The 1970 Kansas City Chiefs season was the franchise's debut season in the National Football League, the eighth as the Kansas City Chiefs, and eleventh overall. It began with the Chiefs attempting to defend their Super Bowl IV championship title, but ended with a 7âÂÂ5âÂÂ2 record, missing the playoffs for the first time since 1967.
Following their championship success, the Chiefs traded running back Mike Garrett, the club's all-time leading rusher at the time, to San Diego after a week 3 loss in Denver, and replaced him in the lineup with Ed Podolak. Despite a 44âÂÂ24 win on September 28 against the eventual Super Bowl V champion Baltimore on the second-ever telecast of ABC's Monday Night Football, the Chiefs were just 3âÂÂ3âÂÂ1 at the season's midpoint.
One of the season's pivotal junctures came in a 17âÂÂ17 tie against Oakland on November 1. The Chiefs were ahead 17âÂÂ14 when quarterback Len Dawson apparently sealed the win, running for a first down which would have allowed Kansas City to run out the clock. While on the ground, Dawson was speared by Raiders defensive end Ben Davidson in an infamous incident that cost the Chiefs a victory and further inflamed the already heated ChiefsâÂÂRaiders rivalry. Wide receiver Otis Taylor retaliated and a bench-clearing brawl ensued. Offsetting penalties were called, nullifying Dawson's first down. The Chiefs were forced to punt and Raiders kicker George Blanda eventually booted a game-tying field goal with eight seconds remaining. Following the tie with Oakland the Chiefs' defense would permit only 43 points over the next 5 weeks, which included 4 wins and 6âÂÂ6 tie with the St. Louis Cardinals at Municipal Stadium. The Cardinals had come into that game with a streak of three straight shutout wins. The Chiefs' defense held St. Louis to a late Field Goal as the game ended 6âÂÂ6. After a 16âÂÂ0 shutout of Denver the Chiefs had played to a 6âÂÂ1âÂÂ2 record over the past nine weeks to stand 7âÂÂ3âÂÂ2 with two weeks to play and very much looked like a team with a chance to defend its championship.
Then came the big one at Oakland, the game that decided pro football's toughest division. The Saturday game on December 12 was a stand-alone NBC national telecast. The Chiefs scored first for a 3âÂÂ0 lead, it was tied 6âÂÂ6 at the half. But the Raiders, behind the angry running of fullback Marv Hubbard, dominated the second half in a 20âÂÂ6 division-clinching win for Oakland.
The Chiefs had a slim hope for the AFC wild card berth in the playoffs, but needed a win by Buffalo (3âÂÂ9âÂÂ1) in Miami and to win their season finale at San Diego. Miami jumped to a 28âÂÂ0 first quarter lead and rolled to a 45âÂÂ7 win, finishing at 10âÂÂ4 to secure the AFC wild card. Warming up to play the Chargers, the Chiefs saw the Miami blowout and knew their reign as champions was over. Eliminated from the postseason, the Chiefs played an uninspired sleepwalk game and lost 31âÂÂ13.
In the end, it was that tie in November with Oakland that ultimately cost the Chiefs the AFC West division title; Kansas City finished at 7âÂÂ5âÂÂ2, while the Raiders were a game ahead at 8âÂÂ4âÂÂ2. The rules were changed several years later to assess such penalties as the Davidson-Taylor incident as dead-ball fouls after the play counted.