1981 Kansas City Chiefs season
NFL team season
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The 1981 Kansas City Chiefs season was the franchise's 12th season in the National Football League and 22nd overall. They improved from 1980 from an 8–8 record to a 9–7 record (their first winning season in 8 years) but missing the playoffs for the tenth consecutive season.
| 1981 Kansas City Chiefs season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | Lamar Hunt |
| General manager | Jim Schaaf |
| Head coach | Marv Levy |
| Home stadium | Arrowhead Stadium |
| Results | |
| Record | 9–7 |
| Division place | 3rd AFC West |
| Playoffs | Did not qualify |
| All-Pros | 1
|
| Pro Bowlers | 5 |
Bill Kenney began the 1981 season as the club's starting quarterback and directed the Chiefs to a 6–2 start, including a 37–33 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers at Three Rivers Stadium on Opening Day. 2nd round draft choice, running back Joe Delaney electrified the club's offense by rushing for 1,121 yards, a team single-season record at the time. He was named the AFC's Rookie of the Year and became the first running back to represent the franchise in the Pro Bowl.[1] Delaney registered a 193-yard performance in a 23–10 victory against the Oilers on November 15, the best single-game total ever amassed by a Kansas City rookie.[1]
Owning an 8–4 record with four games remaining, the Chiefs were poised to make the playoffs for the first time in 10 years before hitting a three-game losing skid. Bill Kenney missed the club's final three contests due to injury as Steve Fuller temporarily reclaimed the starting quarterback position and guided the club to a 10–6 win at Minnesota, in the final contest played at Metropolitan Stadium. With the Chiefs winning the game, Vikings fans began dismembering the stadium as early as the second half—taking seats, pieces of the scoreboard and even chunks of sod as souvenirs.[1] The victory assured the Chiefs of a 9–7 record, the club's first winning mark since 1973 as coach Marv Levy increased the club's victory total for a third consecutive year. Inspired by the Washington Redskins's "Hail to the Redskins," Levy penned a fight song for the Chiefs called "Give a Cheer for Kansas City" which never caught on.[1]
Offseason
NFL draft
| 1981 Kansas City Chiefs draft | |||||
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14 | Willie Scott | Tight end | South Carolina | |
| 2 | 41 | Joe Delaney * | Running back | Northwestern State | |
| 3 | 70 | Marvin Harvey | Tight end | Southern Mississippi | |
| 3 | 75 | Roger Taylor | Offensive tackle | Oklahoma State | |
| 3 | 78 | Lloyd Burruss * | Defensive back | Maryland | |
| 4 | 97 | Ron Washington | Wide receiver | Arizona State | |
| 5 | 124 | Todd Thomas | Center | North Dakota | |
| 6 | 153 | Dock Luckie | Defensive tackle | Florida | |
| 7 | 180 | Billy Jackson | Running back | Alabama | |
| 8 | 206 | David Dorn | Wide receiver | Rutgers | |
| 9 | 237 | Anthony Vereen | Defensive back | Southeastern Louisiana | |
| 10 | 262 | Les Studdard | Center | Texas | |
| 11 | 289 | Frank Case | Defensive end | Penn State | |
| 12 | 319 | Bob Gagliano | Quarterback | Utah State | |
| Made roster * Made at least one Pro Bowl during career | |||||
Undrafted free agents
| Player | Position | College |
|---|---|---|
| Ed Baxley | Linebacker | South Carolina |
Personnel
Staff
|
Front office
Head coaches
Offensive coaches
|
Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
|
Roster
Preseason
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | August 7 | at Washington Redskins | L 10–16 | 0–1 | RFK Stadium | 32,488 | Recap |
| 2 | August 15 | Chicago Bears | W 13–0 | 1–1 | Arrowhead Stadium | 41,099 | Recap |
| 3 | August 22 | St. Louis Cardinals | L 3–16 | 1–2 | Arrowhead Stadium | 42,550 | Recap |
| 4 | August 28 | at Miami Dolphins | L 7–31 | 1–3 | Miami Orange Bowl | 41,290 | Recap |
Regular season
Schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 6 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | W 37–33 | 1–0 | Three Rivers Stadium | 53,305 | Recap |
| 2 | September 13 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | W 19–10 | 2–0 | Arrowhead Stadium | 50,555 | Recap |
| 3 | September 20 | San Diego Chargers | L 31–42 | 2–1 | Arrowhead Stadium | 63,866 | Recap |
| 4 | September 27 | at Seattle Seahawks | W 20–14 | 3–1 | Kingdome | 59,255 | Recap |
| 5 | October 4 | at New England Patriots | L 17–33 | 3–2 | Schaefer Stadium | 55,931 | Recap |
| 6 | October 11 | Oakland Raiders | W 27–0 | 4–2 | Arrowhead Stadium | 76,543 | Recap |
| 7 | October 18 | Denver Broncos | W 28–14 | 5–2 | Arrowhead Stadium | 74,672 | Recap |
| 8 | October 25 | at Oakland Raiders | W 28–17 | 6–2 | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum | 42,914 | Recap |
| 9 | November 1 | at San Diego Chargers | L 20–22 | 6–3 | Jack Murphy Stadium | 51,307 | Recap |
| 10 | November 8 | Chicago Bears | L 13–16 (OT) | 6–4 | Arrowhead Stadium | 60,605 | Recap |
| 11 | November 15 | Houston Oilers | W 23–10 | 7–4 | Arrowhead Stadium | 73,984 | Recap |
| 12 | November 22 | Seattle Seahawks | W 40–13 | 8–4 | Arrowhead Stadium | 49,002 | Recap |
| 13 | November 26 | at Detroit Lions | L 10–27 | 8–5 | Pontiac Silverdome | 76,735 | Recap |
| 14 | December 6 | at Denver Broncos | L 13–16 | 8–6 | Mile High Stadium | 74,744 | Recap |
| 15 | December 13 | Miami Dolphins | L 7–17 | 8–7 | Arrowhead Stadium | 57,407 | Recap |
| 16 | December 20 | at Minnesota Vikings | W 10–6 | 9–7 | Metropolitan Stadium | 41,110 | Recap |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1: at Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 1: Kansas City Chiefs at Pittsburgh Steelers – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 10 | 3 | 10 | 14 | 37 |
| Steelers | 6 | 13 | 7 | 7 | 33 |
at Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Date: September 6
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: Cloudy, 69 °F (21 °C)
- Game attendance: 53,305
- Referee: Jim Tunney
- TV announcers (NBC): Bob Costas and Bob Trumpy
- Recap, Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 2: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 2: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buccaneers | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Chiefs | 7 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 19 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: September 13
- Game time: 12:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: Clear, 82 °F (28 °C)
- Game attendance: 50,555
- Referee: Fred Wyant
- TV announcers (CBS): Dick Stockton and Jim Hill
- Recap, Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 3: vs. San Diego Chargers
Week 3: San Diego Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chargers | 14 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 42 |
| Chiefs | 7 | 7 | 14 | 3 | 31 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: September 20
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: Clear, 80 °F (27 °C)
- Game attendance: 63,866
- Referee: Ben Dreith
- TV announcers (NBC): Mike Adamle and Rocky Bleier
- Recap, Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 4: at Seattle Seahawks
Week 4: Kansas City Chiefs at Seattle Seahawks – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 7 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| Seahawks | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
at Kingdome, Seattle, Washington
- Date: September 27
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
- Game attendance: 59,255
- Referee: Tom Dooley
- TV announcers (NBC): Phil Stone and Gene Washington
- Recap, Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 5: at New England Patriots
Week 5: Kansas City Chiefs at New England Patriots – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 7 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 17 |
| Patriots | 7 | 7 | 10 | 9 | 33 |
at Schaefer Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
- Date: October 4
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: Partly cloudy, cool, 57 °F (14 °C)
- Game attendance: 55,931
- Referee: Fred Silva
- TV announcers (NBC): Don Criqui and John Brodie
- Recap, Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 6: vs. Oakland Raiders
Week 6: Oakland Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raiders | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chiefs | 3 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 27 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: October 11
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: Clear, 69 °F (21 °C)
- Game attendance: 76,543
- Referee: Red Cashion
- TV announcers (NBC): Phil Stone and Gene Washington
- Recap, Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 7: vs. Denver Broncos
Week 7: Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broncos | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 |
| Chiefs | 14 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 28 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: October 18
- Game time: 3:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: Clear, 55 °F (13 °C)
- Game attendance: 74,672
- Referee: Dick Jorgensen
- TV announcers (NBC): Bob Costas and Bob Trumpy
- Recap, Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 8: at Oakland Raiders
Week 8: Kansas City Chiefs at Oakland Raiders – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 0 | 0 | 7 | 21 | 28 |
| Raiders | 7 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
at Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, California
- Date: October 25
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
- Game weather: Partly cloudy, 61 °F (16 °C)
- Game attendance: 42,914
- Referee: Bob Frederic
- TV announcers (NBC): Merle Harmon and George Kunz
- Recap, Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 9: at San Diego Chargers
Week 9: Kansas City Chiefs at San Diego Chargers – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 7 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 20 |
| Chargers | 7 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 22 |
at Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego, California
- Date: November 1
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. PST
- Game weather: Clear and sunny, 81 °F (27 °C)
- Game attendance: 51,307
- Referee: Gene Barth
- TV announcers (NBC): Phil Stone and Gene Washington
- Recap, Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 10: vs. Chicago Bears
Week 10: Chicago Bears at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bears | 7 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 16 |
| Chiefs | 3 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 13 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: November 8
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: Showers, 56 °F (13 °C)
- Game attendance: 60,605
- Referee: Jim Tunney
- TV announcers (CBS): Dick Stockton and Johnny Morris
- Recap, Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 11: vs. Houston Oilers
Week 11: Houston Oilers at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oilers | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
| Chiefs | 7 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 23 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: November 15
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: Clear, 61 °F (16 °C)
- Game attendance: 73,984
- Referee: Jerry Markbreit
- TV announcers (NBC): Charlie Jones and Len Dawson
- Recap, Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 12: vs. Seattle Seahawks
Week 12: Seattle Seahawks at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seahawks | 3 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 13 |
| Chiefs | 3 | 17 | 7 | 13 | 40 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: November 22
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: Clear, 53 °F (12 °C)
- Game attendance: 49,002
- Referee: Fred Silva
- TV announcers (NBC): Mike Adamle and Dave Rowe
- Recap, Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 13: at Detroit Lions
Week 13: Kansas City Chiefs at Detroit Lions – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 |
| Lions | 7 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 27 |
at Pontiac Silverdome, Pontiac, Michigan
- Date: November 26
- Game time: 12:30 p.m. EST
- Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
- Game attendance: 76,735
- Referee: Fred Wyant
- TV announcers (NBC): Dick Enberg and Merlin Olsen
- Recap, Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 14: at Denver Broncos
Week 14: Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 0 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 13 |
| Broncos | 7 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
at Mile High Stadium, Denver, Colorado
- Date: December 6
- Game time: 2:00 p.m. MST
- Game weather: Mostly sunny, 68 °F (20 °C)
- Game attendance: 74,744
- Referee: Red Cashion
- TV announcers (NBC): Don Criqui and John Brodie
- Recap, Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 15: vs. Miami Dolphins
Week 15: Miami Dolphins at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dolphins | 7 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
| Chiefs | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: December 13
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: Overcast, 41 °F (5 °C)
- Game attendance: 57,407
- Referee: Pat Haggerty
- TV announcers (NBC): Marv Albert and Len Dawson
- Recap, Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 16: at Minnesota Vikings
Week 16: Kansas City Chiefs at Minnesota Vikings – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
| Vikings | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
at Metropolitan Stadium, Bloomington, Minnesota
- Date: December 20
- Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: Cloudy, 21 °F (−6 °C)
- Game attendance: 41,110
- Referee: Tom Dooley
- TV announcers (NBC): Merle Harmon and Jim Turner
- Recap, Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Standings
| AFC West | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
| San Diego Chargers(3) | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 6–2 | 8–4 | 478 | 390 | W2 |
| Denver Broncos | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 5–3 | 7–5 | 321 | 289 | L1 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 9 | 7 | 0 | .563 | 5–3 | 7–5 | 343 | 290 | W1 |
| Oakland Raiders | 7 | 9 | 0 | .438 | 2–6 | 5–7 | 273 | 343 | L2 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 6 | 10 | 0 | .375 | 2–6 | 6–8 | 322 | 388 | W1 |