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 |
AP All-Pros | 1
|
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]
Main article: 1981 NFL draft |
1981 Kansas City Chiefs draft | |||||
Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 |
Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
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Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
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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 |
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.
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chiefs | 10 | 3 | 10 | 14 | 37 |
Steelers | 6 | 13 | 7 | 7 | 33 |
at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Game information | ||
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Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Buccaneers | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
Chiefs | 7 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 19 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Game information | ||
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Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 14 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 42 |
Chiefs | 7 | 7 | 14 | 3 | 31 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Game information | ||
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|
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chiefs | 7 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
Seahawks | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
at Kingdome, Seattle, Washington
Game information | ||
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|
Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chiefs | 7 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 17 |
Patriots | 7 | 7 | 10 | 9 | 33 |
at Schaefer Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
Game information | ||
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Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Raiders | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Chiefs | 3 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 27 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Game information | ||
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Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Broncos | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 |
Chiefs | 14 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 28 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Game information | ||
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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
Game information | ||
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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
Game information | ||
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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
Game information | ||
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Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Oilers | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
Chiefs | 7 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 23 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Game information | ||
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Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Seahawks | 3 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 13 |
Chiefs | 3 | 17 | 7 | 13 | 40 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Game information | ||
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Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chiefs | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 |
Lions | 7 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 27 |
at Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac, Michigan
Game information | ||
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Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chiefs | 0 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 13 |
Broncos | 7 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
at Mile High Stadium, Denver, Colorado
Game information | ||
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Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dolphins | 7 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
Chiefs | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
Game information | ||
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Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chiefs | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
Vikings | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
at Metropolitan Stadium, Bloomington, Minnesota
Game information | ||
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AFC West | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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 |