1970 Kansas City Chiefs Season

The 1970 Kansas City Chiefs season began with the Chiefs attempting to defend their championship but ended with a 7–5–2 record and no playoff berth.

Following their championship success, the Chiefs traded running back Mike Garrett, who was the club’s all-time leading rusher at the time, to San Diego and replaced him in the lineup with Ed Podolak. Despite a 44–24 win against Baltimore on September 28 in just the second-ever telecast of ABC's Monday Night Football package, the Chiefs owned a 3–3–1 record at the season's midpoint. One of the season's pivotal junctures came in a 17–17 tie against Oakland on November 1. The Chiefs were ahead 17–14 when Len Dawson apparently sealed the win, running for a first down which would have allowed Kansas City to run out the clock. 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. Wide receiver Otis Taylor retaliated and a bench-clearing brawl ensued. Offsetting penalties were called, nullifying Dawson’s first down. The Chiefs were forced to punt and Raiders kicker George Blanda eventually booted a game-tying field with eight seconds remaining. That tie ultimately cost the Chiefs the opportunity to split the AFC West division title with Oakland as Kansas City finished the year with a 7–5–2 record, while the Raiders went 8–4–2. The rules were changed several years later to assess such penalties as the Davidson-Taylor incident as dead-ball fouls after the play counted.