Kansas City Chiefs · Franchise era 2 of 6
The long quiet stretch: the Kansas City Chiefs story
Franchise era
1970—1988
The long quiet stretch
Kansas City Chiefs
The story in one sentence
Kansas City made the playoffs only once in nineteen seasons as the original stars aged and the offense struggled to find direction.
A proud defense cannot rebuild the champion
Willie Lanier, Art Still and Carlos Carson gave the era its recognizable core.
Its ending created the conditions for martyball restores arrowhead.
Timeline
How it unfolded
Before 1970
What came before
Lamar Hunt's Texans won the 1962 AFL title, moved to Kansas City and later legitimized the league by dominating Super Bowl IV.
1971-12-25
Divisional Round: Miami Dolphins vs Kansas City Chiefs
1986-12-28
Wild Card: Kansas City Chiefs vs New York Jets
After 1988
What came next
Marty Schottenheimer and Thomas produced seven playoff appearances and one of football's loudest home advantages, though no Super Bowl trip followed.
The core