1973 Kansas City Chiefs season
NFL team season
The 1973 Kansas City Chiefs season was the franchise 's 4th season in the National Football League , the 11th as the Kansas City Chiefs , and the 14th overall. they finished with a 7–5–2 record and missed the playoffs for the second straight year. This was their last winning season until 1981 .
The defense kept the club in contention thanks to a nucleus that still included the bulk of the squad's Super Bowl IV starters. Quarterback Mike Livingston started in a 23–13 Opening Day loss against the Los Angeles Rams on September 16, but Len Dawson returned to rally the club for three consecutive wins to get the club off to a 3–1 start for a third consecutive year.[ 1] The aging Len Dawson made his final start of the year in a 23–14 loss at Buffalo on October 29 and was replaced for the remainder of the year by Livingston, beginning a string of three straight seasons in which both players split time at the position.[ 1]
Livingston led the club to another three straight wins, putting the team in first place in mid-November with a 6–3–1 record. A 1–2–1 ledger over the season's final month ended the club's post-season aspirations as the team finished the year in a second-place tie with Denver at 7–5–2.[ 1] Len Dawson became the second Chiefs player in as many years to win the NFL Man of the Year Award.[ 1] Following Super Bowl VIII , The AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was held at Arrowhead Stadium on January 20 with the AFC claiming a 15–13 win thanks to five field goals from Miami placekicker Garo Yepremian .[ 1]
Offseason
NFL Draft
Round
Pick
Player
Position
School/Club Team
Roster
Preseason
Regular season
Schedule
Week
Date
Opponent
Result
Record
Venue
Attendance
Recap
1
September 16
Los Angeles Rams
L 13–23
0–1
Arrowhead Stadium
62,315
Recap
2
September 23
at New England Patriots
W 10–7
1–1
Schaefer Stadium
57,918
Recap
3
September 30
Oakland Raiders
W 16–3
2–1
Arrowhead Stadium
72,631
Recap
4
October 7
Denver Broncos
W 16–14
3–1
Arrowhead Stadium
71,414
Recap
5
October 14
at Green Bay Packers
T 10–10
3–1–1
Milwaukee County Stadium
46,583
Recap
6
October 21
at Cincinnati Bengals
L 6–14
3–2–1
Riverfront Stadium
56,397
Recap
7
at Buffalo Bills
L 14–23
3–3–1
Rich Stadium
76,071
Recap
8
November 4
at San Diego Chargers
W 19–0
4–3–1
San Diego Stadium
50,234
Recap
9
Chicago Bears
W 19–7
5–3–1
Arrowhead Stadium
70,664
Recap
10
November 18
Houston Oilers
W 38–14
6–3–1
Arrowhead Stadium
68,444
Recap
11
November 25
at Denver Broncos
L 10–14
6–4–1
Mile High Stadium
51,331
Recap
12
December 2
Cleveland Browns
T 20–20
6–4–2
Arrowhead Stadium
70,296
Recap
13
at Oakland Raiders
L 7–37
6–5–2
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum
53,945
Recap
14
December 16
San Diego Chargers
W 33–6
7–5–2
Arrowhead Stadium
43,755
Recap
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1 vs. Los Angeles Rams
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
LA – David Ray 27-yard field goal. Rams 23–0.
Fourth quarter
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Week 2: at New England Patriots
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Week 3: vs. Oakland Raiders
Week 3: Oakland Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Raiders
0
3
0 0 3
Chiefs
0
6
3 7 16
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
OAK – George Blanda 21-yard field goal. Raiders 3–0.
KC – Jan Stenerud 47-yard field goal. Tie 3–3.
KC – Jan Stenerud 41-yard field goal. Chiefs 6–3.
Third quarter
KC – Jan Stenerud 29-yard field goal. Chiefs 9–3.
Fourth quarter
KC – Willie Lanier 17-yard interception return (Jan Stenerud kick). Chiefs 16–3.
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
OAK – Cliff Branch – 2 receptions, 29 yards
KC – Wendell Hayes – 3 receptions, 23 yards
Week 4: vs. Denver Broncos
Week 4: Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Broncos
0
7
0 7 14
Chiefs
0
6
7 3 16
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
DEN – Joe Dawkins 72-yard run (Jim Turner kick). Broncos 14–13.
KC – Jan Stenerud 39-yard field goal. Chiefs 16–14.
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
DEN – Floyd Little – 3 receptions, 64 yards, TD
KC – Ed Podolak – 12 receptions, 84 yards
Week 5: at Green Bay Packers
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
KC – Jan Stenerud 36-yard field goal. Tied 10–10.
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
KC – Ed Podolak – 6 receptions, 30 yards
GB – MacArthur Lane – 4 receptions, 38 yards
Week 6: at Cincinnati Bengals
Week 6: Kansas City Chiefs at Cincinnati Bengals – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Chiefs
0
3
3 0 6
Bengals
0
7
0 7 14
at Riverfront Stadium , Cincinnati, Ohio
Date : October 21Game time : 4:00 p.m. EDTGame weather : 52 °F (11 °C)Game attendance : 56,397Referee : Tommy Bell TV announcers (KMBC-TV ) : Bill Enis and Kyle RoteBox Score
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
KC – Jan Stenerud 17-yard field goal. Bengals 7–6.
Fourth quarter
CIN – Boobie Clark 3-yard run. (Horst Muhlmann kick). Bengals 14–6.
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
KC – Ed Podolak – 4 receptions, 43 yards
CIN – Isaac Curtis – 8 receptions, 106 yards
Week 7: at Buffalo Bills
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
BUF – John Leypoldt 31-yard field goal. Bills 17–7.
BUF – John Leypoldt 17-yard field goal. Bills 20–7.
BUF – John Leypoldt 8-yard field goal. Bills 23–7.
Fourth quarter
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Week 8: at San Diego Chargers
Game information
First quarter
KC – Ed Podolak 5-yard run (kick failed). Chiefs 6–0.
Second quarter
Third quarter
KC – Jan Stenerud 36-yard field goal. Chiefs 12–0.
Fourth quarter
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Week 9: vs. Chicago Bears
Week 9: Chicago Bears at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Bears
0
0
7 0 7
Chiefs
3
9
7 0 19
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Date : Game time : 8:00 p.m. CSTGame weather : 51 °F (11 °C)Game attendance : 70,664Referee : Fred Silva TV announcers (ABC) : Frank Gifford, Don Meredith, and Howard CosellBox Score
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
KC – Jan Stenerud 17-yard field goal. Chiefs 6–0.
KC – Jan Stenerud 43-yard field goal. Chiefs 9–0.
KC – Jan Stenerud 42-yard field goal. Chiefs 12–0.
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Week 10: vs. Houston Oilers
Week 10: Houston Oilers at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Oilers
0
0
7 7 14
Chiefs
7
7
10 14 38
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
KC – Mike Livingston 3-yard run (Jan Stenerud kick). Chiefs 21–0.
KC – Jan Stenerud 38-yard field goal. Chiefs 24–0.
HOU – Bob Gresham 62-yard pass from Lynn Dickey (Skip Butler kick). Chiefs 24–7.
Fourth quarter
HOU – Fred Willis 1-yard run (Skip Butler kick). Chiefs 24–14.
KC – Willie Ellison 1-yard run (Jan Stenerud kick). Chiefs 31–14.
KC – John Lohmeyer 19-yard fumble return (Jan Stenerud kick). Chiefs 38–14.
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Week 11 at Denver Broncos
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Week 12 vs Cleveland Browns
Week 12: Cleveland Browns at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Browns
0
3
3 14 20
Chiefs
7
0
3 10 20
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Date : December 2Game time : 3:00 p.m. CSTGame weather : 56 °F (13 °C)Game attendance : 70,296Referee : Jack Reader TV announcers (NBC) : Curt Gowdy and Al DeRogatisBox Score
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
KC – Jan Stenerud 15-yard field goal. Chiefs 10–3.
CLE – Don Cockroft 28-yard field goal. Chiefs 10–6.
Fourth quarter
KC – Jan Stenerud 13-yard field goal. Chiefs 13–6.
KC – Ed Podolak 2-yard run (Jan Stenerud kick). Chiefs 20–6.
CLE – Greg Pruitt 65-yard run (Don Cockroft kick). Chiefs 20–13.
CLE – Milt Morin 51-yard pass from Mike Phipps (Don Cockroft kick). Tied 20–20.
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
Week 13: at Oakland Raiders
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
OAK – Marv Hubbard 31-yard run (George Blanda kick). Raiders 14–0.
OAK – George Blanda 20-yard field goal. Raiders 17–0.
OAK – George Blanda 28-yard field goal. Raiders 20–0.
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
OAK – Charlie Smith 10-yard run (George Blanda kick). Raiders 30–7.
OAK – Cliff Branch 3-yard pass from Ken Stabler (George Blanda kick). Raiders 37–7.
Top passers
Top rushers
KC – Mike Livingston – 1 rush, 17 yards, TD
OAK – Marv Hubbard – 25 rushes, 115 yards, TD
Top receivers
Week 14: vs. San Diego Chargers
Week 14: San Diego Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
Quarter
1
2
3 4 Total
Chargers
3
0
3 0 6
Chiefs
10
3
10 10 33
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Date : December 16Game time : 1:00 p.m. CSTGame weather : 20 °F (−7 °C)Game attendance : 43,755Referee : Chuck Heberling TV announcers (NBC) : Ross Porter and Willie DavisBox Score
Game information
First quarter
Second quarter
KC – Jan Stenerud 36-yard field goal. Chiefs 13–3.
Third quarter
KC – Jan Stenerud 20-yard field goal. Chiefs 16–3.
SD – Ray Wersching 26-yard field goal. Chiefs 16–6.
KC – Jeff Kinney 5-yard run (Jan Stenerud kick). Chiefs 23–6.
Fourth quarter
KC – Wendell Hayes 2-yard run (Jan Stenerud kick). Chiefs 30–6.
KC – Jan Stenerud 27-yard field goal. Chiefs 33–6.
Top passers
Top rushers
Top receivers
SD – Robert Holmes – 5 receptions, 50 yards
KC – Jeff Kinney – 2 receptions, 42 yards
Standings
References
Founded in 1960
Formerly the Dallas Texans (1960–1962)
Based and headquartered in Kansas City , Missouri
Franchise Stadiums Key personnel Culture Lore Rivalries Wild card berths (10) Division championships (16) Conference championships (4) League championships (5) Retired numbers Media Current league affiliations Former league affiliation
Formerly the Dallas Texans (1960–1962)