1974 Kansas City Chiefs season
The 1974 Kansas City Chiefs season was the franchise's fifth season in the National Football League, the twelfth season in Kansas City Chiefs, and the fifteenth overall, it ended with a 5–9 record and the Chiefs missed the playoffs for the third straight season consecutive and third-place finish in the AFC West, Hank Stram was fired after the season and was replaced by Paul Wiggin in 1975.
1974 Kansas City Chiefs season | |
---|---|
Owner | Lamar Hunt |
Head coach | Hank Stram |
General manager | Jack Steadman |
Home field | Arrowhead Stadium |
Results | |
Record | 5–9 |
Division place | 3rd AFC West |
Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
Pro Bowlers | C Jack Rudnay LB Willie Lanier CB Emmitt Thomas |
While the club's new facility at Arrowhead Stadium was drawing rave reviews, the Chiefs roster was beginning to show its age.[1] The result was the team's first losing season in eleven years as the club was unable to string together consecutive victories during the year, a first in franchise history.[1] Many of the club's key players were entering the twilight of their careers: Len Dawson was 39, Jim Tyrer was 35, Bobby Bell, Buck Buchanan, and Ed Budde were 34, Dave Hill was 33 and Otis Taylor was 32.[1]
One of the year's few bright spots in the 5–9 season was cornerback Emmitt Thomas, who led the league with a franchise-record 12 interceptions. The final game of the 1974 campaign marked the final time all seven of Kansas City's Pro Football Hall of Fame players from the club's AFL champion era took the field together with coach Hank Stram.[1] Including owner Lamar Hunt and seven future Minnesota Vikings Hall of Famers, an amazing total of 16 Hall of Fame inductees were involved in that 1974 season finale game. That 35–15 loss against Minnesota provided an anticlimactic conclusion to Hank Stram's illustrious coaching career in Kansas City. Three days later, Stram, the only head coach in franchise history was relieved of his duties on December 27 after compiling a 124–76–10 regular season record with the club.
Offseason
NFL Draft
Round | Pick | Player | Position | School/Club Team |
---|---|---|---|---|
Roster
Schedule
Preseason
Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | Recap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | August 5 | Detroit Lions | W 20–12 | 1–0 | Arrowhead Stadium | 35,521 | Recap |
2 | August 12 | Buffalo Bills | L 21–35 | 1–1 | Arrowhead Stadium | 39,248 | Recap |
3 | August 17 | at Los Angeles Rams | L 16–58 | 1–2 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 48,848 | Recap |
4 | August 24 | San Francisco 49ers | W 26–7 | 2–2 | Arrowhead Stadium | 46,548 | Recap |
5 | August 31 | at Dallas Cowboys | L 16–25 | 2–3 | Texas Stadium | 43,492 | Recap |
6 | September 6 | St. Louis Cardinals | W 31–16 | 3–3 | Arrowhead Stadium | 46,067 | Recap |
Regular season
Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | Recap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | September 15 | New York Jets | W 24–16 | 1–0 | Arrowhead Stadium | 74,854 | Recap |
2 | September 22 | at Oakland Raiders | L 7–27 | 1–1 | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum | 48,108 | Recap |
3 | September 29 | at Houston Oilers | W 17–7 | 2–1 | Houston Astrodome | 28,538 | Recap |
4 | October 6 | Denver Broncos | L 14–17 | 2–2 | Arrowhead Stadium | 67,298 | Recap |
5 | October 13 | Pittsburgh Steelers | L 34–24 | 2–3 | Arrowhead Stadium | 65,517 | Recap |
6 | October 20 | at Miami Dolphins | L 3–9 | 2–4 | Miami Orange Bowl | 67,779 | Recap |
7 | October 27 | at San Diego Chargers | W 24–14 | 3–4 | San Diego Stadium | 34,371 | Recap |
8 | November 3 | New York Giants | L 27–33 | 3–5 | Arrowhead Stadium | 61,437 | Recap |
9 | November 10 | San Diego Chargers | L 7–14 | 3–6 | Arrowhead Stadium | 48,551 | Recap |
10 | November 18 | at Denver Broncos | W 42–34 | 4–6 | Mile High Stadium | 50,236 | Recap |
11 | November 24 | at Cincinnati Bengals | L 6–33 | 4–7 | Riverfront Stadium | 49,777 | Recap |
12 | December 1 | at St. Louis Cardinals | W 17–13 | 5–7 | Busch Memorial Stadium | 41,863 | Recap |
13 | December 8 | Oakland Raiders | L 6–7 | 5–8 | Arrowhead Stadium | 60,577 | Recap |
14 | December 14 | Minnesota Vikings | L 15–35 | 5–9 | Arrowhead Stadium | 35,480 | Recap |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Standings
AFC West | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
Oakland Raiders | 12 | 2 | 0 | .857 | 5–1 | 9–2 | 355 | 228 | W3 |
Denver Broncos | 7 | 6 | 1 | .536 | 3–3 | 5–4–1 | 302 | 294 | L1 |
Kansas City Chiefs | 5 | 9 | 0 | .357 | 2–4 | 4–7 | 233 | 293 | L2 |
San Diego Chargers | 5 | 9 | 0 | .357 | 2–4 | 4–7 | 212 | 285 | W2 |
Game summaries
Week 1 vs. New York Jets
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jets | 6 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
Chiefs | 0 | 14 | 3 | 7 | 24 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: September 15
- Game time: 3:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: 60 °F (16 °C)
- Game attendance: 74,854
- TV announcers (NBC): Jim Simpson and John Brodie
- Box Score
Game information | ||
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Week 2 at Oakland Raiders
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chiefs | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
Raiders | 7 | 13 | 0 | 7 | 27 |
at Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, California
- Date: September 22
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: 60 °F (16 °C)
- Game attendance: 48,108
- TV announcers (NBC): Curt Gowdy and Al DeRogatis
- Box Score
Game information | ||
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Week 3 at Houston Oilers
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chiefs | 0 | 0 | 3 | 14 | 17 |
Oilers | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
at Houston Astrodome, Houston, Texas
- Date: September 29
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: (game played indoors)
- Game attendance: 28,538
- TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels and Mike Haffner
- Box Score
Game information | ||
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Week 4 vs. Denver Broncos
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Broncos | 3 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 17 |
Chiefs | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 14 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: October 6
- Game time: 3:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: 59 °F (15 °C)
- Game attendance: 67,298
- TV announcers (NBC): Ross Porter and Willie Davis
- Box Score
Game information | ||
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Week 5 vs Pittsburgh Steelers
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Steelers | 7 | 17 | 10 | 0 | 34 |
Chiefs | 3 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 24 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: October 13
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: 55 °F (13 °C)
- Game attendance: 65,517
- TV announcers (KDKA): Dick Stockton and Bill Currie
- Box Score
Game information | ||
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Week 6 at Miami Dolphins
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chiefs | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Dolphins | 0 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 9 |
at Miami Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida
- Date: October 20
- Game time: 4:00 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: 75 °F (24 °C)
- Game attendance: 67,779
- TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels and Mike Haffner
- Box Score
Game information | ||
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Week 7 at San Diego Chargers
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chiefs | 0 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 24 |
Chargers | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
at San Diego Stadium, San Diego, California
- Date: October 27
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
- Game weather: 65 °F (18 °C)
- Game attendance: 34,371
- TV announcers (NBC): Ross Porter and Willie Davis
- Box Score
Game information | ||
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Week 8 vs. New York Giants
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Giants | 7 | 13 | 3 | 10 | 33 |
Chiefs | 7 | 7 | 0 | 13 | 27 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: November 3
- Game time: 3:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: 47 °F (8 °C)
- Game attendance: 61,437
- TV announcers (CBS): Don Criqui and Wayne Walker
- Box Score
Game information | ||
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Week 9 vs San Diego Chargers
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chargers | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
Chiefs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: November 10
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: 48 °F (9 °C)
- Game attendance: 48,551
- TV announcers (NBC): Ross Porter and Willie Davis
- Box Score
Game information | ||
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Week 10 at Denver Broncos
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chiefs | 7 | 10 | 19 | 6 | 42 |
Broncos | 7 | 14 | 0 | 13 | 34 |
at Mile High Stadium, Denver, Colorado
- Date: November 18
- Game time: 7:00 p.m. MST
- Game weather: 45 °F (7 °C)
- Game attendance: 50,236
- TV announcers (ABC): Frank Gifford, Alex Karras and Howard Cosell
- Box Score
Game information | ||
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Week 11 at Cincinnati Bengals
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chiefs | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
Bengals | 7 | 20 | 0 | 6 | 33 |
at Riverfront Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Date: November 24
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST
- Game weather: 53 °F (12 °C)
- Game attendance: 49,777
- TV announcers (NBC): Jim Simpson and John Brodie
- Box Score
Game information | ||
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Week 12 at St. Louis Cardinals
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chiefs | 0 | 0 | 7 | 10 | 17 |
Cardinals | 6 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 13 |
at Busch Stadium, St. Louis, Missouri
- Date: December 1
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: 31 °F (−1 °C)
- Game attendance: 41,863
- TV announcers (NBC): Jay Randolph and Paul Maguire
- Box Score
Game information | ||
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Week 13 vs. Oakland Raiders
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Raiders | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
Chiefs | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: December 8
- Game time: 3:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: 23 °F (−5 °C)
- Game attendance: 60,577
- TV announcers (NBC): Jim Simpson and John Brodie
- Box Score
Game information | ||
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Week 14 vs Minnesota Vikings
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vikings | 0 | 14 | 7 | 14 | 35 |
Chiefs | 3 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 15 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: December 14
- Game time: 2:45 p.m. CST
- Game weather: 35 °F (2 °C)
- Game attendance: 35,480
- TV announcers (CBS): Lindsey Nelson and John Sauer
- Box Score
Game information | ||
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References
- "Kansas City Chiefs History 1970's". Archived from the original on August 23, 2007. Retrieved July 30, 2007.