Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a charter member of the American Football League (AFL). In 1963, the team relocated to Kansas City and were renamed the Kansas City Chiefs. They have played home games at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium since 1972.
From 1960 to 1969, the Chiefs were a successful franchise in the AFL, winning three league championships (1962, 1966, 1969) and having an all-time AFL record of 92–50–5. They were the second AFL team (after the New York Jets) to defeat an NFL franchise in a Super Bowl when they defeated the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV. The team's victory on January 11, 1970 remained the club's last championship game victory and appearance for fifty years until they won Super Bowl LIV. This started a current dynastic stretch where they lost Super Bowl LV then won Super Bowls LVII and LVIII, becoming the eighth franchise to win consecutive Super Bowls. They then lost Super Bowl LIX.
The Chiefs played the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl I, losing to the Packers by a score of 35-10. Since then, the Chiefs have played the Packers in fourteen regular season games, leading the all-time series, 8-6-1.
Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a charter member of the American Football League (AFL). The Texans shared the Cotton Bowl with the NFL's cross-town competition Dallas Cowboys for three seasons. Despite having a championship team in the Texans and a Cowboys team that managed only a 9–28–3 record in their first three seasons, the Dallas–Fort Worth media market could not sustain two professional football franchises. Hunt became interested in moving the Texans. Mayor of Kansas City Harold Roe Bartle extended an invitation to Hunt to move the Texans to Missouri.
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 on retaining the Texans name, but a fan contest determined the new "Chiefs" name in honor of Mayor Bartle's nickname. A total of 4,866 entries were received with 1,020 different names being suggested, including a total of 42 entrants who selected "Chiefs". The two names that received the most popular votes were "Mules" and "Royals."
The most prominent season in Kansas City Chiefs history was in 1969, where the Chiefs finished with an 11–3 record. Led by head coach Hank Stram and quarterback Len Dawson, the Chiefs defeated the defending champion New York Jets 13–6 en route to the final AFL Championship Game, where they defeated the Oakland Raiders by a score of 17–7.
In the final Super Bowl before the AFL-NFL merger became complete, the Chiefs dominated the Minnesota Vikings at Super Bowl IV. Kansas City used three field goals from Jan Stenerud and a rushing touchdown from Mike Garrett to take a 16-0 halftime lead. A dynamic 46-yard TD pass from Len Dawson to Otis Taylor in the third quarter sealed the victory as Dawson was named the game's Super Bowl MVP, finishing with 12 of 17 passing for 142 yards and a touchdown pass.
Team history[]
