The 1973 Kansas City Chiefs season was the franchise's 4th season in the National Football League, the 11th as the Kansas City Chiefs, and the 14th overall. they finished with a 7âÂÂ5âÂÂ2 record and missed the playoffs for the second straight year. This was their last winning season until 1981.
The defense kept the club in contention thanks to a nucleus that still included the bulk of the squad's Super Bowl IV starters. Quarterback Mike Livingston started in a 23âÂÂ13 Opening Day loss against the Los Angeles Rams on September 16, but Len Dawson returned to rally the club for three consecutive wins to get the club off to a 3âÂÂ1 start for a third consecutive year. The aging Dawson made his final start of the year in a 23âÂÂ14 loss at Buffalo on October 29 and was replaced for the remainder of the year by Livingston, beginning a string of three straight seasons in which both players split time at the position.
Livingston led the club to another three straight wins, putting the team in first place in mid-November with a 6âÂÂ3âÂÂ1 record. A 1âÂÂ2âÂÂ1 ledger over the season's final month ended the club's post-season aspirations as the team finished the year in a second-place tie with Denver at 7âÂÂ5âÂÂ2. Dawson became the second Chiefs player in as many years to win the NFL Man of the Year Award. Following Super Bowl VIII, The AFC-NFC Pro Bowl was held at Arrowhead Stadium on January 20 with the AFC claiming a 15âÂÂ13 win thanks to five field goals from Miami placekicker Garo Yepremian.
To date, the 1973 Chiefs along with the Denver Broncos, Cleveland Browns, and Green Bay Packers are the last teams to record 2 ties in a single season. Overtime for regular season games was introduced the following year, and the occurrence of tie games decreased.