The Kansas City Chiefs have completed 64 seasons in professional American football and 54 with the National Football League (NFL). This article documents the season-by-season records of the Chiefs franchise from 1960 to the conclusion of their most recent season in 2023, including postseason records, and league awards for individual players or head coaches.
The team began play as a charter member of the American Football League (AFL) in 1960 as the Dallas Texans. In 1963, the team relocated to Kansas City, Missouri and was renamed the Kansas City Chiefs. The team has played in 983 total games in a total of 64 seasons, and a winning percentage of .547. The Chiefs' 14–2 season in 2020 remains their best regular season record to date while their 2–14 records in 2008 and 2012 remain their worst.
The Texans/Chiefs were the winningest team in the history of the AFL, compiling an 87–48 record from 1960 to 1969. The team won three league championships and served as the AFL's representative in Super Bowls I and IV in the 1966 and 1969 seasons. Since the franchise's alignment to the NFL in 1970, they have won 14 division titles, with eight straight from 2016 to 2023, and eight wild card playoff berths, four of which were between 1990 and 1997 when the team never lost as many games as it won. Despite the franchise's early success, the Chiefs did not win a postseason game between the 1993 and 2015 playoffs, and their Super Bowl IV victory on January 11, 1970, was the franchise's lone Super Bowl title until Super Bowl LIV on February 2, 2020. It was also a long drought between AFC Championship games, with their appearance in the 2018 playoffs being their first since 1993. The Chiefs' first home AFC Championship game ended in an overtime defeat as the New England Patriots moved on to win a record-tying sixth Super Bowl ring.
The Chiefs have suffered two main periods of failure. Between 1972 and 1985 the Chiefs never appeared in the postseason and achieved only one winning season (in 1981) from 1974 until 1985. Between 2007 and 2012, the Chiefs also struggled, with two two-win and two four-win seasons. However, the recent Chiefs have done much better, with an 144–58 record (including postseason) and recording more wins than losses every year from the 2013 to 2023 seasons. In their 11 seasons under Andy Reid, the Chiefs have nine consecutive playoff seasons and eight consecutive division titles. In addition, the team competed in four Super Bowls, with three wins (LIV, LVII, LVIII) and one loss (LV). Their victory in 2023 represented the first time since the 2004 New England Patriots a team repeated as champions, cementing their status as a sports dynasty.
Seasons
edit| AFL Champions (1960–1969)§ | Super Bowl Champions (1966–present)† | Conference Champions* | Division Champions^ | Wild Card Berth# | One-game playoff+ |
| Season | Team | League | Conference | Division | Regular season | Postseason results | Awards | Head coaches | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finish | W | L | T | ||||||||
| Dallas Texans | |||||||||||
| 1960 | 1960 | AFL | Western | 2nd | 8 | 6 | 0 | Abner Haynes (UPI/AP AFL MVP) | Hank Stram | ||
| 1961 | 1961 | AFL | Western | 2nd | 6 | 8 | 0 | ||||
| 1962 | 1962 | AFL§ | Western^ | 1st^ | 11 | 3 | 0 | Won AFL Championship (1) (at Oilers) 20–17 (2 OT) | Len Dawson (TSN AFL MVP) | ||
| Kansas City Chiefs | |||||||||||
| 1963 | 1963 | AFL | Western | 3rd | 5 | 7 | 2 | Hank Stram | |||
| 1964 | 1964 | AFL | Western | 2nd | 7 | 7 | 0 | ||||
| 1965 | 1965 | AFL | Western | 3rd | 7 | 5 | 2 | ||||
| 1966 | 1966 | AFL§ | Western^ | 1st^ | 11 | 2 | 1 | Won AFL Championship (at Bills) 31–7 Lost Super Bowl I (vs. Packers) 10–35 |
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| 1967 | 1967 | AFL | Western | 2nd | 9 | 5 | 0 | ||||
| 1968 | 1968 | AFL | Western | 2nd[A] | 12 | 2 | 0 | Lost Divisional Playoff (at Raiders) 6–41 | Hank Stram (UPI/PFW AFL COY) | ||
| 1969 | 1969 | AFL† | Western | 2nd# | 11 | 3 | 0 | Won Divisional Playoffs (at Jets) 13–6 Won AFL Championship (at Raiders) 17–7 Won Super Bowl IV (2) (vs. Vikings) 23–7 |
Len Dawson (SB MVP) | ||
| 1970 | 1970 | NFL | AFC | West | 2nd | 7 | 5 | 2 | |||
| 1971 | 1971 | NFL | AFC | West^ | 1st^ | 10 | 3 | 1 | Lost Divisional Playoffs (Dolphins) 24–27 (2 OT) | Otis Taylor (AFC POY) Willie Lanier (PB Co–MVP)[B] | |
| 1972 | 1972 | NFL | AFC | West | 2nd | 8 | 6 | 0 | Willie Lanier (NFL MOY) | ||
| 1973 | 1973 | NFL | AFC | West | 2nd | 7 | 5 | 2 | Len Dawson (NFL MOY) | ||
| 1974 | 1974 | NFL | AFC | West | 3rd | 5 | 9 | 0 | |||
| 1975 | 1975 | NFL | AFC | West | 3rd | 5 | 9 | 0 | Paul Wiggin | ||
| 1976 | 1976 | NFL | AFC | West | 4th | 5 | 9 | 0 | |||
| 1977 | 1977 | NFL | AFC | West | 5th | 2 | 12 | 0 | Paul Wiggin (1–6) Tom Bettis (1–6) | ||
| 1978 | 1978[C] | NFL | AFC | West | 5th | 4 | 12 | 0 | Marv Levy | ||
| 1979 | 1979 | NFL | AFC | West | 5th | 7 | 9 | 0 | |||
| 1980 | 1980 | NFL | AFC | West | 3rd | 8 | 8 | 0 | |||
| 1981 | 1981 | NFL | AFC | West | 3rd | 9 | 7 | 0 | |||
| 1982 | 1982 | NFL | AFC | 11th[D] | 3 | 6 | 0 | ||||
| 1983 | 1983 | NFL | AFC | West | 5th | 6 | 10 | 0 | John Mackovic | ||
| 1984 | 1984 | NFL | AFC | West | 4th | 8 | 8 | 0 | Bill Maas (DROY) | ||
| 1985 | 1985 | NFL | AFC | West | 5th | 6 | 10 | 0 | |||
| 1986 | 1986 | NFL | AFC | West | 2nd# | 10 | 6 | 0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Jets) 15–35 | ||
| 1987[E] | 1987 | NFL | AFC | West | 5th | 4 | 11 | 0 | Frank Gansz | ||
| 1988 | 1988 | NFL | AFC | West | 5th | 4 | 11 | 1 | |||
| 1989 | 1989 | NFL | AFC | West | 2nd | 8 | 7 | 1 | Derrick Thomas (DROY) Christian Okoye (OPOY) |
Marty Schottenheimer | |
| 1990 | 1990 | NFL | AFC | West | 2nd# | 11 | 5 | 0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Dolphins) 16–17 | Barry Word (CPOY) | |
| 1991 | 1991 | NFL | AFC | West | 2nd# | 10 | 6 | 0 | Won Wild Card Playoffs (Raiders) 10–6 Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Bills) 14–37 |
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| 1992 | 1992 | NFL | AFC | West | 2nd# | 10 | 6 | 0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Chargers) 0–17 | Dale Carter (DROY) | |
| 1993 | 1993 | NFL | AFC | West^ | 1st^ | 11 | 5 | 0 | Won Wild Card Playoffs (Steelers) 27–24 (OT) Won Divisional Playoffs (at Oilers) 28–20 Lost AFC Championship (at Bills) 13–30 |
Marcus Allen (CPOY) Derrick Thomas (MOY) | |
| 1994 | 1994 | NFL | AFC | West | 2nd# | 9 | 7 | 0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Dolphins) 17–27 | ||
| 1995 | 1995 | NFL | AFC | West^ | 1st^ | 13 | 3 | 0 | Lost Divisional Playoffs (Colts) 7–10 | Marty Schottenheimer (UPI COY) | |
| 1996 | 1996 | NFL | AFC | West | 2nd | 9 | 7 | 0 | |||
| 1997 | 1997 | NFL | AFC | West^ | 1st^ | 13 | 3 | 0 | Lost Divisional Playoffs (Broncos) 10–14 | ||
| 1998 | 1998 | NFL | AFC | West | 4th | 7 | 9 | 0 | |||
| 1999 | 1999 | NFL | AFC | West | 2nd | 9 | 7 | 0 | Gunther Cunningham | ||
| 2000 | 2000 | NFL | AFC | West | 3rd | 7 | 9 | 0 | |||
| 2001 | 2001 | NFL | AFC | West | 4th | 6 | 10 | 0 | Dick Vermeil | ||
| 2002 | 2002 | NFL | AFC | West | 4th | 8 | 8 | 0 | Priest Holmes (OPOY) | ||
| 2003 | 2003 | NFL | AFC | West^ | 1st^ | 13 | 3 | 0 | Lost Divisional Playoffs (Colts) 31–38 | Will Shields (MOY) Dick Vermeil (MFC COY) | |
| 2004 | 2004 | NFL | AFC | West | 3rd | 7 | 9 | 0 | |||
| 2005 | 2005 | NFL | AFC | West | 2nd | 10 | 6 | 0 | |||
| 2006 | 2006 | NFL | AFC | West | 2nd# | 9 | 7 | 0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Colts) 8–23 | Herm Edwards | |
| 2007 | 2007 | NFL | AFC | West | 3rd | 4 | 12 | 0 | |||
| 2008 | 2008 | NFL | AFC | West | 4th | 2 | 14 | 0 | |||
| 2009 | 2009 | NFL | AFC | West | 4th | 4 | 12 | 0 | Brian Waters (MOY) | Todd Haley | |
| 2010 | 2010 | NFL | AFC | West^ | 1st^ | 10 | 6 | 0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Ravens) 7–30 | ||
| 2011 | 2011 | NFL | AFC | West | 4th | 7 | 9 | 0 | Todd Haley (5–8) Romeo Crennel (2–1) | ||
| 2012 | 2012 | NFL | AFC | West | 4th | 2 | 14 | 0 | Romeo Crennel | ||
| 2013 | 2013 | NFL | AFC | West | 2nd# | 11 | 5 | 0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Colts) 44–45 | Andy Reid | |
| 2014 | 2014 | NFL | AFC | West | 2nd | 9 | 7 | 0 | |||
| 2015 | 2015 | NFL | AFC | West | 2nd# | 11 | 5 | 0 | Won Wild Card Playoffs (at Texans) 30–0 Lost Divisional Playoffs (at Patriots) 20–27 |
Marcus Peters (DROY) Eric Berry (CPOY) | |
| 2016 | 2016 | NFL | AFC | West^ | 1st^ | 12 | 4 | 0 | Lost Divisional Playoffs (Steelers) 16–18 | ||
| 2017 | 2017 | NFL | AFC | West^ | 1st^ | 10 | 6 | 0 | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (Titans) 21–22 | ||
| 2018 | 2018 | NFL | AFC | West^ | 1st^ | 12 | 4 | 0 | Won Divisional Playoffs (Colts) 31–13 Lost AFC Championship (Patriots) 31–37 (OT) |
Patrick Mahomes (MVP, OPOY) | |
| 2019 | 2019 | NFL† | AFC* | West^ | 1st^ | 12 | 4 | 0 | Won Divisional Playoffs (Texans) 51–31 Won AFC Championship (Titans) 35–24 Won Super Bowl LIV (3) (vs. 49ers) 31–20 |
Patrick Mahomes (SB MVP) | |
| 2020 | 2020 | NFL | AFC* | West^ | 1st^ | 14 | 2 | 0 | Won Divisional Playoffs (Browns) 22–17 Won AFC Championship (Bills) 38–24 Lost Super Bowl LV (vs. Buccaneers) 9–31 |
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| 2021 | 2021[F] | NFL | AFC | West^ | 1st^ | 12 | 5 | 0 | Won Wild Card Playoffs (Steelers) 42–21 Won Divisional Playoffs (Bills) 42–36 (OT) Lost AFC Championship (Bengals) 24–27 (OT) |
||
| 2022 | 2022 | NFL† | AFC* | West^ | 1st^ | 14 | 3 | 0 | Won Divisional Playoffs (Jaguars) 27–20 Won AFC Championship (Bengals) 23–20 Won Super Bowl LVII (4) (vs. Eagles) 38–35 |
Patrick Mahomes (MVP, SB MVP) | |
| 2023 | 2023 | NFL† | AFC* | West^ | 1st^ | 11 | 6 | 0 | Won Wild Card Playoffs (Dolphins) 26–7 Won Divisional Playoffs (at Bills) 27–24 Won AFC Championship (at Ravens) 17–10 Won Super Bowl LVIII (5) (vs. 49ers) 25–22 (OT) |
Patrick Mahomes (SB MVP) | |
| Total | 532 | 439 | 12 | Regular season (1960–2023) | |||||||
| 24 | 21 | — | Postseason (1960–2023) | ||||||||
| 556 | 460 | 12 | Overall (1960–2023) | ||||||||
| 4 Super Bowl titles, 3 AFL titles, 4 AFC titles, 16 division titles | |||||||||||
Notes
edit- ^ The Chiefs and Oakland Raiders both finished the 1968 American Football League season with a 12–2 record. The teams played a one game playoff. The Raiders won the game and the Western Division championship.
- ^ Lanier and Stenerud were named Defensive MVP and Offensive MVP of the 1972 Pro Bowl
Jan Stenerud (PB Co–MVP) - ^ Beginning in 1978, the NFL schedule expanded to a 16-game regular season
- ^ Due to the 1982 NFL Players Association strike, teams were ranked by conference instead of divisional standings.
- ^ Due to the 1987 NFL Players Association strike, the season was shortened to 15 games.
- ^ Beginning in 2021, the NFL schedule expanded to a 17-game regular season
References
edit- "Kansas City Chiefs History". CBS Sportsline. Retrieved June 7, 2008.
- "NFL Football History". CBS Sportsline. Archived from the original on March 25, 2007. Retrieved June 7, 2008.
- "Kansas City Chiefs Franchise History". Kansas City Chiefs History Website. Retrieved June 7, 2008.
- "NFL.com – History – Yearly Standings". NFL official website. Retrieved June 7, 2008.
- "Pro Football Hall of Fame – Kansas City Chiefs". Pro Football Hall of Fame Website. Retrieved June 7, 2008.
- "Kansas City Chiefs History". Football @ JT-SW.com. John M. Troan. Retrieved February 4, 2020.