1972 Kansas City Chiefs season

The 1972 Kansas City Chiefs season was the franchise's 3rd season in the National Football League, the 10th as the Kansas City Chiefs, and the 13th overall. It would begin with the Chiefs moving into the newly constructed Arrowhead Stadium and ended with an 8–6 record and second-place finish in the AFC West.

The Chiefs introduced the newly completed Arrowhead Stadium to the general public. The last original member of the 1960 Dallas Texans team departed on July 12 when safety Johnny Robinson announced his retirement at training camp. Meanwhile, starting quarterback Len Dawson ended speculation about his retirement by signing a two-year contract. Franchise owner Lamar Hunt became the first AFL figure to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on July 29.[1]

After two different construction strikes and a myriad of other delays, Arrowhead Stadium was officially dedicated on August 12, when the Chiefs registered a 24–14 preseason victory against the St. Louis Cardinals. Running back Ed Podolak scored the first touchdown in the facility. Regular season ticket prices for the team's first season at Arrowhead were USD$8 for box seats and $7 for reserved seating.[1]

On September 17, the Chiefs lost a 20–10 decision against Miami (the first win in Miami's perfect season) in the first official game at the new Arrowhead Stadium, in front of a crowd of 79,829.[1] A standing-room-only crowd of 82,094 was in attendance for a 27–14 victory against Oakland on November 5, the largest “in-house” attendance total for an NFL contest in Arrowhead's history.[1] After a 5–3 start, a three-game losing streak effectively eliminated the club from playoff contention. An 8–6 record was only good enough for a second-place finish in the AFC West behind Oakland. Linebacker Willie Lanier became the first Chiefs player to receive the prestigious NFL Man of the Year Award in the offseason.[1]

In week six, the Chiefs dropped a shocking 21–20 decision at home to the lowly Philadelphia Eagles, who entered the game 0–5 and would win only once more (also a one-point victory over the Houston Oilers, who finished 1–13). It would be the only time the Chiefs and Eagles met until 1992,[2] and Kansas City would never visit Philadelphia before 1998.[3]