1973 Kansas City Chiefs season
| 1973 Kansas City Chiefs season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | Lamar Hunt |
| Head coach | Hank Stram |
| 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
| 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 | |
| 2 | September 23, 1973 | at New England Patriots | W 10–7 | |
| 3 | September 30, 1973 | Oakland Raiders | W 16–3 | |
| 4 | October 7, 1973 | Denver Broncos | W 16–14 | |
| 5 | October 14, 1973 | at Green Bay Packers | T 10–10 | |
| 6 | October 21, 1973 | at Cincinnati Bengals | L 6-14 | |
| 7 | October 29, 1973 | at Buffalo Bills | L 14-23 | |
| 8 | November 4, 1973 | at San Diego Chargers | W 19–0 | |
| 9 | November 12, 1973 | Chicago Bears | W 19–7 | |
| 10 | November 18, 1973 | Houston Oilers | W 38–14 | |
| 11 | November 25, 1973 | at Denver Broncos | L 10-14 | |
| 12 | December 2, 1973 | Cleveland Browns | T 20–20 | |
| 13 | December 8, 1973 | at Oakland Raiders | L 7-37 | |
| 14 | December 16, 1973 | San Diego Chargers | W 33–6 |
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 |