It began with the Chiefs attempting to defend their Super Bowl IV championship title, but ended with a 7–5–2 record, missing the playoffs for the first time since 1967.
Following their championship success, the Chiefs traded running back Mike Garrett, the club's all-time leading rusher at the time, to San Diego after a week 3 loss in Denver, and replaced him in the lineup with Ed Podolak.
[1] Despite a 44–24 win on September 28 against the eventual Super Bowl V champion Baltimore on the second-ever telecast of ABC's Monday Night Football, the Chiefs were just 3–3–1 at the season's midpoint.
While on the ground, Dawson was speared by Raiders defensive end Ben Davidson in an infamous incident that cost the Chiefs a victory and further inflamed the already heated Chiefs–Raiders rivalry.
The Chiefs were forced to punt and Raiders kicker George Blanda eventually booted a game-tying field goal with eight seconds remaining.
But the Raiders, behind the angry running of fullback Marv Hubbard, dominated the second half in a 20–6 division-clinching win for Oakland.
In the end, it was that tie in November with Oakland that ultimately cost the Chiefs the AFC West division title; Kansas City finished at 7–5–2, while the Raiders were a game ahead at 8–4–2.