Chiefs’ fans just witnessed the greatest season a quarterback has had in the franchise’s history. This begs the question, what were the best Chiefs’ QB seasons from each decade?
You’ve heard it once, no, you’ve likely heard it one thousand times since the 2018 season ended. Patrick Mahomes had one of the greatest seasons a quarterback has ever had and is poised to be an all-time great if he continues at anything close to the pace he set last season. It was an incredible season to behold, and he has left Chiefs’ fans and national pundits alike enamored with the possibilities for the future of the league.
Seasons like 2018 make one reminisce about seasons of old. It’s fair to say that Chiefs’ fans have never seen a season quite like the last, at least in terms of sheer statistical dominance. That said, while the Chiefs’ franchise has lacked championships for a time, it hasn’t always lacked high-quality play at the game’s most important position.
Names like Len Dawson, Joe Montana, Trent Green and Alex Smith come to mind. Sure, some of these weren’t prolific individually, yet each of these players was able to guide the team to its highest point for a time. Some won championships, others came close, but they all gave fans something to admire and play to be remembered.
Let’s take a subjective look back through NFL history to the beginning of the Kansas City Chiefs’ franchise: the city of Dallas, Texas in 1960. Specifically, what was special about each decade and which Chiefs’ leading man had the best season that decade?
Now, as I say with all of these historical research pieces, everyone has a slightly different opinion of what stats, awards, etc. are most valuable when evaluating past players. I also know that when talking about Chiefs’ history, this is a subject near and dear to readers’ hearts. Know that with each of these pieces I take that seriously and am confident the following list is an accurate representation of the greatest seasons a quarterback for the Chiefs had throughout each decade of the franchise’s existence.
1960s: Len Dawson’s 1962 Season
The 1960s were spectacular for the Chiefs’ organization. You could argue it was the most important decade for current fans, considering the franchise chose to relocate from Dallas to Kansas City and change its name from the Texans to the Chiefs. The move was precipitated in large part because Dallas was seemingly unable to support two teams, the other team being the Dallas Cowboys.
Ironically, Kansas City wasn’t Hunt’s first choice. His primary concern in those days was his ability to commute between Dallas and the team’s new home. He set his eyes on several locations, but focused heavily on Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana. If not for the local university’s disdain at the idea of competing with a professional franchise for attendance, the franchise may have never made its way to the Midwest. Luckily for Chiefs’ fans, following the failed move to Louisiana, Mayor Bartle was able to convince Hunt to move the team to Kansas City.
The 1960s were also a great decade due to the play on the field. In total, the franchise won three AFL championships in 1962, 1966, and 1969 and won the franchise’s only Super Bowl to end the 1969 season. As far as quarterback seasons are concerned, Len Dawson’s 1962 season checks in as the greatest of the decade for a couple important reasons.
Dawson had a spectacular 1962 campaign completing 61 percent of his passes for 2,759 yards and 29 touchdowns. This touchdown mark would remain a top ten number through the 1994 season. What’s more, he averaged 8.9 yards per attempt which remained in the top ten all time until 1997. He would cap this off by winning the AFL’s Player of the Year Award.
What makes this season great aside from Dawson’s statistical accomplishments, and why it is the best overall of the decade, was that Dawson commanded the team to it’s first of many championships defeating the Houston Oilers in the AFL Championship in double overtime 20-17.
While this was a great season, some fans may argue that his best season was 1964. During this season Dawson threw for more yards and more touchdowns. This was, in fact, his best individual season statistically, with his franchise record in touchdowns standing for the next 54 seasons, but the team finished with only seven wins on the year. In this case, the minor improvement statistically is negatively impacted by the team’s mediocre season.
Further, some fans may argue that Dawson’s 1966 season also ended in an AFL Championship and a Super Bowl Berth. Dawson’s stats were comparable so this could easily be his best. This is a solid argument, but in this case the nod for best season goes to 1962 simply because that year ended in victory whereas 1966 ended in defeat.
Dawson would only continue his dominance throughout the 1960s. During the six-year stretch from 1962 to 1967 he would average nearly 2600 yards passing and 26 touchdowns per year. To this day, this remains as one of the greatest stretches for a Chiefs’ quarterback in the history of the franchise.
Other Notable Seasons:
- Len Dawson – 1964 – 7 wins (14 games), 56.2% completion rate, 30 touchdowns, 2879 yards passing
- Len Dawson – 1966 – 11 wins (14 games), 56% completion rate, 26 touchdowns, 2527 yards passing
1970s: Len Dawson’s 1971 Season
Unfortunately, the 1970s did not hold the same level of success for the franchise that the 1960s did. An aging Len Dawson was nearing the end of his career which was nowhere near as successful as his prime. For the entire decade the Chiefs won 60 games and lost 79, finished in the top ten in total offense only one time, and only made the playoffs once.
That playoff year also happens to be the team’s best quarterback season of the decade. Len Dawson had already begun to decline in terms of his production, but this was still by far the team’s most successful season of the decade. Dawson’s somewhat average stats, compared to the rest of his career, get a bump due to that fact.
In 13 games that season Dawson threw for 2,504 yards, 15 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. In their divisional loss to the Miami Dolphins, Dawson would throw for 246 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. The Chiefs’ offensive unit would finish top ten in both points and yards per game at eighth and ninth respectively, the only time they achieved that during the decade.
While Dawson’s stats weren’t particularly jaw-dropping, this was an incredibly balanced team. Not only did the offense finish top ten in points and yards, the defense matched this feat by finishing fifth in points against and seventh in yards against. Since 1971, no Chiefs’ team has matched this feat.
Unfortunately for the fans, the descent into mediocrity during the 1970s and 1980s was largely the result of the franchise’s complete lack of focus on drafting a first-round quarterback. Beginning with the 1965 AFL Draft, the Chiefs would only draft three quarterbacks in the first round in the next 52 years. It’s not shocking that the team struggled to maintain consistency throughout the next several decades. Luckily however, there were some bright spots.
1980s: Bill Kenney’s 1983 Season
Things would only get worse for the Chiefs before they got better. The 1980s were another decade of mediocrity for the team, with only a season here or there worth noting. In total, the Chiefs won 66 games and lost 84. They averaged a fourth place finish out of five teams in their division and only made the playoffs once in 1986 as a wild card team.
The quarterback battles were largely between the franchise’s 1979 first-round draft pick Steve Fuller, the 1983 first round-draft pick Todd Blackledge, and free agent signing Bill Kenney. Both first round quarterbacks, the last until 2017, left a lot to be desired in their Chiefs’ careers. As is the case for most of the franchise’s history, the Chiefs failed to adequately develop their own quarterbacks and the journeymen tended to win the starting spot.
Bill Kenney joined the team in 1980 as a backup but became the team’s primary passer for most of the decade. While the team was not highly successful in 1983, winning only 6 games out of 16, Kenney was quite effective. During that season he started all 16 games and threw for a team record 4,348 yards. He would add to this 24 touchdown passes and 18 interceptions. In his best game of the season, against the San Diego Chargers, Kenney completed nearly 76 percent of his throws for 411 yards, 4 touchdowns and 1 interception.
He would finish the year first in passes attempted and completed, third in yards per game with 272 per game, and seventh in touchdown passes. He would be rewarded with the only Pro Bowl selection of his career, but the Chiefs would ultimately miss the playoffs for the 11th straight season. To his credit, while Kenney was not a spectacular quarterback, he was serviceable and maintained his duties as the team’s primary passer until the Chiefs’ traded for Steve DeBerg in 1988.
1990s: Joe Montana’s 1993 Season
The 1990s were a far better decade for the Chiefs, both in quarterback play and overall success. While they still struggled to groom a franchise quarterback of their own, they had several outside hires, so to speak, that stepped in and performed admirably in what was the franchise’s best decade since the ’60s. In total, the team won 102 games averaging double digit wins and only lost 59 games.
The quarterbacks of note in the nineties were Future Hall of Famer and four-time Super Bowl champion Joe Montana, Steve DeBerg, Steve Bono, Elvis Grbac, and future NFL MVP and Super Bowl runner-up Rich Gannon. While some had better statistical campaigns, arguably the greatest overall season for a Chiefs’ quarterback in the decade was Joe Montana’s 1993 season.
Montana had a short career with the Chiefs, playing for the team for only two years before retiring after the 1994 season. While his time with the organization was short, he provided fond memories for Chiefs’ fans as he led the team to one of its most successful seasons in recent memory.
The 1993 season brought with it significant expectations. After making the playoffs the prior three seasons and losing in the wild card round in 1992, the Chiefs’ organization was ready to take the next step. To make that happen the Chiefs made multiple roster moves including signing Marcus Allen and trading for Joe Montana.
Montana was in the twilight of his career, but he still had quite a bit left to give the Chiefs’ franchise and its fans. During the 1993 season he played in only 11 games, missing five due to injury. However, he was still very productive completing 60 percent of his passes for 2,144 yards, 13 touchdowns and 7 interceptions. He would get even better in the playoffs completing 62 percent of his passes for 575 yards, 4 touchdowns and 2 interceptions in the first two games.
At this point the Chiefs were rolling right into the AFC Championship game. The team looked poised to break the years-long curse and play in the franchise’s first Super Bowl in 24 seasons. After beating the Steelers at Arrowhead in the Wild Card round and the Oilers at the Astrodome in the Divisional Round, the Chiefs entered the championship round against a team they had pummeled just eight weeks earlier in Kansas City.
Unfortunately, this time around, the tables would turn violently. Early in the game Montana looked stiff—he would later reminisce about the weather conditions and their potential effect on the team. The Chiefs’ defense, faced with a hurry-up offense in Buffalo, looked to be performing well into the second quarter. Then everything began to unravel.
Montana would eventually be knocked out of the game with a concussion early in the second half, backup Dave Krieg would be unable to shoulder the offensive burden, and the Chiefs’ defense would falter. Ultimately, the Chiefs would go on to lose by a score of 30 to 13. The team they had mastered in the regular season had mastered them in the playoffs, shattering the players’ and the fans’ dreams of a Super Bowl berth in a matter of hours.
Even though the season ended in defeat, it was still one to be remembered. The 1993 Chiefs made it further than any Chiefs’ team had in the previous 24 seasons. Coincidentally, they made it further than any Chiefs’ team would for next 24 years. While it ended in heartbreak, it was still the best season the team and its respective quarterback had during the 1990s.
Other Notable Seasons:
- Steve DeBerg – 1990 – 11 wins, 58% completion rate, 23 touchdowns, 3,444 yards passing
- Steve Bono – 1995 – 13 wins, 56.3% completion rate, 21 touchdowns, 3,121 yards passing
2000s: Trent Green’s 2003 Season
The 2000s was a rollercoaster of a decade for the Chiefs franchise and its fans. On the one hand, there were some extreme highs, like the offensive juggernaut that was the Chiefs’ offense from 2002 through 2004. On the other hand, there were some abysmal lows like the three-year stretch from 2007 to 2009 where the team won only 10 games.
Naturally, the team experienced highs and lows at the quarterback position as well. There were stretches where the team had multiple mid-to-late-round draft picks and undrafted free agents helming the offense. It’s not that players like Damon Huard and Tyler Thigpen don’t hold a special place in the hearts of Chiefs’ fans. Relatively speaking, they deserve credit for making it to the NFL level and even started for a time. Yet due to certain factors, some outside of their control, they were journeymen and therefore were unable to command a consistently dominant offense.
Luckily, there were great stretches to balance this out. It seemed in the early years of the decade, the Trent Green and Dick Vermeil era produced constant highlights. Players like Tony Gonzalez and Priest Holmes were setting records at their respective positions and the franchise looked poised to enter a golden age.
The year in particular that counts as the greatest quarterback season of the decade is Trent Green’s 2003 campaign. Following a disappointing, albeit exciting campaign in 2002, the Chiefs raced out to an undefeated 9-0 record. They would ultimately finish with 13 wins to only 3 losses and claim the No. 2 seed in the AFC Playoffs.
This was driven in large part by Green’s masterful composition of the offense. During that season Green played in all 16 games completing 63 percent of his passes for 4,039 yards and 24 touchdowns to only 12 interceptions.
Unfortunately, after setting a blistering pace the team continued the franchise draught of playoff wins by losing in the infamous “no punt game” against the Indianapolis Colts. It is a year remembered for individual exploits and accomplishments, while the team’s accomplishments are largely forgotten due to what could have been.
Now, some fans will argue that Green’s 2004 season was record setting and therefore should be the best. While that argument is valid, there was only a marginal individual improvement and a rather significant team decline. After finishing 13-3 in 2003 the team was only able to muster 7 wins the following year. His 2003 campaign gets the nod largely because of the team’s success.
After the historic offensive years of the Vermeil era, aside from a couple seasons here and there, the franchise as a whole declined into one of the worst stretches in its history. Fortunately, as with all teams in the NFL there is always the promise of rebirth. From the ashes of a broken franchise would rise a team and regime that would lead them into the greatest stretch since the 1960s.
Other Notable Seasons:
- Elvis Grbac – 2000 – 7 wins (15 games), 60% completion rate, 28 touchdowns, 4,169 yards passing
- Trent Green – 2004 – 7 wins, 66% completion rate, 27 touchdowns, 4,591 yards passing
2010s: Patrick Mahomes’ 2018 Season
The current decade started with a bang. The Chiefs’ acquisition of Matt Cassel appeared to solve the franchise’s quarterback woes by throwing for 27 touchdowns compared to only 7 interceptions, Dwayne Bowe led the league in receiving touchdowns with 15, and Jamaal Charles was entering rarified air as one of the NFL’s most dynamic running backs. Things were looking up.
Unfortunately, fans would have to endure two more years of mediocrity. In his third year as head coach Todd Haley would have his second losing season. That along with his strange relationship with general manager Scott Pioli and the front office as a whole would lead to his firing. In his place would land Super Bowl winning defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel.
Crennel got the job mostly because of his coaching the team to a victory over the undefeated Green Bay Packers immediately following the firing of Haley. Clark Hunt would never admit that, I’m sure, but it was a reasonable response. The win was inspiring. As a fan, it gave me hope.
It wasn’t long before that hope was dashed to pieces. The following year the team would win only one game in their first eleven and finish the year with only two wins total. Understandably, Crennel was relieved of his duties after only one season that stands as one of the worst years in franchise history.
Yet, reflecting back, the Chiefs were fortunate to be so bad that year and move on so quickly from their head coach. They’re fortunate because not far to the Northeast, a jolly man dressed in midnight green, black, and silver was ready for a fresh start.
The hiring of Andy Reid was a godsend for a franchise without direction. He brought in stability that has culminated in five playoff appearances in six years, two playoff wins, a first-round draft pick and phenom at quarterback, three straight division titles for the first time in franchise history, and the first-ever AFC Championship game at Arrowhead Stadium this past season. This past season is where this list will end, but where the Chiefs’ and its fans’ good fortune is just beginning.
Not only was the 2018 campaign the greatest Chiefs’ quarterback season of the entire decade, to this point, it was one of the greatest quarterback seasons in the history of the NFL. In fact, there’s an argument to be made that it transcends the NFL and is one of the greatest individual seasons a player has had in any sport. It’s no wonder that national pundits have begun referring to Mahomes as the “Steph Curry of the NFL.” His season stands by itself amongst the greatest in any sport.
Patrick Mahomes was unreal from Week 1 on. Just when you thought he might be showing some growing pains and chinks in his armor, he’d blow you away with another spectacular performance. He set team records for passing with 5,097 yards and touchdowns with 50. He had numerous MVP moments and was rewarded with an invitation to the Pro Bowl, First Team All Pro as the league’s best quarterback, and the first NFL MVP award a Chief has earned in the franchise’s history.
While the season ultimately ended in defeat, Mahomes’ legend is just beginning as a Chiefs’ quarterback. When it’s all said and done, it’s hard not to expect that he’s in the conversation for best Chiefs’ quarterback of all time. In fact, there likely won’t need to be a conversation at all.
Other Notable Seasons:
- Matt Cassel – 2010 – 10 wins (15 games), 58% completion rate, 27 touchdowns, 3,116 passing yards
- Alex Smith – 2017 – 9 wins (15 games), 68% completion rate, 26 touchdowns, 4,042 passing yards
Conclusion
Fellow Chiefs’ fans, take heart. For those of you who have suffered through decades of inconsistency and mediocrity to those who have only experienced a few years, the golden age in Chiefs’ Kingdom is upon us.
Gone are the days where the franchise was mired in mediocrity in search of a head coach who knows how to lead a group of men onto the gridiron. Gone are the years where the fan’s greatest hope is 10 wins and a Wild Card berth in the playoffs, with the shame of decades of playoff losses to bear. Gone are the decades where weathered, journeyman quarterbacks command an offense pieced together with aging veterans and castoffs.
The Chiefs now have a gifted head coach in future Hall of Famer Andy Reid. They are the defending AFC West champions for the third year running. They are perennial playoff and Super Bowl contenders, and they have a quarterback with Hall of Fame potential in Mahomes.
The universe has reverted to the mean and after years of bottom feeding, the Chiefs’ franchise has begun its ascent to the top. They say it’s lonely there, but I think Chiefs Kingdom will be just fine.