1981 Kansas City Chiefs season

NFL team season

1981 Kansas City Chiefs season
Owner	Lamar Hunt
General manager	Jim Schaaf
Head coach	Marv Levy
Home field	Arrowhead Stadium
Results
Record	9–7
Division place	3rd AFC West
Playoff finish	Did not qualify
Pro Bowlers	5 RB Joe Delaney DE Art Still CB Gary Green S Gary Barbaro K Nick Lowery
AP All-Pros	1 K Nick Lowery (2nd team)
← 1980 Chiefs seasons 1982 →

The 1981 Kansas City Chiefs season was the franchise's 12th season in the National Football League and 22nd overall. They improved from 1980 from an 8–8 record to a 9–7 record (their first winning season in 8 years) but missing the playoffs for the tenth consecutive season.

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. 2nd 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 quarterback 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 called "Give a Cheer for Kansas City" which never caught on.^[1]

Offseason

NFL draft

Round	Pick	Player	Position	College
1981 Kansas City Chiefs draft
1	14	Willie Scott	Tight end	South Carolina
2	41	Joe Delaney *	Running back	Northwestern State
3	70	Marvin Harvey	Tight end	Southern Mississippi
3	75	Roger Taylor	Offensive tackle	Oklahoma State
3	78	Lloyd Burruss *	Defensive back	Maryland
4	97	Ron Washington	Wide receiver	Arizona State
5	124	Todd Thomas	Center	North Dakota
6	153	Dock Luckie	Defensive tackle	Florida
7	180	Billy Jackson	Running back	Alabama
8	206	David Dorn	Wide receiver	Rutgers
9	237	Anthony Vereen	Defensive back	Southeastern Louisiana
10	262	Les Studdard	Center	Texas
11	289	Frank Case	Defensive end	Penn State
12	319	Bob Gagliano	Quarterback	Utah State
Made roster * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career

^[2]

Personnel

Staff

**1981 Kansas City Chiefs staff**
	Front office Founder – Lamar Hunt President – Jack Steadman Vice President and General Manager – Jim Schaaf Director of Player Personnel – Les Miller Assistant Director of Player Personnel – J. D. Helm Head coaches Head Coach – Marv Levy Offensive coaches Quarterbacks and Receivers – Kay Dalton Offensive Backs – Bobby Ross Tight Ends – Frank Gansz Offensive Line – Tom Bresnahan			Defensive coaches Defensive Coordinator – Rod Rust Defensive Line – Don Lawrence Linebackers – Ted Cottrell Defensive Backs – Walt Corey Special teams coaches Kicking Teams – Frank Gansz Strength and conditioning Strength and Conditioning – Rick Abernethy

Roster

**1981 Kansas City Chiefs final roster**

	Quarterbacks 4 Steve Fuller 11 Bob Gagliano 9 Bill Kenney Running backs 30 Curtis Bledsoe 37 Joe Delaney 21 Clark Gaines 48 James Hadnot FB 43 Billy Jackson 22 Ted McKnight 39 Rick Moser 40 Mike Williams Wide receivers 88 Carlos Carson 89 Henry Marshall 80 James Murphy KR 87 Stan Rome 86 J. T. Smith PR Tight ends 85 Ed Beckman 84 Al Dixon 80 Bubba Garcia 83 Marvin Harvey 81 Willie Scott		Offensive linemen 66 Brad Budde G 65 Tom Condon G 77 Charlie Getty T 60 Matt Herkenhoff T 70 Jim Rourke G 58 Jack Rudnay C 73 Bob Simmons G 76 Roger Taylor T 62 Todd Thomas C/LS Defensive linemen 99 Mike Bell DE 95 Frank Case DE 75 Sylvester Hicks DE 91 Ken Kremer DE/NT 71 Dave Lindstrom DT 74 Dino Mangiero DT 61 Don Parrish NT 67 Art Still DE		Linebackers 57 Jerry Blanton ILB 56 Phil Cancik 52 Thomas Howard, Sr. 51 Charles Jackson OLB 55 Dave Klug 54 Frank Manumaleuga 63 John Olenchalk LS 53 Whitney Paul OLB 50 Cal Peterson 59 Gary Spani ILB Defensive backs 26 Gary Barbaro FS 34 Lloyd Burruss SS 42 M. L. Carter CB 20 Deron Cherry S 41 Herb Christopher S 46 Paul Dombroski CB 24 Gary Green CB 44 Eric Harris CB 31 Will Lewis CB Special teams 7 Jeff Gossett P 1 Bob Grupp P 8 Nick Lowery K		Reserve lists 35 Horace Belton RB (IRTooltip Injured reserve) -- James Black DE (IRTooltip Injured reserve) -- David Cunningham RB (IRTooltip Injured reserve) -- Jeff Davis TE (IRTooltip Injured reserve) -- Lance Madison WR (IRTooltip Injured reserve) 64 Les Studdard G (IRTooltip Injured reserve) -- George Stewart G (IRTooltip Injured reserve) -- Ron Washington WR (IRTooltip Injured reserve) Rookies in italics Source

Preseason

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Venue	Attendance	Recap
1	August 7	at Washington Redskins	L 10–16	0–1	RFK Stadium	32,488	Recap
2	August 15	Chicago Bears	W 13–0	1–1	Arrowhead Stadium	41,099	Recap
3	August 22	St. Louis Cardinals	L 3–16	1–2	Arrowhead Stadium	42,550	Recap
4	August 28	at Miami Dolphins	L 7–31	1–3	Miami Orange Bowl	41,290	Recap

Regular season

Schedule

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

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1: at Pittsburgh Steelers

Week 1: Kansas City Chiefs at Pittsburgh Steelers – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Chiefs	10	3	10	14	37
Steelers	6	13	7	7	33

at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Date: September 6
Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
Game weather: Cloudy, 69 °F (21 °C)
Game attendance: 53,305
Referee: Jim Tunney
TV announcers (NBC): Bob Costas and Bob Trumpy
Recap, Game Book

Game information

First quarter

PIT – Lynn Swann 18-yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (kick failed, wide right), 6:11. Steelers 6–0. Drive: 6 plays, 47 yards, 0:31.
KC – Henry Marshall 48-yard pass from Bill Kenney (Nick Lowery kick), 2:14. Chiefs 7–6. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 3:57.
KC – Nick Lowery 35-yard field goal, 0:08. Chiefs 10–6. Drive: 4 plays, –2 yards, 0:54.

Second quarter

PIT – Franco Harris 7-yard run (kick failed, wide right), 5:32. Steelers 12–10. Drive: 6 plays, 38 yards, 2:50.
PIT – Franco Harris 1-yard run (David Trout kick), 1:10. Steelers 19–10. Drive: 5 plays, 48 yards, 0:54.
KC – Nick Lowery 40-yard field goal, 0:00. Steelers 19–13. Drive: 5 plays, 47 yards, 1:10.

Third quarter

KC – Carlos Carson 53-yard pass from Bill Kenney (Nick Lowery kick), 13:13. Chiefs 20–19. Drive: 6 plays, 80 yards, 1:47.
PIT – Greg Hawthorne 1-yard run (David Trout kick), 9:27. Steelers 26–20. Drive: 7 plays, 57 yards, 3:46.
KC – Nick Lowery 42-yard field goal, 3:21. Steelers 26–23. Drive: 3 plays, 8 yards, 1:36.

Fourth quarter

KC – Ted McKnight 3-yard run (Nick Lowery kick), 14:07. Chiefs 30–26. Drive: 7 plays, 38 yards, 3:24.
PIT – Jim Smith 41-yard pass from Terry Bradshaw (David Trout kick), 7:12. Steelers 33–30. Drive: 4 plays, 74 yards, 2:02.
KC – Tom Howard 65-yard fumble return (Nick Lowery kick), 1:59. Chiefs 37–33.

Top passers

KC – Bill Kenney – 14/26, 242 yards, 2 TD, INT
PIT – Terry Bradshaw – 21/36, 319 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT

Top rushers

KC – Ted McKnight – 17 rushes, 59 yards, TD
PIT – Franco Harris – 19 rushes, 70 yards, 2 TD

Top receivers

KC – Henry Marshall – 4 receptions, 89 yards, TD
PIT – John Stallworth – 6 receptions, 107 yards

Week 2: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Week 2: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Buccaneers	7	3	0	0	10
Chiefs	7	3	3	6	19

at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

Date: September 13
Game time: 12:00 p.m. CDT
Game weather: Clear, 82 °F (28 °C)
Game attendance: 50,555
Referee: Fred Wyant
TV announcers (CBS): Dick Stockton and Jim Hill
Recap, Game Book

Game information

First quarter

KC – Ted McKnight 8-yard run (Nick Lowery kick), 12:43. Chiefs 7–0. Drive: 2 plays, 14 yards, 0:43.
TB – James Wilder 2-yard run (Garo Yepremian kick), 2:08. Tied 7–7. Drive: 6 plays, 59 yards, 2:57.

Second quarter

TB – Garo Yepremian 44-yard field goal, 13:09. Buccaneers 10–7. Drive: 6 plays, 34 yards, 2:53.
KC – Nick Lowery 20-yard field goal, 5:30. Tied 10–10. Drive: 5 plays, 19 yards, 3:29.

Third quarter

KC – Nick Lowery 20-yard field goal, 7:06. Chiefs 13–10. Drive: 14 plays, 74 yards, 7:54.

Fourth quarter

KC – Nick Lowery 42-yard field goal, 9:52. Chiefs 16–10. Drive: 11 plays, 47 yards, 6:30.
KC – Nick Lowery 41-yard field goal, 2:00. Chiefs 19–10. Drive: 7 plays, 34 yards, 3:45.

Top passers

TB – Doug Williams – 20/43, 294 yards
KC – Bill Kenney – 12/25, 99 yards

Top rushers

TB – Ricky Bell – 8 rushes, 9 yards
KC – Joe Delaney – 13 rushes, 57 yards

Top receivers

TB – Kevin House – 5 receptions, 87 yards
KC – Carlos Carson – 2 receptions, 35 yards

Week 3: vs. San Diego Chargers

Week 3: San Diego Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Chargers	14	14	7	7	42
Chiefs	7	7	14	3	31

at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

Date: September 20
Game time: 1:00 p.m. CDT
Game weather: Clear, 80 °F (27 °C)
Game attendance: 63,866
Referee: Ben Dreith
TV announcers (NBC): Mike Adamle and Rocky Bleier
Recap, Game Book

Game information

First quarter

KC – Ted McKnight 1-yard run (Nick Lowery kick), 9:12. Chiefs 7–0. Drive: 10 plays, 44 yards, 5:48.
SD – Kellen Winslow 13-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Rolf Benirschke kick), 4:13. Tied 7–7. Drive: 8 plays, 64 yards, 2:58.
SD – James Brooks 29-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Rolf Benirschke kick), 0:33. Chargers 14–7. Drive: 4 plays, 47 yards, 1:36.

Second quarter

SD – Chuck Muncie 1-yard run (Rolf Benirschke kick), 6:14. Chargers 21–7. Drive: 8 plays, 84 yards, 4:51.
SD – Eric Sievers 12-yard pass from Dan Fouts (Rolf Benirschke kick), 2:09. Chargers 28–7. Drive: 1 play, 12 yards, 0:05.
KC – Al Dixon 7-yard pass from Bill Kenney (Nick Lowery kick), 1:19. Chargers 28–14. Drive: 5 plays, 76 yards, 0:50.

Third quarter

KC – Ted McKnight 3-yard run (Nick Lowery kick), 10:38. Chargers 28–21. Drive: 8 plays, 37 yards, 3:55.
SD – Chuck Muncie 3-yard run (Rolf Benirschke kick), 7:42. Chargers 35–21. Drive: 6 plays, 65 yards, 2:56.
KC – Billy Jackson 4-yard run (Nick Lowery kick), 3:25. Chargers 35–28. Drive: 9 plays, 80 yards, 4:17.

Fourth quarter

KC – Nick Lowery 37-yard field goal, 10:07. Chargers 35–31. Drive: 7 plays, 27 yards, 3:43.
SD – Gary Johnson 5-yard interception return (Rolf Benirschke kick), 1:53. Chargers 42–31.

Top passers

SD – Dan Fouts – 22/43, 284 yards, 3 TD, 3 INT
KC – Bill Kenney – 22/41, 303 yards, TD, 5 INT

Top rushers

SD – Chuck Muncie – 17 rushes, 93 yards, 2 TD
KC – Joe Delaney – 9 rushes, 66 yards

Top receivers

SD – Kellen Winslow – 6 receptions, 96 yards, TD
KC – J. T. Smith – 9 receptions, 140 yards

Week 4: at Seattle Seahawks

Week 4: Kansas City Chiefs at Seattle Seahawks – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Chiefs	7	13	0	0	20
Seahawks	0	7	7	0	14

at Kingdome, Seattle, Washington

Date: September 27
Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
Game attendance: 59,255
Referee: Tom Dooley
TV announcers (NBC): Phil Stone and Gene Washington
Recap, Game Book

Game information

First quarter

KC – Ted McKnight 2-yard run (Nick Lowery kick), 9:56. Chiefs 7–0. Drive: 10 plays, 67 yards, 5:04.

Second quarter

KC – Bill Kenney 1-yard run (Nick Lowery kick), 13:41. Chiefs 14–0. Drive: 12 plays, 50 yards, 6:17.
KC – Nick Lowery 30-yard field goal, 6:40. Chiefs 17–0. Drive: 10 plays, 67 yards, 5:01.
KC – Nick Lowery 38-yard field goal, 5:28. Chiefs 20–0. Drive: 4 plays, –5 yards, 0:59.
SEA – Sam McCullum 11-yard pass from Jim Zorn (Efrén Herrera kick), 1:58. Chiefs 20–7. Drive: 9 plays, 83 yards, 3:30.

Third quarter

SEA – Sherman Smith 2-yard run (Efrén Herrera kick), 11:01. Chiefs 20–14. Drive: 8 plays, 51 yards, 3:50.

Fourth quarter

No scoring plays.

Top passers

KC – Bill Kenney – 16/25, 239 yards
SEA – Jim Zorn – 31/47, 308 yards, TD

Top rushers

KC – Joe Delaney – 15 rushes, 45 yards
SEA – Jim Zorn – 4 rushes, 48 yards

Top receivers

KC – J. T. Smith – 5 receptions, 81 yards
SEA – David Hughes – 12 receptions, 103 yards

Week 5: at New England Patriots

Week 5: Kansas City Chiefs at New England Patriots – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Chiefs	7	0	3	7	17
Patriots	7	7	10	9	33

at Schaefer Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts

Date: October 4
Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
Game weather: Partly cloudy, cool, 57 °F (14 °C)
Game attendance: 55,931
Referee: Fred Silva
TV announcers (NBC): Don Criqui and John Brodie
Recap, Game Book

Game information

First quarter

NE – Don Hasselbeck 13-yard pass from Matt Cavanaugh (John Smith kick), 9:09. Patriots 7–0. Drive: 9 plays, 45 yards, 4:52.
KC – James Hadnot 1-yard run (Nick Lowery kick), 3:27. Tied 7–7. Drive: 11 plays, 70 yards, 5:42.

Second quarter

NE – Matt Cavanaugh 8-yard run (John Smith kick), 6:48. Patriots 14–7. Drive: 4 plays, 17 yards, 2:12.

Third quarter

KC – Nick Lowery 35-yard field goal, 11:36. Patriots 14–10. Drive: 4 plays, 6 yards, 1:31.
NE – John Smith 50-yard field goal, 6:57. Patriots 17–10. Drive: 9 plays, 45 yards, 4:39.
NE – Tony Collins 13-yard run (John Smith kick), 3:59. Patriots 24–10. Drive: 5 plays, 71 yards, 1:52.

Fourth quarter

KC – Joe Delaney 18-yard run (Nick Lowery kick), 14:54. Patriots 24–17. Drive: 9 plays, 66 yards, 4:05.
NE – Stanley Morgan 66-yard pass from Andy Johnson (kick failed, wide right), 13:07. Patriots 30–17. Drive: 4 plays, 77 yards, 1:47.
NE – John Smith 43-yard field goal, 7:36. Patriots 33–17. Drive: 6 plays, 39 yards, 3:17.

Top passers

KC – Bill Kenney – 9/20, 108 yards, 3 INT
NE – Matt Cavanaugh – 10/19, 162 yards, TD, 2 INT

Top rushers

KC – Joe Delaney – 18 rushes, 101 yards, TD
NE – Tony Collins – 19 rushes, 96 yards, TD

Top receivers

KC – Willie Scott – 3 receptions, 44 yards
NE – Stanley Morgan – 4 receptions, 118 yards, TD

Week 6: vs. Oakland Raiders

Week 6: Oakland Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Raiders	0	0	0	0	0
Chiefs	3	7	10	7	27

at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

Date: October 11
Game time: 1:00 p.m. CDT
Game weather: Clear, 69 °F (21 °C)
Game attendance: 76,543
Referee: Red Cashion
TV announcers (NBC): Phil Stone and Gene Washington
Recap, Game Book

Game information

First quarter

KC – Nick Lowery 52-yard field goal, 8:39. Chiefs 3–0. Drive: 9 plays, 42 yards, 3:33.

Second quarter

KC – Billy Jackson 4-yard run (Nick Lowery kick), 6:28. Chiefs 10–0. Drive: 6 plays, 86 yards, 3:15.

Third quarter

KC – Nick Lowery 25-yard field goal, 8:51. Chiefs 13–0. Drive: 11 plays, 80 yards, 6:09.
KC – Henry Marshall 48-yard pass from Bill Kenney (Nick Lowery kick), 2:37. Chiefs 20–0. Drive: 9 plays, 64 yards, 3:33.

Fourth quarter

KC – J. T. Smith 9-yard pass from Bill Kenney (Nick Lowery kick), 10:18. Chiefs 27–0. Drive: 8 plays, 75 yards, 4:27.

Top passers

OAK – Jim Plunkett – 12/29, 129 yards, INT
KC – Bill Kenney – 16/23, 187 yards, 2 TD

Top rushers

OAK – Kenny King – 11 rushes, 46 yards
KC – Joe Delaney – 28 rushes, 106 yards

Top receivers

OAK – Cliff Branch – 4 receptions, 46 yards
KC – Henry Marshall – 6 receptions, 110 yards, TD

Week 7: vs. Denver Broncos

Week 7: Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Broncos	0	0	7	7	14
Chiefs	14	0	0	14	28

at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

Date: October 18
Game time: 3:00 p.m. CDT
Game weather: Clear, 55 °F (13 °C)
Game attendance: 74,672
Referee: Dick Jorgensen
TV announcers (NBC): Bob Costas and Bob Trumpy
Recap, Game Book

Game information

First quarter

KC – Billy Jackson 1-yard run (Nick Lowery kick), 8:37. Chiefs 7–0. Drive: 9 plays, 52 yards, 4:45.
KC – Whitney Paul 47-yard fumble return (Nick Lowery kick), 0:22. Chiefs 14–0.

Second quarter

No scoring plays.

Third quarter

DEN – Steve Watson 11-yard pass from Craig Morton (Fred Steinfort kick), 4:56. Chiefs 14–7. Drive: 5 plays, 75 yards, 2:35.

Fourth quarter

KC – Henry Marshall 64-yard pass from Bill Kenney (Nick Lowery kick), 14:08. Chiefs 21–7. Drive: 3 plays, 70 yards, 0:52.
DEN – Steve Watson 1-yard pass from Craig Morton (Fred Steinfort kick), 8:59. Chiefs 21–14. Drive: 12 plays, 82 yards, 5:09.
KC – Joe Delaney 82-yard run (Nick Lowery kick), 5:27. Chiefs 28–14. Drive: 2 plays, 80 yards, 0:41.

Top passers

DEN – Craig Morton – 25/38, 342 yards, 2 TD, INT
KC – Bill Kenney – 6/12, 100 yards, TD, 2 INT

Top rushers

DEN – Dave Preston – 13 rushes, 39 yards
KC – Joe Delaney – 21 rushes, 149 yards, TD

Top receivers

DEN – Rick Upchurch – 5 receptions, 138 yards
KC – Henry Marshall – 3 receptions, 80 yards, TD

Week 8: at Oakland Raiders

Week 8: Kansas City Chiefs at Oakland Raiders – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Chiefs	0	0	7	21	28
Raiders	7	10	0	0	17

at Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, California

Date: October 25
Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
Game weather: Partly cloudy, 61 °F (16 °C)
Game attendance: 42,914
Referee: Bob Frederic
TV announcers (NBC): Merle Harmon and George Kunz
Recap, Game Book

Game information

First quarter

OAK – Morris Bradshaw 6-yard pass from Marc Wilson (Chris Bahr kick), 12:34. Raiders 7–0. Drive: 1 play, 6 yards, 0:04.

Second quarter

OAK – Marc Wilson 3-yard run (Chris Bahr kick), 11:09. Raiders 14–0. Drive: 6 plays, 68 yards, 2:32.
OAK – Chris Bahr 51-yard field goal, 0:00. Raiders 17–0. Drive: 6 plays, 18 yards, 1:15.

Third quarter

KC – Billy Jackson 29-yard run (Nick Lowery kick), 0:29. Raiders 17–7. Drive: 6 plays, 72 yards, 2:16.

Fourth quarter

KC – Billy Jackson 3-yard run (Nick Lowery kick), 7:20. Raiders 17–14. Drive: 9 plays, 59 yards, 4:19.
KC – Billy Jackson 3-yard run (Nick Lowery kick), 1:57. Chiefs 21–17. Drive: 11 plays, 82 yards, 4:22.
KC – Gary Spani 91-yard fumble return (Nick Lowery kick), 0:24. Chiefs 28–17.

Top passers

KC – Bill Kenney – 8/25, 132 yards, 3 INT
OAK – Marc Wilson – 19/47, 251 yards, TD, 4 INT

Top rushers

KC – Steve Fuller – 3 rushes, 43 yards
OAK – Kenny King – 11 rushes, 49 yards

Top receivers

KC – Henry Marshall – 5 receptions, 85 yards
OAK – Cliff Branch – 4 receptions, 86 yards

Week 9: at San Diego Chargers

Week 9: Kansas City Chiefs at San Diego Chargers – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Chiefs	7	0	7	6	20
Chargers	7	12	0	3	22

at Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego, California

Date: November 1
Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
Game weather: Clear and sunny, 81 °F (27 °C)
Game attendance: 51,307
Referee: Gene Barth
TV announcers (NBC): Phil Stone and Gene Washington
Recap, Game Book

Game information

First quarter

SD – Chuck Muncie 1-yard run (Rolf Benirschke kick), 10:19. Chargers 7–0. Drive: 7 plays, 50 yards, 2:34.
KC – James Hadnot 2-yard run (Nick Lowery kick), 3:36. Tied 7–7. Drive: 11 plays, 72 yards, 6:43.

Second quarter

SD – Chuck Muncie 4-yard run (kick failed, wide right), 4:10. Chargers 13–7. Drive: 5 plays, 71 yards, 2:32.
SD – Rolf Benirschke 29-yard field goal, 0:30. Chargers 16–7. Drive: 9 plays, 56 yards, 1:26.
SD – Rolf Benirschke 19-yard field goal, 0:00. Chargers 19–7. Drive: 2 plays, 32 yards, 0:19.

Third quarter

KC – Billy Jackson 2-yard pass from Bill Kenney (Nick Lowery kick), 11:55. Chargers 19–14. Drive: 4 plays, 56 yards, 1:39.

Fourth quarter

KC – Nick Lowery 21-yard field goal, 14:50. Chargers 19–17. Drive: 13 plays, 78 yards, 7:15.
KC – Nick Lowery 32-yard field goal, 6:32. Chiefs 20–19. Drive: 10 plays, 49 yards, 6:25.
SD – Rolf Benirschke 22-yard field goal, 0:13. Chargers 22–20. Drive: 14 plays, 70 yards, 6:04.

Top passers

KC – Bill Kenney – 13/22, 190 yards, TD
SD – Dan Fouts – 24/39, 297 yards, INT

Top rushers

KC – Joe Delaney – 23 rushes, 117 yards
SD – Chuck Muncie – 16 rushes, 63 yards, 2 TD

Top receivers

KC – J. T. Smith – 5 receptions, 92 yards
SD – Chuck Muncie – 6 receptions, 71 yards

Week 10: vs. Chicago Bears

Week 10: Chicago Bears at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	OT	Total
Bears	7	3	0	3	3	16
Chiefs	3	3	0	7	0	13

at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

Date: November 8
Game time: 1:00 p.m. CST
Game weather: Showers, 56 °F (13 °C)
Game attendance: 60,605
Referee: Jim Tunney
TV announcers (CBS): Dick Stockton and Johnny Morris
Recap, Game Book

Game information

First quarter

CHI – Rickey Watts 12-yard pass from Vince Evans (John Roveto kick), 13:43. Bears 7–0. Drive: 3 plays, 7 yards, 0:12.
KC – Nick Lowery 34-yard field goal, 8:28. Bears 7–3. Drive: 10 plays, 60 yards, 5:15.

Second quarter

CHI – John Roveto 24-yard field goal, 7:06. Bears 10–3. Drive: 5 plays, 8 yards, 3:21.
KC – Nick Lowery 33-yard field goal, 0:00. Bears 10–6. Drive: 3 plays, 8 yards, 0:33.

Third quarter

No scoring plays.

Fourth quarter

CHI – John Roveto 23-yard field goal, 12:47. Bears 13–6. Drive: 15 plays, 67 yards, 8:02.
KC – Henry Marshall 1-yard pass from Steve Fuller (Nick Lowery kick), 0:44. Tied 13–13. Drive: 10 plays, 55 yards, 1:30.

Overtime

CHI – John Roveto 22-yard field goal, 1:53. Bears 16–13. Drive: 12 plays, 59 yards, 5:30.

Top passers

CHI – Vince Evans – 7/30, 77 yards, TD
KC – Steve Fuller – 7/20, 88 yards, TD, INT

Top rushers

CHI – Walter Payton – 21 rushes, 70 yards
KC – Billy Jackson – 14 rushes, 56 yards

Top receivers

CHI – Ken Margerum – 4 receptions, 48 yards
KC – Henry Marshall – 4 receptions, 48 yards, TD

Week 11: vs. Houston Oilers

Week 11: Houston Oilers at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Oilers	0	3	0	7	10
Chiefs	7	3	7	6	23

at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

Date: November 15
Game time: 1:00 p.m. CST
Game weather: Clear, 61 °F (16 °C)
Game attendance: 73,984
Referee: Jerry Markbreit
TV announcers (NBC): Charlie Jones and Len Dawson
Recap, Game Book

Game information

First quarter

KC – Joe Delaney 6-yard run (Nick Lowery kick), 1:55. Chiefs 7–0. Drive: 4 plays, 38 yards, 2:11.

Second quarter

KC – Nick Lowery 37-yard field goal, 11:04. Chiefs 10–0. Drive: 7 plays, 14 yards, 3:14.
HOU – Toni Fritsch 21-yard field goal, 0:02. Chiefs 10–3. Drive: 11 plays, 69 yards, 3:13.

Third quarter

KC – Billy Jackson 1-yard run (Nick Lowery kick), 7:26. Chiefs 17–3. Drive: 7 plays, 46 yards, 3:06.

Fourth quarter

HOU – Ken Burrough 50-yard pass from Ken Stabler (Toni Fritsch kick), 9:36. Chiefs 17–10. Drive: 2 plays, 60 yards, 0:39.
KC – Nick Lowery 42-yard field goal, 5:13. Chiefs 20–10. Drive: 6 plays, 50 yards, 4:23.
KC – Nick Lowery 38-yard field goal, 1:56. Chiefs 23–10. Drive: 5 plays, 14 yards, 2:58.

Top passers

HOU – Ken Stabler – 12/22, 194 yards, TD, 2 INT
KC – Bill Kenney – 6/11, 39 yards

Top rushers

HOU – Earl Campbell – 21 rushes, 99 yards
KC – Joe Delaney – 29 rushes, 193 yards, TD

Top receivers

HOU – Ken Burrough – 4 receptions, 80 yards, TD
KC – J. T. Smith – 1 reception, 9 yards

Week 12: vs. Seattle Seahawks

Week 12: Seattle Seahawks at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Seahawks	3	3	7	0	13
Chiefs	3	17	7	13	40

at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

Date: November 22
Game time: 1:00 p.m. CST
Game weather: Clear, 53 °F (12 °C)
Game attendance: 49,002
Referee: Fred Silva
TV announcers (NBC): Mike Adamle and Dave Rowe
Recap, Game Book

Game information

First quarter

SEA – Efrén Herrera 26-yard field goal, 7:57. Seahawks 3–0. Drive: 12 plays, 76 yards, 7:03.
KC – Nick Lowery 37-yard field goal, 2:46. Tied 3–3. Drive: 9 plays, 54 yards, 5:11.

Second quarter

KC – Nick Lowery 24-yard field goal, 11:16. Chiefs 6–3. Drive: 9 plays, 62 yards, 3:44.
SEA – Efrén Herrera 30-yard field goal, 2:51. Tied 6–6. Drive: 15 plays, 74 yards, 8:25.
KC – J.T. Smith 14-yard pass from Bill Kenney (Nick Lowery kick), 1:07. Chiefs 13–6. Drive: 8 plays, 73 yards, 1:44.
KC – Lloyd Burruss 46-yard interception return (Nick Lowery kick), 0:31. Chiefs 20–6.

Third quarter

KC – Billy Jackson 1-yard run (Nick Lowery kick), 9:40. Chiefs 27–6. Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 5:20.
SEA – Steve Largent 30-yard pass from Jim Zorn (Efrén Herrera kick), 5:16. Chiefs 27–13. Drive: 9 plays, 76 yards, 4:24.

Fourth quarter

KC – Willie Scott 2-yard pass from Bill Kenney (kick failed, wide right), 14:57. Chiefs 33–13. Drive: 9 plays, 70 yards, 5:19.
KC – Billy Jackson 1-yard run (Nick Lowery kick), 9:36. Chiefs 40–13. Drive: 9 plays, 56 yards, 4:18.

Top passers

SEA – Jim Zorn – 19/30, 258 yards, TD, INT
KC – Bill Kenney – 17/22, 181 yards, 2 TD

Top rushers

SEA – Theotis Brown – 16 rushes, 63 yards
KC – James Hadnot – 10 rushes, 106 yards

Top receivers

SEA – Steve Largent – 4 receptions, 63 yards, TD
KC – J. T. Smith – 7 receptions, 70 yards, TD

Week 13: at Detroit Lions

Thanksgiving Day games

Week 13: Kansas City Chiefs at Detroit Lions – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Chiefs	7	0	3	0	10
Lions	7	10	3	7	27

at Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac, Michigan

Date: November 26
Game time: 12:30 p.m. EST
Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
Game attendance: 76,735
Referee: Fred Wyant
TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen
Recap, Game Book

Game information

First quarter

DET – David Hill 10-yard pass from Eric Hipple (Eddie Murray kick), 11:51. Lions 7–0. Drive: 6 plays, 73 yards, 3:09.
KC – Billy Jackson 4-yard run (Nick Lowery kick), 6:35. Tied 7–7. Drive: 9 plays, 69 yards, 5:16.

Second quarter

DET – Eddie Murray 34-yard field goal, 13:53. Lions 10–7. Drive: 8 plays, 23 yards, 3:00.
DET – Freddie Scott 40-yard pass from Eric Hipple (Eddie Murray kick), 4:29. Lions 17–7. Drive: 5 plays, 60 yards, 1:31.

Third quarter

KC – Nick Lowery 33-yard field goal, 8:47. Lions 17–10. Drive: 9 plays, 47 yards, 6:13.
DET – Eddie Murray 46 yard field goal 3:13. Lions 20–10. Drive: 11 plays, 44 yards, 5:34.

Fourth quarter

DET – Billy Sims 4 yard run (Eddie Murray kick), 2:46. Lions 27–10. Drive: 10 plays, 70 yards, 4:42.

Top passers

KC – Steve Fuller – 10/17, 131 yards
DET – Eric Hipple – 10/22, 132 yards, 2 TD

Top rushers

KC – Joe Delaney – 17 rushes, 77 yards
DET – Billy Sims – 20 rushes, 64 yards, TD

Top receivers

KC – J. T. Smith – 5 receptions, 61 yards
DET – Freddie Scott – 3 receptions, 71 yards, TD

Week 14: at Denver Broncos

Week 14: Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Chiefs	0	6	7	0	13
Broncos	7	9	0	0	16

at Mile High Stadium, Denver, Colorado

Date: December 6
Game time: 2:00 p.m. MST
Game weather: Mostly sunny, 68 °F (20 °C)
Game attendance: 74,744
Referee: Red Cashion
TV announcers (NBC): Don Criqui and John Brodie
Recap, Game Book

Game information

First quarter

DEN – Rob Lytle 2-yard run (Fred Steinfort kick), 12:03. Broncos 7–0. Drive: 4 plays, 83 yards, 2:57.

Second quarter

DEN – Fred Steinfort 23-yard field goal, 14:16. Broncos 10–0. Drive: 15 plays, 75 yards, 6:03.
DEN – Larry Canada 2-yard run (kick aborted), 5:37. Broncos 16–0. Drive: 11 plays, 77 yards, 5:57.
KC – Nick Lowery 43-yard field goal, 1:04. Broncos 16–3. Drive: 11 plays, 55 yards, 4:33.
KC – Nick Lowery 45-yard field goal, 0:30. Broncos 16–6. Drive: 4 plays, 0 yards, 0:22.

Third quarter

KC – James Hadnot 1-yard run (Nick Lowery kick), 1:48. Broncos 16–13. Drive: 8 plays, 80 yards, 3:37.

Fourth quarter

No scoring plays.

Top passers

KC – Steve Fuller – 18/34, 261 yards, INT
DEN – Craig Morton – 16/24, 281 yards

Top rushers

KC – Joe Delaney – 11 rushes, 36 yards
DEN – Dave Preston – 13 rushes, 38 yards

Top receivers

KC – Al Dixon – 6 receptions, 86 yards
DEN – Steve Watson – 2 receptions, 103 yards

Week 15: vs. Miami Dolphins

Week 15: Miami Dolphins at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Dolphins	7	3	0	7	17
Chiefs	0	7	0	0	7

at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri

Date: December 13
Game time: 1:00 p.m. CST
Game weather: Overcast, 41 °F (5 °C)
Game attendance: 57,407
Referee: Pat Haggerty
TV announcers (NBC): Marv Albert and Len Dawson
Recap, Game Book

Game information

First quarter

MIA – Tony Nathan 5-yard run (Uwe von Schamann kick), 2:36. Dolphins 7–0. Drive: 6 plays, 38 yards, 2:23.

Second quarter

KC – Al Dixon 2-yard pass from Steve Fuller (Nick Lowery kick), 12:00. Tied 7–7. Drive: 12 plays, 80 yards, 5:36.
MIA – Uwe von Schamann 39-yard field goal, 5:06. Dolphins 10–7. Drive: 12 plays, 47 yards, 6:54.

Third quarter

No scoring plays.

Fourth quarter

MIA – Andra Franklin 1-yard run (Uwe von Schamann kick), 14:13. Dolphins 17–7. Drive: 9 plays, 44 yards, 4:05.

Top passers

MIA – Don Strock – 8/16, 109 yards, 2 INT
KC – Steve Fuller – 21/37, 206 yards, TD, INT

Top rushers

MIA – Andra Franklin – 17 rushes, 40 yards, TD
KC – Steve Fuller – 8 rushes, 42 yards

Top receivers

MIA – Tommy Vigorito – 3 receptions, 42 yards
KC – J. T. Smith – 5 receptions, 99 yards

Week 16: at Minnesota Vikings

Week 16: Kansas City Chiefs at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary

Period	1	2	3	4	Total
Chiefs	3	0	7	0	10
Vikings	3	0	3	0	6

at Metropolitan Stadium, Bloomington, Minnesota

Date: December 20
Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
Game weather: Cloudy, 21 °F (−6 °C)
Game attendance: 41,110
Referee: Tom Dooley
TV announcers (NBC): Merle Harmon and Jim Turner
Recap, Game Book

Game information

First quarter

MIN – Rick Danmeier 43-yard field goal, 10:33. Vikings 3–0. Drive: 14 plays, 50 yards, 4:27.
KC – Nick Lowery 30-yard field goal, 1:12. Tied 3–3. Drive: 4 plays, 9 yards, 1:41.

Second quarter

No scoring plays.

Third quarter

KC – Stan Rome 15-yard pass from Steve Fuller (Nick Lowery kick), 10:03. Chiefs 10–3. Drive: 8 plays, 37 yards, 4:57.
MIN – Rick Danmeier 33-yard field goal, 4:30. Chiefs 10–6. Drive: 6 plays, 30 yards, 1:15.

Fourth quarter

No scoring plays.

Top passers

KC – Steve Fuller – 12/16, 145 yards, TD, INT
MIN – Tommy Kramer – 17/38, 177 yards, INT

Top rushers

KC – Billy Jackson – 25 rushes, 102 yards
MIN – Tony Galbreath – 11 rushes, 55 yards

Top receivers

KC – Carlos Carson – 3 receptions, 78 yards
MIN – Tony Galbreath – 7 receptions, 60 yards

Standings

AFC West
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
San Diego Chargers⁽³⁾	10	6	0	.625	6–2	8–4	478	390	W2
Denver Broncos	10	6	0	.625	5–3	7–5	321	289	L1
Kansas City Chiefs	9	7	0	.563	5–3	7–5	343	290	W1
Oakland Raiders	7	9	0	.438	2–6	5–7	273	343	L2
Seattle Seahawks	6	10	0	.375	2–6	6–8	322	388	W1

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "Kansas City Chiefs History 1980's". Archived from the original on August 6, 2007. Retrieved July 31, 2007.
^ "1981 Kansas City Chiefs draftees". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 4, 2014.

v t e Kansas City Chiefs
Founded in 1960 Formerly the Dallas Texans (1960–1962) Based and headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri
Franchise	Franchise History Seasons Players First-round picks Coaches Logos and uniforms Awards Records Starting quarterbacks (list)
Stadiums	Cotton Bowl Municipal Stadium Arrowhead Stadium
Key personnel	Chairman & CEO: Clark Hunt President: Mark Donovan General manager: Brett Veach Head coach: Andy Reid
Culture	Chiefs name controversy Hunt family Lamar Norma Clark H. Roe Bartle George Toma Warpaint K. C. Wolf Cheerleaders Tomahawk chop "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (To Party!)" Quarterback
Lore	2018 game vs. Los Angeles Rams Jet Chip Wasp 13 Seconds
Rivalries	Buffalo Bills Denver Broncos Las Vegas Raiders Los Angeles Chargers St. Louis Cardinals and St. Louis Rams (former)
Wild card berths (10)	1968 1969 1986 1990 1991 1992 1994 2006 2013 2015
Division championships (16)	1962 1966 1971 1993 1995 1997 2003 2010 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Conference championships (4)	2019 2020 2022 2023
League championships (5)	1962 1969 (IV) 2019 (LIV) 2022 (LVII) 2023 (LVIII)
Retired numbers	3 16 18 28 33 36 58 63 78 86
Media	Broadcasters Television: KCTV WDAF-TV KSHB-TV KMBC Radio: WDAF-FM Personalities: Dave Armstrong Len Dawson Kendall Gammon Bob Gretz Art Hains Bill Grigsby Kevin Harlan Mitch Holthus Roger Twibell
Current league affiliations	League: National Football League (1970–present) Conference: American Football Conference Division: West Division
Former league affiliation	League: American Football League (1960–1969)

v t e Kansas City Chiefs seasons
Formerly the Dallas Texans (1960–1962)
1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Bold indicates AFL Championship (1960–65) or Super Bowl (1966–) victory Italics indicates Super Bowl appearance

1981 NFL season

East	Central	West	East	Central	West
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