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1981 Kansas City Chiefs season
Head Coach Marv Levy
Home Field Arrowhead Stadium
Results
Record 9–7
Place 3rd AFC West
Playoff Finish did not qualify
Timeline
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1980 1982

The 1981 Kansas City Chiefs season ended with a 9–7 record, but no playoff appearance.

Bill Kenney began the 1981 season as the club's starting quarterback and directed the Chiefs to a 6–2 start, including a 37–33 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers at Three Rivers Stadium on Opening Day. Second-round draft choice, running back Joe Delaney electrified the club’s offense by rushing for 1,121 yards, a team single-season record at the time. He was named the AFC’s Rookie of the Year and became the first running back to represent the franchise in the Pro Bowl.[1] Delaney registered a 193-yard performance in a 23–10 victory against the Oilers on November 15, the best single-game total ever amassed by a Kansas City rookie.[1]

Owning an 8–4 record with four games remaining, the Chiefs were poised to make the playoffs for the first time in 10 years before hitting a three-game losing skid. Bill Kenney missed the club’s final three contests due to injury as Steve Fuller temporarily reclaimed the starting QB position and guided the club to a 10–6 win at Minnesota, in the final contest played at Metropolitan Stadium. With the Chiefs winning the game, Vikings fans began dismembering the stadium as early as the second half—taking seats, pieces of the scoreboard and even chunks of sod as souvenirs.[1] The victory assured the Chiefs of a 9–7 record, the club’s first winning mark since 1973 as coach Marv Levy increased the club’s victory total for a third consecutive year. Inspired by the Washington Redskins’s “Hail to the Redskins,” Levy penned a fight song for the Chiefs ("Give a Cheer for Kansas City"), but much like the team's Wing-T offense, the concept never really caught on.[1]

Schedule[]

Week Date Opponent Result Attendance
1 September 6, 1981 at Pittsburgh Steelers W 37–33
53,305
2 September 13, 1981 Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 19–10
50,555
3 September 20, 1981 San Diego Chargers L 42–31
63,866
4 September 27, 1981 at Seattle Seahawks W 20–14
59,255
5 October 4, 1981 at New England Patriots L 33–17
55,931
6 October 11, 1981 Oakland Raiders W 27–0
76,543
7 October 18, 1981 Denver Broncos W 28–14
74,672
8 October 25, 1981 at Oakland Raiders W 28–17
42,914
9 November 1, 1981 at San Diego Chargers L 22–20
51,307
10 November 8, 1981 Chicago Bears L 16–13
60,605
11 November 15, 1981 Houston Oilers W 23–10
73,984
12 November 22, 1981 Seattle Seahawks W 40–13
49,002
13 November 26, 1981 at Detroit Lions L 27–10
76,735
14 December 6, 1981 at Denver Broncos L 16–13
74,744
15 December 13, 1981 Miami Dolphins L 17–7
57,407
16 December 20, 1981 at Minnesota Vikings W 10–6
41,110

Standings[]

AFC West
view · talk · edit W L T PCT PF PA
San Diego Chargers 10 6 0 .625 478 390
Denver Broncos 10 6 0 .625 321 289
Kansas City Chiefs 9 7 0 .563 343 290
Oakland Raiders 7 9 0 .438 273 343
Seattle Seahawks 6 10 0 .375 322 388

[2]

References[]

AFC East Central West East Central West NFC
Baltimore Cincinnati Denver Dallas Chicago Atlanta
Buffalo Cleveland Kansas City NY Giants Detroit Los Angeles
Miami Houston Oakland Philadelphia Green Bay New Orleans
New England Pittsburgh San Diego St. Louis Minnesota San Francisco
NY Jets Seattle Washington Tampa Bay
1981 NFL DraftNFL PlayoffsPro BowlSuper Bowl XVI
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