The 1973 Kansas City Chiefs season was the franchise's 4th season in the National Football League, the 11th as the Kansas City Chiefs, and the 14th overall. they finished with a 7–5–2 record and missed the playoffs for the second straight year. This was their last winning season until 1981.
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 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] 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]
To date, the 1973 Chiefs along with the Denver Broncos, Cleveland Browns, and Green Bay Packers are the last teams to record 2 ties in a single season. Overtime for regular season games was introduced the following year, and the occurrence of tie games decreased.
Offseason
NFL draft
| Round |
Pick |
Player |
Position |
School/Club team |
Regular season
Schedule
| Week |
Date |
Opponent |
Result |
Record |
Venue |
Attendance |
Recap |
| 1 |
September 16 |
Los Angeles Rams |
L 13–23 |
0–1 |
Arrowhead Stadium |
62,315 |
Recap |
| 2 |
September 23 |
at New England Patriots |
W 10–7 |
1–1 |
Schaefer Stadium |
57,918 |
Recap |
| 3 |
September 30 |
Oakland Raiders |
W 16–3 |
2–1 |
Arrowhead Stadium |
72,631 |
Recap |
| 4 |
October 7 |
Denver Broncos |
W 16–14 |
3–1 |
Arrowhead Stadium |
71,414 |
Recap |
| 5 |
October 14 |
at Green Bay Packers |
T 10–10 |
3–1–1 |
Milwaukee County Stadium |
46,583 |
Recap |
| 6 |
October 21 |
at Cincinnati Bengals |
L 6–14 |
3–2–1 |
Riverfront Stadium |
56,397 |
Recap |
| 7 |
|
at Buffalo Bills |
L 14–23 |
3–3–1 |
Rich Stadium |
76,071 |
Recap |
| 8 |
November 4 |
at San Diego Chargers |
W 19–0 |
4–3–1 |
San Diego Stadium |
50,234 |
Recap |
| 9 |
|
Chicago Bears |
W 19–7 |
5–3–1 |
Arrowhead Stadium |
70,664 |
Recap |
| 10 |
November 18 |
Houston Oilers |
W 38–14 |
6–3–1 |
Arrowhead Stadium |
68,444 |
Recap |
| 11 |
November 25 |
at Denver Broncos |
L 10–14 |
6–4–1 |
Mile High Stadium |
51,331 |
Recap |
| 12 |
December 2 |
Cleveland Browns |
T 20–20 |
6–4–2 |
Arrowhead Stadium |
70,296 |
Recap |
| 13 |
|
at Oakland Raiders |
L 7–37 |
6–5–2 |
Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum |
53,945 |
Recap |
| 14 |
December 16 |
San Diego Chargers |
W 33–6 |
7–5–2 |
Arrowhead Stadium |
43,755 |
Recap |
| Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text. |
Game summaries
Week 1 vs. Los Angeles Rams
| Game information |
|
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
- LA – David Ray 27-yard field goal. Rams 23–0.
Fourth quarter
|
- Top passers
- Top rushers
- Top receivers
|
|
Week 2: at New England Patriots
| Game information |
|
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
|
- Top passers
- Top rushers
- Top receivers
|
|
Week 3: vs. Oakland Raiders
Week 3: Oakland Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
| Game information |
|
First quarter
Second quarter
- OAK – George Blanda 21-yard field goal. Raiders 3–0.
- KC – Jan Stenerud 47-yard field goal. Tie 3–3.
- KC – Jan Stenerud 41-yard field goal. Chiefs 6–3.
Third quarter
- KC – Jan Stenerud 29-yard field goal. Chiefs 9–3.
Fourth quarter
- KC – Willie Lanier 17-yard interception return (Jan Stenerud kick). Chiefs 16–3.
|
- Top passers
- Top rushers
- Top receivers
- OAK – Cliff Branch – 2 receptions, 29 yards
- KC – Wendell Hayes – 3 receptions, 23 yards
|
|
Week 4: vs. Denver Broncos
Week 4: Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
| Game information |
|
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
- DEN – Joe Dawkins 72-yard run (Jim Turner kick). Broncos 14–13.
- KC – Jan Stenerud 39-yard field goal. Chiefs 16–14.
|
- Top passers
- Top rushers
- Top receivers
- DEN – Floyd Little – 3 receptions, 64 yards, TD
- KC – Ed Podolak – 12 receptions, 84 yards
|
|
Week 5: at Green Bay Packers
| Game information |
|
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
- KC – Jan Stenerud 36-yard field goal. Tied 10–10.
|
- Top passers
- Top rushers
- Top receivers
- KC – Ed Podolak – 6 receptions, 30 yards
- GB – MacArthur Lane – 4 receptions, 38 yards
|
|
Week 6: at Cincinnati Bengals
| Game information |
|
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
- KC – Jan Stenerud 17-yard field goal. Bengals 7–6.
Fourth quarter
- CIN – Boobie Clark 3-yard run. (Horst Muhlmann kick). Bengals 14–6.
|
- Top passers
- Top rushers
- Top receivers
- KC – Ed Podolak – 4 receptions, 43 yards
- CIN – Isaac Curtis – 8 receptions, 106 yards
|
|
Week 7: at Buffalo Bills
| Game information |
|
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
- BUF – John Leypoldt 31-yard field goal. Bills 17–7.
- BUF – John Leypoldt 17-yard field goal. Bills 20–7.
- BUF – John Leypoldt 8-yard field goal. Bills 23–7.
Fourth quarter
|
- Top passers
- Top rushers
- Top receivers
|
|
Week 8: at San Diego Chargers
| Game information |
|
First quarter
- KC – Ed Podolak 5-yard run (kick failed). Chiefs 6–0.
Second quarter
Third quarter
- KC – Jan Stenerud 36-yard field goal. Chiefs 12–0.
Fourth quarter
|
- Top passers
- Top rushers
- Top receivers
|
|
Week 9: vs. Chicago Bears
Week 9: Chicago Bears at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date:
- Game time: 8:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: 51 °F (11 °C)
- Game attendance: 70,664
- Referee: Fred Silva
- TV announcers (ABC): Frank Gifford, Don Meredith, and Howard Cosell
- Box Score
| Game information |
|
First quarter
Second quarter
- KC – Jan Stenerud 17-yard field goal. Chiefs 6–0.
- KC – Jan Stenerud 43-yard field goal. Chiefs 9–0.
- KC – Jan Stenerud 42-yard field goal. Chiefs 12–0.
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
|
- Top passers
- Top rushers
- Top receivers
|
|
Week 10: vs. Houston Oilers
Week 10: Houston Oilers at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
| Game information |
|
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
- KC – Mike Livingston 3-yard run (Jan Stenerud kick). Chiefs 21–0.
- KC – Jan Stenerud 38-yard field goal. Chiefs 24–0.
- HOU – Bob Gresham 62-yard pass from Lynn Dickey (Skip Butler kick). Chiefs 24–7.
Fourth quarter
- HOU – Fred Willis 1-yard run (Skip Butler kick). Chiefs 24–14.
- KC – Willie Ellison 1-yard run (Jan Stenerud kick). Chiefs 31–14.
- KC – John Lohmeyer 19-yard fumble return (Jan Stenerud kick). Chiefs 38–14.
|
- Top passers
- Top rushers
- Top receivers
|
|
Week 11 at Denver Broncos
| Game information |
|
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
|
- Top passers
- Top rushers
- Top receivers
|
|
Week 12 vs Cleveland Browns
Week 12: Cleveland Browns at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: December 2
- Game time: 3:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: 56 °F (13 °C)
- Game attendance: 70,296
- Referee: Jack Reader
- TV announcers (NBC): Curt Gowdy and Al DeRogatis
- Box Score
| Game information |
|
First quarter
Second quarter
Third quarter
- KC – Jan Stenerud 15-yard field goal. Chiefs 10–3.
- CLE – Don Cockroft 28-yard field goal. Chiefs 10–6.
Fourth quarter
- KC – Jan Stenerud 13-yard field goal. Chiefs 13–6.
- KC – Ed Podolak 2-yard run (Jan Stenerud kick). Chiefs 20–6.
- CLE – Greg Pruitt 65-yard run (Don Cockroft kick). Chiefs 20–13.
- CLE – Milt Morin 51-yard pass from Mike Phipps (Don Cockroft kick). Tied 20–20.
|
- Top passers
- Top rushers
- Top receivers
|
|
Week 13: at Oakland Raiders
| Game information |
|
First quarter
Second quarter
- OAK – Marv Hubbard 31-yard run (George Blanda kick). Raiders 14–0.
- OAK – George Blanda 20-yard field goal. Raiders 17–0.
- OAK – George Blanda 28-yard field goal. Raiders 20–0.
Third quarter
Fourth quarter
- OAK – Charlie Smith 10-yard run (George Blanda kick). Raiders 30–7.
- OAK – Cliff Branch 3-yard pass from Ken Stabler (George Blanda kick). Raiders 37–7.
|
- Top passers
- Top rushers
- KC – Mike Livingston – 1 rush, 17 yards, TD
- OAK – Marv Hubbard – 25 rushes, 115 yards, TD
- Top receivers
|
|
Week 14: vs. San Diego Chargers
Week 14: San Diego Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: December 16
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: 20 °F (−7 °C)
- Game attendance: 43,755
- Referee: Chuck Heberling
- TV announcers (NBC): Ross Porter and Willie Davis
- Box Score
| Game information |
|
First quarter
Second quarter
- KC – Jan Stenerud 36-yard field goal. Chiefs 13–3.
Third quarter
- KC – Jan Stenerud 20-yard field goal. Chiefs 16–3.
- SD – Ray Wersching 26-yard field goal. Chiefs 16–6.
- KC – Jeff Kinney 5-yard run (Jan Stenerud kick). Chiefs 23–6.
Fourth quarter
- KC – Wendell Hayes 2-yard run (Jan Stenerud kick). Chiefs 30–6.
- KC – Jan Stenerud 27-yard field goal. Chiefs 33–6.
|
- Top passers
- Top rushers
- Top receivers
- SD – Robert Holmes – 5 receptions, 50 yards
- KC – Jeff Kinney – 2 receptions, 42 yards
|
|