The 2003 season was the Kansas City Chiefs' 34th in the National Football League (NFL), their 44th overall and their third under head coach Dick Vermeil.
Kansas City lost in an offensive shootout at home in the AFC Divisional Playoffs to the Indianapolis Colts 38–31, a game noted for involving no punts from either team's kicking squad.
Two members of the offensive line, Will Shields and Willie Roaf, have been inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame along with the tight end from the team, Tony Gonzalez.
[1] With the 27th overall pick in the 2003 NFL draft, the Kansas City Chiefs selected running back Larry Johnson from Penn State.
The Chiefs' offense topped the NFL in almost all statistical categories and Kansas City, at one point in the regular season, became favorites to win Super Bowl XXXVIII.
[3] The Chiefs clinched their first AFC West title since 1997 with a 45–17 win against the Detroit Lions, as QB Trent Green became the first player in team history to register a "perfect" 158.3 passer rating in a game.
Holmes (61) also bypassed WR Otis Taylor (60) for the most career TDs scored by a player in Chiefs history.
Kansas City became the first AFC team to lead the NFL in scoring in consecutive seasons since San Diego in 1981–1982 as the club produced a franchise-best 484 points.
The Chiefs hosted San Diego and raced to a 24–0 lead behind two Priest Holmes rushing scores and a Trent Green touchdown to Johnnie Morton.
The Chiefs made their first trip to Houston since September 1996, now playing in Reliant Stadium next door to the Astrodome.
The Chiefs in overtime called eight straight Holmes rushes before trying a 48-yard field goal; the kick was blocked by Cletidus Hunt.
Despite 124 rushing yards from Travis Henry and getting a safety on a Kansas City punt, the Bills were humiliated 38–5.
Drew Bledsoe was intercepted three times and Alex Van Pelt two more while Trent Green had two touchdowns and 273 yards.
Jon Kitna’s 77-yard strike to Peter Warrick effectively ended the 24–19 Bengals upset despite a late Trent Green score.
Jerry Rice scored for the first time all season but the Chiefs broke a 24–24 tie on Morten Anderson’s field goal with four seconds left.
The 4–9 Lions were crushed 45–17 as Trent Green threw for 341 yards and three touchdowns while Priest Holmes added three scores of his own.
The top conference seed slipped away in this Saturday game as the Vikings forced four Chiefs turnovers, raced to a 31–0 lead, and didn't look back despite a three-touchdown barrage by 10:05 to go in the fourth.
With New England's shutout win over the Bills the previous day the Chiefs could only secure a playoff bye as the second conference seed.
This offensive shootout became the second game without a punt in NFL playoff history, and first since the Buffalo Bills played the San Francisco 49ers in 1992.