. Charles won the award 4 times. The Mack Lee Hill Award
3876-418: The remainder of the season, as did the rest of the league. Trent Green returned in the middle of the season, but struggled in the final stretch, and running back Larry Johnson set an NFL record with 416 carries in a season. Kansas City managed to clinch their first playoff berth in three seasons with a 9–7 record and a bizarre sequence of six losses from other AFC teams on New Year's Eve , culminating with
3944-488: 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,
4012-502: 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
4080-630: The second AFL team (after the New York Jets ) to defeat an NFL team in a Super Bowl when they defeated the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV , which was the final game before the league merger went into full effect. The Chiefs were also the second team, after the Green Bay Packers (whom they played in Super Bowl I ), to appear in more than one Super Bowl (and the first AFL team to do so) and
4148-407: The shoot-out 38–31. 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. They were the fourth team since 1990 to miss the playoffs with a 10–6 record. Running back Larry Johnson started in place of
SECTION 60
#17328701224634216-513: 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 (three). The team's dominance helped Lamar Hunt become
4284-440: The team's cornerstones on offense. In Vermeil's first season with the Chiefs, he led the team to a 6–10 record. The team improved to a 8–8 record in 2002 but still missed the postseason. In 2003, Kansas City began the season with nine consecutive victories, a franchise record. 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
4352-419: The year award and Dwayne Bowe led the NFL in touchdown receptions. For their first pick in the 2011 NFL draft , the team selected Jon Baldwin . 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. The highest point of the 2011 season was an upset win against
4420-564: Was fired. Looking to change the Chiefs' game plan which relied on a tough defensive strategy for the past decade, Carl Peterson contacted Dick Vermeil about the Chiefs' head coaching vacancy for the 2001 season. Vermeil previously led the St. Louis Rams to a victory in Super Bowl XXXIV . Vermeil was hired on January 12. The Chiefs then traded a first-round draft pick in the 2001 NFL draft to St. Louis for quarterback Trent Green and signed free agent running back Priest Holmes to be
4488-408: Was hired as his replacement for 2009. On January 23, 2009, Herm Edwards was fired as head coach, and two weeks later Todd Haley signed a four-year contract to become Edwards' successor. 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 the Atlanta Falcons after failed trade attempts over
4556-432: Was implemented to help Thigpen play to the best of his abilities and also following the absence of Larry Johnson, who was suspended for his off-field conduct. The Chiefs made a huge gamble 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. The 2008 season ended with
4624-538: 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 departed 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
#462537