As we have seen 61 years of the Kansas City Chiefs football team, it all started with a first 10 years of ultimate success, with two appearances in a Super Bowl. Then fifty years passed us by, while we fretted our frustrations, voiced our displeasures, suffered from the repeated failures. To finally acquire the services of a young once (twice- Dawson) in a lifetime franchise level quarterback. Now we have seen two more Super Bowl appearances, and perhaps more to come. I could not have dreamed any better- okay, maybe 4-0, instead of 2-2.
Chapter 1. The Early Days
Once upon a time in Dallas Texas, a 26 year old young man aspired to own a professional football team. In 1958 using his inherited oil wealth, he attempted to apply for a NFL expansion franchise, he was denied. Then he tried to purchase the Chicago Cardinals, intending to move them to Dallas, but was turned down again. In 1959 Lamar Hunt, as a determined young businessman, would not take to defeat. So he recruited seven other businessmen to form a new rival league called, the American Football League – early nickname was the “Foolish Club.”
The Dallas Texans became an established football team on August 14, 1959. Their first head coach was named Hank Stram, and he led them to a league championship in just their third year. During that same year, May 22, 1962, Lamar realized the Dallas community could not support two professional teams, so he moved his team to Kansas City. Their new nickname was selected in a “Rename the Texans” contest and in honor of then City Major Bartle, whose nickname was “Chief” for his involvement in the Boy Scout organization.
Chapter 2. The K.C. Glory Times
Lenny Dawson, Willie Lanier, Bobby Bell, Johnny Robinson, Jan Stenerud, Otis Taylor, Buck Buchanan was some of the many stars from the Chiefs early years. In the 1960s they were the only team to lead the upstart AFL in wins-losses with a record of 87-48-5, and they were the only new league team to win three AFL championships. There was a total of 35 Chiefs players that made it to a Pro Bowl designation during the 1960s, with eight players (should be 9 with Otis Taylor not yet in), one Head Coach, one Team Owner, and one team scout, that made it into the NFL Hall of Fame.
In 1966, the league championship paved their way to what would later become known as the Super Bowl, and they had to play the powerful Vince Lombardi led Green Bay Packers. They kept the score close during the first half at a deficit of 14-10, but then they were blown out in the second half for a final score of 35-10. In the 1969 season, the Kansas City Chiefs again earned a trip to the now called “Super Bowl” game against the heavily favored Minnesota Vikings, but they rode their stout defense to a decisive victory with a score of 23-7.
Chapter 3. The Fall From Glory Years
By the mid 1970s the 60s star players quickly started showing their age, and essentially were retiring, meanwhile the personnel departments did not have the same great success as they did 10 years earlier. The high quality level of play went from marvelous to futility, leading to a 60-79-3 record during the decade. After the Chiefs moved on from Hank Stram they cycled thru 5 different head coaches, never finding the right one to carry on the 60s tradition.
Not all blame goes on the coaches, the players must produce quality play, lower subpar talent equals out to poor play. Early on in the 1970s the talent was still present, but from a myriad of reasons we did not witness the same season ending success as the team’s early years. As age forced changes in the roster the offense suffered the most. Len Dawson was injured too much of the time, other key positions had changed, all of these factors led to an inefficient offense. The defense was still playing at high level thru 1975, then their talented players were forced to retire.
Chapter 4. The Deteriorating Years
I’m sorry to have to make such an ugly statement, but the 1970s-1980s Kansas City Chiefs were so BAD, that it is as if they did not even exist. Yes, the Kansas City community did have the Royals-baseball team- playing at a playoff level from 1975-1985, and they garnered much of the fan’s attention. But the memories of many fans and media seems to block out the 70s-80s Chiefs, we don’t remember or recognize the players or coaches, instead the focus is on the good times that were seen by Hank Stram, then just leapfrogs to the 1990s.
During these dark times we saw failed attempts to find the correct head coach and/or quarterback. Paul Wiggin (11-24), Tom Bettis (1-6 as Interim), Marv Levy (31-42), John Mackovic (30-34), Frank Ganz (8-12-1), none of these coaches were able to replicate Hank Stram results. Quarterbacks Mike Livingston, Steve Fuller, Bill Kenney, and Todd Blackledge were not able to sub-plant the glory years of Len Dawson. Lamar Hunt had to be frustrated by seeing fifteen years roll by, with only two years of above .500 season records from all these groups of coaches and players. From Chiefs.com:
“Under Hunt’s stewardship, the Chiefs developed an intensely-loyal fan following, not just in Mid-America, but across the country and around the globe. Hunt took great satisfaction in the fact that the Chiefs boasted season-ticket holders from 48 of the 50 states (all but Maine and Vermont), the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Canada.”
Chapter 5. The Start of “Chiefs Kingdom“
No fairy tale is complete without a King and Prince, so to serve those roles in 1989 a new President and General Manager was hired by the name of “King” Carl Peterson, he in turn hired Marty Schottenheimer. Marty would go down in history as the best coach of all time to have never won a crown. During their years is when we saw the Chiefs Kingdom (Fan Club) begin to be established. The attendance to home games at Arrowhead Stadium began to be at a maximum level every game, season ticket holders evolved to an all-time high, and parking lot tailgating at the Sports Complex, became the go to event before every game.
Starting with the 1989 NFL Draft, we saw the player acquisition luck change, and in turn with now quality coaches on Marty’s staff, the two worked together to produce better play on the field. The 1990 Chiefs coaching staff was one of the best ever assembled, with five of them moving on to Head Coach jobs elsewhere, three of them have won Super Bowls, two of that staff are in the Hall of Fame. Players such as Derrick Thomas, Neil Smith, Dale Carter, Tim Grunhard, Dave Szott, Will Shields, Dan Saleaumua, Marcus Allen were key acquisitions that led to ten years of winning football.
While the 1990s Chiefs were second in the NFL in winning percentage during the decade, we still did not see great success in the playoffs. Schottenheimer’s brand “Martyball” referred to by many, was a great success in the regular season, but did not seem to produce wins in the playoffs. In those ten years we saw good defense and good turnover +/- ratios, but offensively the running game did not produce points without an elite quarterback. Montana Magic almost got the Chiefs to the Super Bowl in 1994, but with Joe being injured early in the third quarter and no longer able to play, the team fell short in the AFC Championship game to Buffalo.
Chapter 6. The Up and Down Years
Marty announced his retirement at the end of the 1998 season, which led to the roller coaster ride of professional football in Kansas City, from 1998 till 2013. The 21st century start was marred by a horrible accident to beloved fan favorite Derrick Thomas, his accident happened on January 21, 2000, and then he passed away on February 8, 2000. Gunther Cunningham had taken over as the head coach, after Marty, he lasted only two seasons with a 16-16 record. Dick Vermeil was hired as the head coach from 2001-2005, when he then announced his retirement from a football coaching career.
Vermeil’s style of football was just the opposite of Schottenheimer’s as in an aggressive offense produced record setting numbers. We saw players like Trent Green, Priest Holmes, Tony Gonzalez, Dante Hall, Larry Johnson, Derrick Johnson, and the 2003 Chiefs Offensive Line was considered on of the best of all-time. The Chiefs went a fifteen year span with only five winning seasons. In the 2012 season we saw the darkest of times. To where it was so bad that fans were wearing black Chief’s memorabilia (normally unacceptable) to home games, in order to get attention of Clark Hunt, that change was needed. Some fans were wearing paper bags to hide their embarrassment and someone hired a plane to fly over Arrowhead towing a sign that read “Bench Cassel”… all ugly looks!
Chapter 7. A New Beginning
At the end of season 2012, Clark Hunt had seen enough of bad times, and he took a more proactive approach to how his team was going to be built going forward. He was very aggressive in going out hiring a new head coach in Andy Reid, who had 14 mostly successful years in Philadelphia. Clark also hired John Dorsey as a new General Manager, and unlike previous tenures of these two positions, he requested that both men report directly to himself. As the 2012 roster had very little equitable talent, we saw that John added the needed players quickly. What few carryovers from the previous years, that were kept was better utilized by Andy Reid. What Andy learned in his last couple years of disaster in Philly, was now better implemented in Kansas City.
First order of business for Andy was in the Chiefs locker room, was to change the environment. From the Pioli-Haley-Crennel-New England style of stuffy, secretive, no fun, to a more outwardly happy go lucky have fun type, and just be yourself attitude. Chemistry was highlighted to be a key component, first John Dorsey, now Brett Veach has acquired the players that fit this mold. But at the same time they have vastly improved the talent level and the overall team depth. Egos within the locker room does not exist, even as there is a high level of skill players present, with no “me first” attitudes, rather its “Team First” attitude.
8. The Next Chapter
The Kansas City Chiefs organization had suffered for 50 years, until April 2017, where in the draft a kid from Texas Tech was selected with the overall #10 overall pick. Patrick Mahomes as it turns out has been a franchise fortune change player. We saw for year, after year, after year, bad luck hounded the Chiefs, both team and fans alike. Many claimed that there was a jinx present, bad omens continued to appear for much of them 50 years ever since January 1970, and a Super Bowl win. We witnessed untimely deaths and injuries derail hopeful seasons. It’s as if the Chiefs were the Cinderella of the NFL, but the clock would strike midnight early in the playoffs every year.
Now, this Quarterback from Texas has arrived with the glass slipper that the team and fans had been searching for all those years. From the 1960s era till the present time, no other NFL team has suffered more bad luck than the Kansas City Chiefs have. Mostly it can be attributed to not having the correct team leader at the right position, which has been and forever will be the “Quarterback”. That is what Patrick Mahomes has done above all else for the entire Kansas City community. Both the team and fans alike, he has instilled season ending hope for every year — for at least the next 10 plus years — that ends with a championship crown. Chiefs Kingdom Rides With Pride!
Alan Haupt — ArrowheadOne
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