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The Kansas City Chiefs appear in their third Super Bowl game on February 2, 2020 in the 54th such game in history. This will be the third appearance for the Chiefs in what originally was known as the AFL-NFL Championship Game, which today is simply called the Super Bowl.
The Chiefs began their history as the Dallas Texans (no relation to the current NFL Houston Texans) as a member of the American Football League (AFL), which was a separate football league from the National Football League (NFL). For years, the AFL had their own championship game to climax their season, but, on January 15, 1967, in what was then called the AFL-NFL World Championship Game, the two leagues sent their respective champions to battle it out. That first game featured the AFL’s Kansas City Chiefs pitted against the NFL champion Green Bay Packers. This game would later retroactively be re-christened as Super Bowl I, but at the time, it was simply the AFL-NFL World Championship Game.
NOTE: Keep in mind that as the NFL regular football seasons conclude toward the end of a calendar year, but the Super Bowl is held in January or February of the following calendar year, a team can be, for instance regular season AFL/AFC champs for the 1969 season, and also be the Super Bowl champs for 1970. Remember that they are really part of the same season.
Summary of Kansas City Chiefs/Dallas Texans Championship History:
Kansas City Chiefs as AFL CHAMPIONS: 1962, 1969
Kansas City Chiefs as AFC CHAMPIONS: 2019
Kansas City Chiefs SUPER BOWL APPEARANCES: 1966, 1970, 2020 (*Bold Face denotes a win)
1962 AFL Championship Game-the Dallas Texans (now the Kansas City Chiefs) defeated the three-time AFL champs, the Houston Oilers in a tight, double-overtime 17-7 win for the franchise’s first championship. Dallas (AKA KC) was coached by Hank Stram, and quarterbacked by Len Dawson.
Dallas Texans AFL Logo Helmet
Football History Note: As the AFL and NFL were, at that time, separate business organizations, they competed for advertiser money, as well as competed for the top players. On June 9, 1966, the two football organizations agreed to merge into a single league after the 1969 season. They instituted an AFL-NFL Championship game following the 1966 season, which three years later officially became known as the Super Bowl (a name coined by Kansas City Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt). Each league would remain separate until 1970, hence the AFL Championship games through 1969, remained true championship events.
1966 AFL Championship Game-The team, now relocated to Kansas City, and known as the Chiefs, appeared in their second AFL Championship Game, faced off against the Buffalo Bills and won by a score of 31-7. Kansas City was again coached by Hank Stram, and quarterbacked by Len Dawson. The AFL Champion then went on to play the NFL Champion Green Bay Packers in the first AFL-NFL Championship Game.
First AFL-NFL Championship Game (later called Super Bowl I)- Held on January 15, 1967, the Kansas City Chiefs fell to the Green Bay Packers, who were led by coach Vince Lombardi (for whom the Super Bowl trophy is now named), and legendary quarterback Bart Starr. The Chiefs, led by coach Hank Stram and quarterback Len Dawson, fell to the Packers 35-10. This was the Chiefs’ first Super Bowl appearance.
1969 AFL Championship Game-Played on January 4, 1969, the final game of the old AFL prior to the merger with the NFL saw the Kansas City Chief defeat the Oakland Raiders 17-7 for the right to advance to Super Bowl IV.
Football History Note: The AFL-NFL Championship Game officially was called the Super Bowl with the third game in 1968. Thus, the Chiefs’ second AFL-NFL Championship Game was officially called Super Bowl IV.
Super Bowl IV/Fourth AFL-NFL Championship Game -This was the last official AFL-NFL championship game, as the following season would see the two leagues unite in the new NFL, and the old AFL and NFL would become the AFC and NFC (the C standing for Conference). In this game, played on January 11, 1970, the Kansas City Chiefs, last of the old AFL Champions, faced off against the Minnesota Vikings, themselves the last of the old NFL champs.
The Chiefs (again led by Stram and Dawson) defeated the Vikings 23-7. Minnesota was coached by Bud Grant, quarterbacked by Joe Kapp, known for his hard-charging running ability. The Vikings defense, known as the “Purple People Eaters,” was dominant in the NFL.
Super Bowl LIV (54th Super Bowl)-Kansas City defeated the Tennessee Titans (who originally were the Houston Oilers) to win the AFC crown, and to advance to their first Super Bowl in 50 years. The Chiefs are coached by Andy Reid, and quarterbacked by Patrick Mahomes. They play against the San Francisco 49ers on February, 2, 2020. In a bit of irony, this AFC Championship game was a rematch of sorts for these two teams, since earlier versions of KC and Tennessee (AKA the Dallas Texans and Houston Oilers) played in the 1962 AFL Championship game back in 1962.
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