1986 Kansas City Chiefs season
NFL team season
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The 1986 Kansas City Chiefs season marked the franchise's 17th season in the National Football League and the 27th overall. The season concluded with a 10–6 record, representing the team's best performance since 1971. This successful run earned The Chiefs a wild card playoff berth, their first playoff appearance since the aforementioned 1971 season and only their second since the AFL-NFL merger, although their postseason journey was cut short by a 35-15 loss to the New York Jets.
| 1986 Kansas City Chiefs season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | Lamar Hunt |
| General manager | Jim Schaaf |
| Head coach | John Mackovic |
| Defensive coordinator | Walt Corey |
| Home stadium | Arrowhead Stadium |
| Results | |
| Record | 10–6 |
| Division place | 2nd AFC West |
| Playoffs | Lost Wild Card Playoffs (at Jets) 15–35 |
| All-Pros | 2
|
| Pro Bowlers | 3 |
Former linebacker Willie Lanier was enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame on August 2. On the field, the pieces started coming together for head coach John Mackovic. His offense displayed plenty of scoring punch, while the club's defense and special teams became increasingly effective.[1] With the team sitting at 3–3, Bill Kenney replaced Todd Blackledge for the second half of the season in a game against San Diego,[1] guiding the club to a 42–41 victory. That win was the first of four consecutive triumphs with Kenney at the helm, the club's longest winning streak since 1980. Poised with a 7–3 record after 10 games, three straight losses in November put the Chiefs playoff chances in jeopardy. Two December wins gave Kansas City a 9–6 mark, putting the Chiefs on the verge of their first postseason berth in 15 years.[1]
The defining moment of the season came in the regular season finale at Pittsburgh on December 21.[1] Despite being outgained in total yardage by a 515–171 margin, the Chiefs were able to notch a 24–19 victory as all of the team's points came via special teams on a blocked punt return, a field goal, a kickoff return and a blocked field goal return.[1] With a 10–6 record the Chiefs earned an AFC Wild Card berth, winning a tiebreaker with Seattle. Kenney was injured in the fourth quarter of the Steelers contest, meaning Blackledge drew the starting assignment for the club's first playoff contest since 1971, a 35–15 loss vs the New York Jets. Despite making the playoffs, Mackovic was fired after the season, allegedly due to a lack of chemistry with his players, according to owner Lamar Hunt. He was replaced by special teams coordinator Frank Gansz. The Chiefs would not make the playoffs again until 1990.
Offseason
NFL draft
| Round | Selection | Player | Position | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | Brian Jozwiak | Guard | West Virginia |
| 2 | 35 | Dino Hackett | Linebacker | Appalachian State |
| 3 | 63 | Leonard Griffin | Defensive end | Grambling State |
| 4 | 87 | Tom Baugh | Center | Southern Illinois |
| 90 | Chas Fox | Wide receiver | Furman | |
| 6 | 141 | Kent Hagood | Running back | South Carolina |
| 8 | 196 | Lewis Colbert | Punter | Auburn |
| 9 | 229 | Gary Baldinger | Defensive end | Wake Forest |
| 10 | 257 | Ike Readon | Nose tackle | Hampton |
| 11 | 285 | Aaron Pearson | Linebacker | Mississippi State |
Undrafted free agents
| Player | Position | College |
|---|---|---|
| John Addison | Tight end | William Jewell |
Personnel
Staff / Coaches
|
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 9 | Cincinnati Bengals | W 20–0 | 1–0 | Arrowhead Stadium | 30,067 | Recap |
| 2 | August 16 | at St. Louis Cardinals | W 27–26 | 2–0 | Busch Stadium | 30,305 | Recap |
| 3 | August 23 | Buffalo Bills | L 6–13 | 2–1 | Arrowhead Stadium | 39,911 | Recap |
| 4 | August 30 | at New Orleans Saints | L 10–13 | 2–2 | Louisiana Superdome | 47,945 | Recap |
Regular season
Schedule
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 7 | Cincinnati Bengals | W 24–14 | 1–0 | Arrowhead Stadium | 43,430 | Recap |
| 2 | September 14 | at Seattle Seahawks | L 17–23 | 1–1 | Kingdome | 61,068 | Recap |
| 3 | September 21 | Houston Oilers | W 27–13 | 2–1 | Arrowhead Stadium | 43,699 | Recap |
| 4 | September 28 | at Buffalo Bills | W 20–17 | 3–1 | Rich Stadium | 67,555 | Recap |
| 5 | October 5 | Los Angeles Raiders | L 17–24 | 3–2 | Arrowhead Stadium | 74,430 | Recap |
| 6 | October 12 | at Cleveland Browns | L 7–20 | 3–3 | Cleveland Stadium | 71,278 | Recap |
| 7 | October 19 | San Diego Chargers | W 42–41 | 4–3 | Arrowhead Stadium | 55,767 | Recap |
| 8 | October 26 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | W 27–20 | 5–3 | Arrowhead Stadium | 36,230 | Recap |
| 9 | November 2 | at San Diego Chargers | W 24–23 | 6–3 | Jack Murphy Stadium | 48,518 | Recap |
| 10 | November 9 | Seattle Seahawks | W 27–7 | 7–3 | Arrowhead Stadium | 53,268 | Recap |
| 11 | November 16 | at Denver Broncos | L 17–38 | 7–4 | Mile High Stadium | 75,745 | Recap |
| 12 | November 23 | at St. Louis Cardinals | L 14–23 | 7–5 | Busch Stadium | 29,680 | Recap |
| 13 | November 30 | Buffalo Bills | L 14–17 | 7–6 | Arrowhead Stadium | 31,492 | Recap |
| 14 | December 7 | Denver Broncos | W 37–10 | 8–6 | Arrowhead Stadium | 47,019 | Recap |
| 15 | December 14 | at Los Angeles Raiders | W 20–17 | 9–6 | Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum | 60,952 | Recap |
| 16 | December 21 | at Pittsburgh Steelers | W 24–19 | 10–6 | Three Rivers Stadium | 47,150 | Recap |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1: vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Week 1: Cincinnati Bengals at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bengals | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
| Chiefs | 7 | 0 | 14 | 3 | 24 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: September 7
- Game time: 3:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: 56 °F (13 °C)
- Game attendance: 43,430
- Referee: Chuck Heberling
- TV announcers (NBC): Len Berman and John Hannah
- Recap
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 2: at Seattle Seahawks
Week 2: Kansas City Chiefs at Seattle Seahawks – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 3 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 17 |
| Seahawks | 0 | 13 | 10 | 0 | 23 |
at Kingdome, Seattle, Washington
- Date: September 14
- Game time: 3:00 p.m. CDT/1:00 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: None (indoor stadium)
- Game attendance: 61,068
- Referee: Dick Hantak
- TV announcers (NBC): Jay Randolph and Jimmy Cefalo
- Recap, Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 3: vs. Houston Oilers
Week 3: Houston Oilers at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oilers | 0 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 13 |
| Chiefs | 3 | 10 | 14 | 0 | 27 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: September 21
- Game time: 12:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: Mostly Sunny, 87 °F (31 °C)
- Game attendance: 43,699
- Referee: Gene Barth
- TV announcers (NBC): Charlie Jones and Jimmy Cefalo
- Recap, Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 4: at Buffalo Bills
Week 4: Kansas City Chiefs at Buffalo Bills – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 3 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 20 |
| Bills | 7 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 17 |
at Rich Stadium, Orchard Park, New York
- Date: September 28
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT/12:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: Sunny, 72 °F (22 °C)
- Game attendance: 67,555
- Referee: Jerry Seeman
- TV announcers (NBC): Tom Davis and Dave Rowe
- Recap, Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 5: vs. Los Angeles Raiders
Week 5: Los Angeles Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raiders | 0 | 7 | 14 | 3 | 24 |
| Chiefs | 10 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: October 5
- Game time: 12:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: Partly Sunny, 60 °F (16 °C)
- Game attendance: 74,430
- Referee: Bob Frederic
- TV announcers (NBC): Don Criqui and Bob Trumpy
- Recap, Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 6: at Cleveland Browns
Week 6: Kansas City Chiefs at Cleveland Browns – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
| Browns | 0 | 7 | 10 | 3 | 20 |
at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio
- Date: October 12
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: Sunshine, 66 °F (19 °C)
- Game attendance: 71,278
- Referee: Bob McElwee
- TV announcers (NBC): Gary Gerould and Butch Johnson
- Recap, Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 7: vs. San Diego Chargers
Week 7: San Diego Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chargers | 7 | 17 | 7 | 10 | 41 |
| Chiefs | 7 | 21 | 7 | 7 | 42 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: October 19
- Game time: 3:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: Sunny, 75 °F (24 °C)
- Game attendance: 55,767
- Referee: Dick Jorgensen
- TV announcers (NBC): Charlie Jones and Jimmy Cefalo
- Recap, Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 8: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 8: Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buccaneers | 3 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 20 |
| Chiefs | 7 | 3 | 10 | 7 | 27 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: October 26
- Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: Overcast, 53 °F (12 °C)
- Game attendance: 36,230
- Referee: Ben Dreith
- TV announcers (CBS): Tim Ryan and Terry Bradshaw
- 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 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 17 | 24 |
| Chargers | 2 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 23 |
at Jack Murphy Stadium, San Diego, California
- Date: November 2
- Game time: 3:00 p.m. CST/1:00 p.m. PST
- Game weather: Sunny and Clear, 78 °F (26 °C)
- Game attendance: 48,518
- Referee: Fred Wyant
- TV announcers (NBC): Fred Roggin and Dave Rowe
- Recap, Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 10: vs. Seattle Seahawks
Week 10: Seattle Seahawks at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seahawks | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| Chiefs | 0 | 17 | 7 | 3 | 27 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: November 9
- Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: Clear, 40 °F (4 °C)
- Game attendance: 53,268
- Referee: Jerry Markbreit
- TV announcers (NBC): Len Berman and Dave Rowe
- Recap, Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 11: at Denver Broncos
Week 11: Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 0 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 17 |
| Broncos | 21 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 38 |
at Mile High Stadium, Denver, Colorado
- Date: November 16
- Game time: 3:00 p.m. CST/2:00 p.m. MST
- Game weather: Sunny, 62 °F (17 °C)
- Game attendance: 75,745
- Referee: Jim Tunney
- TV announcers (NBC): Charlie Jones and Jimmy Cefalo
- Recap, Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 12: at St. Louis Cardinals
Week 12: Kansas City Chiefs at St. Louis Cardinals – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 14 |
| Cardinals | 6 | 3 | 7 | 7 | 23 |
at Busch Memorial Stadium, St. Louis, Missouri
- Date: November 23
- Game time: 3:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: Cloudy, 45 °F (7 °C)
- Game attendance: 29,680
- Referee: Red Cashion
- TV announcers (NBC): Charlie Jones and Jimmy Cefalo
- Recap, Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 13: vs. Buffalo Bills
Week 13: Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bills | 0 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
| Chiefs | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 14 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: November 30
- Game time: 12:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: Cloudy, 40 °F (4 °C)
- Game attendance: 31,492
- Referee: Tom Dooley
- TV announcers (NBC): Gary Gerould and Butch Johnson
- Recap, Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 14: vs. Denver Broncos
Week 14: Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broncos | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Chiefs | 3 | 7 | 7 | 20 | 37 |
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 15: at Los Angeles Raiders
Week 15: Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Raiders – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 10 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 20 |
| Raiders | 0 | 10 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles, California
- Date: December 14
- Game time: 3:00 p.m. CST/1:00 p.m. PST
- Game weather: Cloudy, 70 °F (21 °C)
- Game attendance: 60,952
- Referee: Jerry Markbreit
- TV announcers (NBC): Tom Hammond and Reggie Rucker
- Recap, Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Week 16: at Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 16: Kansas City Chiefs at Pittsburgh Steelers – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 7 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 24 |
| Steelers | 0 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 19 |
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Standings
| AFC West | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
| Denver Broncos(2) | 11 | 5 | 0 | .688 | 5–3 | 8–4 | 378 | 327 | L1 |
| Kansas City Chiefs(5) | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 5–3 | 9–5 | 358 | 326 | W3 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 10 | 6 | 0 | .625 | 5–3 | 7–5 | 366 | 293 | W5 |
| Los Angeles Raiders | 8 | 8 | 0 | .500 | 4–4 | 7–5 | 323 | 346 | L4 |
| San Diego Chargers | 4 | 12 | 0 | .250 | 1–7 | 4–8 | 335 | 396 | L2 |
Postseason
Schedule
| Round | Date | Opponent (seed) | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wild Card | December 28 | at New York Jets (4) | L 15–35 | 0–1 | Giants Stadium | 69,307 | Recap |
Game summaries
AFC Wild Card Playoffs: at (4) New York Jets
AFC Wild Card Playoffs: (5) Kansas City Chiefs at (4) New York Jets – Game summary
| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 6 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 15 |
| Jets | 7 | 14 | 7 | 7 | 35 |
at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
- Date: December 28
- Game time: 12:30 p.m. EST/11:30 a.m. CST
- Game weather: Cloudy, 37 °F (3 °C)
- Game attendance: 69,307
- Referee: Red Cashion
- TV announcers (NBC): Marv Albert and Bob Griese
- Recap, Game Book
| Game information | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Quarterback Pat Ryan led the Jets to the victory with 3 touchdown passes. The Chiefs scored first on a 67-yard drive capped by running back Jeff Smith. On their ensuing possession, the Jets faced fourth down and 6 on the Kansas City 33-yard line. Rather than attempt a long field goal, Ryan faked a handoff and rushed for a 24 yard gain. Two plays later, running back Freeman McNeil scored on a 4-yard rushing touchdown. In the second period, Ryan completed two touchdown pass: a 1-yarder to McNeil and an 11-yarder to wide receiver Al Toon. On the first play of the second half, Jets linebacker Kevin McArthur returned an interception 21 yards for a touchdown. Ryan later clinched the victory in the fourth period with a 6-yard touchdown pass to tight end Billy Griggs. The Chiefs' only scores in the second half was a blocked punt recovery in the end zone, and an intentional safety by the Jets.
McNeil finished the game with 135 rushing yards, 3 receptions for 16 yards, and 2 touchdowns.