Kansas City Chiefs

Lore & Background

Established in 1959 as a charter member of the American Football League (AFL), the Chiefs started playing in 1960 as the Dallas Texans, owned by league founder Lamar Hunt. In 1963, the team moved to Kansas City and adopted its current name. The Chiefs joined the NFL in 1970 as a result of the AFL–NFL merger. The team won three AFL championships (1962, 1966, 1969) and Super Bowl IV. Since 2019, under head coach Andy Reid, quarterback Patrick Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce, and defensive tackle Chris Jones, the Chiefs have appeared in five Super Bowls and won three (LIV, LVII, LVIII).

In Their Own Story

The air at Municipal Stadium was thick with anticipation on a crisp October afternoon in 1963. The Browns' iconic orange helmets gleamed under the floodlights as they lined up against the white-and-red Dallas Texans, soon to be known as the Chiefs. It wasn't just another game; it was a collision of eras. As the quarterback dropped back, the crowd roared, sensing that history was being written on this very patch of grass, far from the Super Bowl stage but no less pivotal in the annals of football lore.

Reader's Guide

The Chiefs' first meeting with the Cleveland Browns occurred in 1971 after the AFL–NFL merger. There were no games between the teams in the 1960s. The rivalry's first appearance is 1971.

Did You Know?

• The Chiefs were originally the Dallas Texans before moving to Kansas City in 1963.
• The team's name 'Chiefs' honors Mayor Harold Roe Bartle, whose nickname was 'Chief'.
• The Chiefs won Super Bowl IV, the final game before the AFL–NFL merger went into full effect.