Kansas City Chiefs Team History

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The Chiefs franchise began as the Dallas Texans, who were founder members of the AFL in 1960. After two average seasons, the Texans signed star Quarterback Len Dawson from the Cleveland Browns in 1962, and immediately he made an impact, as the side won their conference with an 11-3 record, and went on to defeat their Texan rivals, the Houston Oilers in a tight AFL Championship match with a field goal in the second overtime period.

Dawson remained with the team, who moved to Kansas City the next year, for 13 seasons, and remained a top team; they won the AFL title in 1966 against the Buffalo Bills, but lost the inaugural Super Bowl against the Green Bay Packers, and then in 1969, they again won the AFL championship against the Oakland Raiders, who over the years have become one of the side’s biggest rivals, and went on to win Super Bowl IV against the Minnesota Vikings, with Dawson being named Super Bowl MVP.

Dark Years

With the merger of the AFL with the NFL, like so many other teams, they failed to maintain their top team status. They won the division title in 1971, losing to the Miami Dolphins in the playoffs, but then had to wait 15 years for another wild card berth, and as Dawson left in 1975, the records started to worsen.

In 1983, there was a sign of hope, as the Chiefs drafted promising Quarterback Todd Blackledge from the QB Class of 83’. They began to improve, reaching the playoffs in 1986, but Blackledge was then drafted to Pittsburgh, and the Chiefs fell again.

Schottenheimer Years

The Chiefs then found their saviour, with new legendary Head Coach Marty Schottenheimer, who in his 10 years in Kansas revitalised the team and made a real contender again. In the six years between 1990 and 1995, the Chiefs won six playoff berths, including two division titles, with star players such as Super Bowl winners Joe Montana and Marcus Allen, and star Linebacker Derrick Thomas.

The Chiefs’ best performance came in 1993, winning the division title, and close victories against Pittsburgh and Houston, but then lose the AFC Championship to the AFC’s premier team, the Buffalo Bills. They again won their division in 1995 and 1997, both as the top seed in the conference, but they failed to continue their work in the regular season, losing in the first round on both occasions.
Vermeil Years And Beyond

With Schottenheimer leaving in 1999, the Chiefs went back to struggling, with the occasional team leader appearing, such as Running Backs Priest Holmes and Larry Johnson, and Head Coach Dick Vermeil, and the occasional playoff berth, again losing in the first round in 2003 and 2006. In recent years, they have become one of the league’s biggest strugglers, and need help from somewhere to pick themselves up.

Source: http://www.suite101.com