1972 Kansas City Chiefs season
Encyclopedia
The 1972
Kansas City Chiefs
season began with the Chiefs moving into the newly constructed Arrowhead Stadium
and ended with a 8–6 record and second place finish in the AFC West
.
The Chiefs introduced the newly completed Arrowhead Stadium
to the general public. The last original member of the 1960 Dallas Texans team departed on July 12 when safety Johnny Robinson announced his retirement at training camp. Meanwhile, starting quarterback Len Dawson
ended speculation about his retirement by signing a two-year contract. Franchise owner Lamar Hunt
became the first AFL figure to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
on July 29.
After two different construction strikes and a myriad of other delays, Arrowhead Stadium was officially dedicated on August 12 when the Chiefs registered a 24–14 victory against the St. Louis Cardinals
. Running back Ed Podolak
scored the first touchdown in the facility. Regular season ticket prices for the team's first season at Arrowhead were USD$8 for box seats and $7 for reserved seating.
On September 17, the Chiefs lost a 20–10 decision against Miami
in the first game at the new Arrowhead Stadium in front of a crowd of 79,829. A standing-room-only crowd of 82,094 fans was in attendance for a 27–14 victory against Oakland
on November 5, the largest “in-house” attendance total for an NFL contest in Arrowhead’s history. After a 5–3 start, a three-game losing streak effectively eliminated the club from playoff contention. An 8–6 record was good enough for only a second-place finish in the AFC West behind Oakland. Linebacker Willie Lanier
became the first Chiefs player to receive the prestigious NFL Man of the Year Award in the offseason.
1972 NFL season
The 1972 NFL season was the 53rd regular season of the National Football League. The Miami Dolphins became the first NFL team to finish a championship season undefeated and untied when they beat the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl VII.-Major rule changes:...
Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
season began with the Chiefs moving into the newly constructed Arrowhead Stadium
Arrowhead Stadium
Arrowhead Stadium is a stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri and home to the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs....
and ended with a 8–6 record and second place finish in the AFC West
AFC West
The AFC West is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference, currently comprising the Denver Broncos, San Diego Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs, and the Oakland Raiders.-History:...
.
The Chiefs introduced the newly completed Arrowhead Stadium
Arrowhead Stadium
Arrowhead Stadium is a stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri and home to the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs....
to the general public. The last original member of the 1960 Dallas Texans team departed on July 12 when safety Johnny Robinson announced his retirement at training camp. Meanwhile, starting quarterback Len Dawson
Len Dawson
Leonard Ray "Len" "Lenny" Dawson is a former American collegiate and Professional Football quarterback who attended Purdue University and went on to play for three professional teams, most notably the Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs...
ended speculation about his retirement by signing a two-year contract. Franchise owner Lamar Hunt
Lamar Hunt
Lamar Hunt was an American sportsman and promoter of American football, soccer, basketball, and ice hockey in the United States and an inductee into three sports' halls of fame. He was one of the founders of the American Football League and Major League Soccer , as well as MLS predecessor the...
became the first AFL figure to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
on July 29.
After two different construction strikes and a myriad of other delays, Arrowhead Stadium was officially dedicated on August 12 when the Chiefs registered a 24–14 victory against the St. Louis Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Running back Ed Podolak
Ed Podolak
Edward Joseph Podolak is a former professional American football player. He played quarterback and halfback at the University of Iowa before being selected by the American Football League's Kansas City Chiefs in the second round of the 1969 Common Draft.During a nine-year career from 1969 to 1977,...
scored the first touchdown in the facility. Regular season ticket prices for the team's first season at Arrowhead were USD$8 for box seats and $7 for reserved seating.
On September 17, the Chiefs lost a 20–10 decision against Miami
Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the first game at the new Arrowhead Stadium in front of a crowd of 79,829. A standing-room-only crowd of 82,094 fans was in attendance for a 27–14 victory against Oakland
Oakland Raiders
The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
on November 5, the largest “in-house” attendance total for an NFL contest in Arrowhead’s history. After a 5–3 start, a three-game losing streak effectively eliminated the club from playoff contention. An 8–6 record was good enough for only a second-place finish in the AFC West behind Oakland. Linebacker Willie Lanier
Willie Lanier
Willie Edward Lanier is a former American football middle-linebacker who played for the Kansas City Chiefs from 1967 through 1977. He won postseason honors for eight consecutive years, making the American Football League All-Star team in 1968 and 1969 before being selected to the Pro Bowl from...
became the first Chiefs player to receive the prestigious NFL Man of the Year Award in the offseason.
NFL Draft
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | School/Club Team |
|---|
Schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 17, 1972 | Miami Dolphins Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 20–10 | |
| 2 | September 25, 1972 | at New Orleans Saints New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League .... |
W 20–17 | |
| 3 | October 1, 1972 | at Denver Broncos Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 45–24 | |
| 4 | October 8, 1972 | at Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 31–7 | |
| 5 | October 15, 1972 | Cincinnati Bengals Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL... |
L 23–16 | |
| 6 | October 22, 1972 | Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 21–20 | |
| 7 | October 29, 1972 | at San Diego Chargers San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 26–14 | |
| 8 | November 5, 1972 | Oakland Raiders Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 27–14 | |
| 9 | November 12, 1972 | at Pittsburgh Steelers Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC... |
L 16–7 | |
| 10 | November 19, 1972 | San Diego Chargers San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 27–17 | |
| 11 | November 26, 1972 | at Oakland Raiders Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 26–3 | |
| 12 | December 3, 1972 | Denver Broncos Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 24–21 | |
| 13 | December 10, 1972 | Baltimore Colts | W 24–10 | |
| 14 | December 17, 1972 | at Atlanta Falcons Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 17–14 | |
Standings
| AFC West AFC West The AFC West is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference, currently comprising the Denver Broncos, San Diego Chargers, Kansas City Chiefs, and the Oakland Raiders.-History:... |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA | STK | |
| Oakland Raiders 1972 Oakland Raiders season The 1972 Oakland Raiders season was the team’s 13th season. The Raiders won the AFC West for the second time in three seasons. They lost in the AFC Division Round to the Pittsburgh Steelers when Franco Harris scored the game-winning touchdown on the Immaculate Reception... |
10 | 3 | 1 | .750 | 365 | 248 | W-6 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 8 | 6 | 0 | .571 | 287 | 254 | W-3 |
| Denver Broncos 1972 Denver Broncos season The 1972 Denver Broncos season was the teams 13th season in professional football and 3rd in the NFL. The team finished the season with five wins, and nine losses. They finished third in the AFC West.-Schedule:-Standings:-External links:*... |
5 | 9 | 0 | .357 | 325 | 350 | W-2 |
| San Diego Chargers 1972 San Diego Chargers season The 1972 San Diego Chargers season began with the team trying to improve on their 6–8 record in 1971.-NFL Draft:-Schedule:-Standings:-Notable events:... |
4 | 9 | 1 | .321 | 264 | 344 | L-3 |