1965 Kansas City Chiefs season

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

The 1965 Kansas City Chiefs season ended with a 7–5–2 record and no postseason appearance.

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 club suffered a devastating blow late in the 1965 season when running back Mack Lee Hill 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.” Beginning the following year, the club annually bestowed the Mack Lee Hill Award on its top rookie or first-year performer in honor of this fallen young star. 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 Attendance
1 September 12, 1965 at Oakland Raiders L 37–10
18,659
2 September 18, 1965 at New York Jets W 14–10
53,658
3 September 26, 1965 at San Diego Chargers T 10–10
28,126
4 October 3, 1965 Boston Patriots W 27–17
26,773
5 October 10, 1965 at Denver Broncos W 31–23
31,001
6 October 17, 1965 Buffalo Bills L 23–7
26,941
7 October 24, 1965 at Houston Oilers L 38–36
34,670
8 October 31, 1965 Oakland Raiders W 14–7
18,354
9 November 7, 1965 New York Jets L 13–10
25,523
10 November 14, 1965 San Diego Chargers W 31–7
21,968
11 November 21, 1965 at Boston Patriots T 10–10
13,056
12 November 28, 1965 Houston Oilers W 52–21
16,459
13 Bye
14 December 12, 1965 at Buffalo Bills L 34–25
40,298
15 December 19, 1965 Denver Broncos W 45–35
14,421

[3]

Standings

AFL Western Division
W L T PCT DIV PF PA STK
San Diego Chargers 923.8184–1–1340227W3
Oakland Raiders 851.6153–3298239L1
Kansas City Chiefs 752.5834–1–1322285W1
Denver Broncos 4100.2860–6303392L4

Note: Tie games were not officially counted in the standings until 1972.

References

  1. ↑ NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York,NY, ISBN 0-7611-2480-2, p. 395
  2. 1 2 Kansas City Chiefs History 1960's
  3. ↑ http://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/kan/1965_games.htm
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