1965 Kansas City Chiefs season
The 1965 Kansas City Chiefs season was the 6th season for the Kansas City Chiefs as a professional AFL franchise; they finished with a 7–5–2 record and missed the AFL playoffs.
1965 Kansas City Chiefs season | |
---|---|
Head coach | Hank Stram |
Home field | Municipal Stadium |
Results | |
Record | 7–5–2 |
Division place | 3rd AFL Western |
Playoff finish | Did not qualify |
AFL All-Stars | QB Len Dawson WR Frank Jackson T Jim Tyrer FB Curtis McClinton DE Jerry Mays DE Buck Buchanan LB Sherrill Headrick LB E. J. Holub LB Bobby Bell S Johnny Robinson |
For the 1965 season, the Chiefs were caught in the middle of the AFL and NFL's bidding wars for college talent. Kansas City made running back Gale Sayers from the University of Kansas their first-round draft pick,[1] but Sayers eventually signed with the Chicago Bears, who had also drafted him with their first pick in the NFL's draft.[2]
The Chiefs lost Mack Lee Hill late in the 1965 season when he suffered torn ligaments in his right knee in the next-to-last regular-season game of the year at Buffalo on December 12. Following what was expected to be a routine surgery on December 14 at Menorah Hospital in Kansas City, Hill died from what was termed "a sudden and massive embolism." Hunt called Hill's death "the worst shock possible." Just days after Hill's unexpected death, the mourning Chiefs defeated the Denver Broncos on December 19 to finish the year with a 7–5–2 record.[2]
Season schedule
Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | Game Recap |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | September 12 | at Oakland Raiders | L 10–37 | 0–1 | Frank Youell Field | Recap | |
2 | September 18 | at New York Jets | W 14–10 | 1–1 | Shea Stadium | Recap | |
3 | September 26 | at San Diego Chargers | T 10–10 | 1–1–1 | Balboa Stadium | Recap | |
4 | October 3 | Boston Patriots | W 27–17 | 2–1–1 | Municipal Stadium | Recap | |
5 | October 10 | at Denver Broncos | W 31–23 | 3–1–1 | Bears Stadium | Recap | |
6 | October 17 | Buffalo Bills | L 7–23 | 3–2–1 | Municipal Stadium | Recap | |
7 | October 24 | at Houston Oilers | L 36–38 | 3–3–1 | Rice Stadium | Recap | |
8 | October 31 | Oakland Raiders | W 14–7 | 4–3–1 | Municipal Stadium | Recap | |
9 | November 7 | New York Jets | L 10–13 | 4–4–1 | Municipal Stadium | Recap | |
10 | November 14 | San Diego Chargers | W 31–7 | 5–4–1 | Municipal Stadium | Recap | |
11 | November 21 | at Boston Patriots | T 10–10 | 5–4–2 | Fenway Park | Recap | |
12 | November 28 | Houston Oilers | W 52–21 | 6–4–2 | Municipal Stadium | Recap | |
13 | Bye | ||||||
14 | December 12 | at Buffalo Bills | L 25–34 | 6–5–2 | War Memorial Stadium | Recap | |
15 | December 19 | Denver Broncos | W 45–35 | 7–5–2 | Municipal Stadium | Recap |
Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Standings
AFL Western Division | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
W | L | T | PCT | DIV | PF | PA | STK | ||
San Diego Chargers | 9 | 2 | 3 | .818 | 4–1–1 | 340 | 227 | W3 | |
Oakland Raiders | 8 | 5 | 1 | .615 | 3–3 | 298 | 239 | L1 | |
Kansas City Chiefs | 7 | 5 | 2 | .583 | 4–1–1 | 322 | 285 | W1 | |
Denver Broncos | 4 | 10 | 0 | .286 | 0–6 | 303 | 392 | L4 |
Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.
References
- NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York,NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2, p. 395
- "Kansas City Chiefs History 1960's". Archived from the original on October 18, 2004. Retrieved July 30, 2007.
- https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/kan/1965_games.htm