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.
1973 Kansas City Chiefs season | |
---|---|
Owner | Lamar Hunt |
General manager | Jack Steadman |
Head coach | Hank Stram |
Home field | Arrowhead Stadium |
Results | |
Record | 7–5–2 |
Division place | 2nd AFC West |
Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
Pro Bowlers | C Jack Rudnay LB Willie Lanier |
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]
Round | Pick | Player | Position | School/Club Team |
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Quarterbacks
Running backs
Wide receivers
Tight ends
|
Offensive linemen
Defensive linemen
|
Linebackers
Defensive backs
Special teams
|
Reserve lists
Practice squad
|
Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | Recap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | August 4 | New Orleans Saints | W 12–6 | 1–0 | Arrowhead Stadium | 67,216 | Recap |
2 | August 13 | Detroit Lions | L 16–17 | 1–1 | Arrowhead Stadium | 67,624 | Recap |
3 | August 18 | Minnesota Vikings | L 10–13 | 1–2 | Arrowhead Stadium | 72,676 | Recap |
4 | August 26 | Green Bay Packers | L 16–21 | 1–3 | Arrowhead Stadium | 75,231 | Recap |
5 | September 1 | at Dallas Cowboys | L 16–27 | 1–4 | Texas Stadium | 57,468 | Recap |
6 | September 7 | at St. Louis Cardinals | W 16–7 | 2–4 | Busch Memorial Stadium | 49,486 | Recap |
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 | October 29 | 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 | November 12 | 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 | December 8 | 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. |
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rams | 6 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 23 |
Chiefs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 13 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chiefs | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
Patriots | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
at Schaefer Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Period | 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 | ||
---|---|---|
|
Period | 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 | ||
---|---|---|
|
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chiefs | 7 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 10 |
Packers | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
at Milwaukee County Stadium, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chiefs | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
Bengals | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
at Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chiefs | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
Bills | 14 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 23 |
at Rich Stadium, Orchard Park, New York
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chiefs | 6 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 19 |
Chargers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bears | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
Chiefs | 3 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 19 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Period | 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 | ||
---|---|---|
|
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chiefs | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
Broncos | 0 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
at Mile High Stadium, Denver, Colorado
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Browns | 0 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 20 |
Chiefs | 7 | 0 | 3 | 10 | 20 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chiefs | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
Raiders | 7 | 13 | 3 | 14 | 37 |
at Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, California
Game information | ||
---|---|---|
|
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
Chiefs | 10 | 3 | 10 | 10 | 33 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Game information | ||
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|
AFC West | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
Oakland Raiders | 9 | 4 | 1 | .679 | 4–1–1 | 7–3–1 | 292 | 175 | W4 |
Kansas City Chiefs | 7 | 5 | 2 | .571 | 4–2 | 6–4–1 | 231 | 192 | W1 |
Denver Broncos | 7 | 5 | 2 | .571 | 3–2–1 | 7–2–1 | 354 | 296 | L1 |
San Diego Chargers | 2 | 11 | 1 | .179 | 0–6 | 1–9–1 | 188 | 386 | L4 |