1973 Kansas City Chiefs season

1973 Kansas City Chiefs season
Head coach Hank Stram
Owner Lamar Hunt
Home field Arrowhead Stadium
Results
Record 7–5–2
Division place 3rd AFC West
Playoff finish did not qualify
Pro Bowlers C Jack Rudnay
LB Willie Lanier

The 1973 Kansas City Chiefs season ended with a 7–5–2 record and third-place finish in the AFC West.

For 1973, 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]

Offseason

NFL Draft

Main article: 1973 NFL Draft
Round Pick Player Position School/Club Team

Regular season

Schedule

Week Date Opponent Result Attendance
1 September 16, 1973 Los Angeles Rams L 13-23
62,315
2 September 23, 1973 at New England Patriots W 10–7
57,918
3 September 30, 1973 Oakland Raiders W 16–3
72,631
4 October 7, 1973 Denver Broncos W 16–14
71,414
5 October 14, 1973 at Green Bay Packers T 10–10
46,583
6 October 21, 1973 at Cincinnati Bengals L 6-14
56,397
7 October 29, 1973 at Buffalo Bills L 14-23
76,071
8 November 4, 1973 at San Diego Chargers W 19–0
50,234
9 November 12, 1973 Chicago Bears W 19–7
70,664
10 November 18, 1973 Houston Oilers W 38–14
68,444
11 November 25, 1973 at Denver Broncos L 10-14
51,331
12 December 2, 1973 Cleveland Browns T 20–20
70,296
13 December 8, 1973 at Oakland Raiders L 7-37
53,945
14 December 16, 1973 San Diego Chargers W 33–6
43,755

Standings

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

References

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