| Team: | Kansas City Chiefs |
| Year: | 1981 |
| Record: | 9–7 |
| Division Place: | 3rd AFC West |
| Coach: | Marv Levy |
| General Manager: | Jim Schaaf |
| Owner: | Lamar Hunt |
| Stadium: | Arrowhead Stadium |
| Playoffs: | Did not qualify |
| Shortnavlink: | Chiefs seasons |
The 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.
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]
See main article: article and 1981 NFL draft. [2]
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | Recap | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | at Washington Redskins | L 10–16 | 0–1 | RFK Stadium | 32,488 | Recap | ||
| 2 | Chicago Bears | W 13–0 | 1–1 | Arrowhead Stadium | 41,099 | Recap | ||
| 3 | St. Louis Cardinals | L 3–16 | 1–2 | Arrowhead Stadium | 42,550 | Recap | ||
| 4 | at Miami Dolphins | L 7–31 | 1–3 | Miami Orange Bowl | 41,290 | Recap |
| 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 | 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 |