2021_Kansas_City_Chiefs_season
2021 Kansas City Chiefs season
62nd season in franchise history
The 2021 season was the Kansas City Chiefs' 52nd season in the National Football League (NFL), their 62nd overall and their ninth under head coach Andy Reid, looking to become the fourth team in NFL history to make three straight Super Bowls.
Quick Facts Kansas City Chiefs season, Owner ...
| 2021 Kansas City Chiefs season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | The Hunt family |
| General manager | Brett Veach |
| Head coach | Andy Reid |
| Home field | Arrowhead Stadium |
| Results | |
| Record | 12–5 |
| Division place | 1st AFC West |
| Playoff finish | Won Wild Card Playoffs (vs. Steelers) 42–21 Won Divisional Playoffs (vs. Bills) 42–36 (OT) Lost AFC Championship (vs. Bengals) 24–27 (OT) |
| Pro Bowlers | |
| AP All-Pros | 2
|
| Team MVP | Tyrann Mathieu |
| Team ROY | Nick Bolton |
| Uniform | |
| |
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The Chiefs started off slowly at 3–4 but would finish the regular season 12–5, winning the AFC West division title for the sixth consecutive season. The Chiefs would host their fourth straight conference championship but lost to the Cincinnati Bengals in overtime 27–24.[1][2]
This would be the final season with long-time wide receiver Tyreek Hill, as he was traded to the Miami Dolphins on March 23, 2022. A 6-time Pro Bowler during his time with Kansas City, Hill's final game with the Chiefs was on January 30, 2022, the aforementioned AFC Championship Game vs. the Bengals.
Head coach Andy Reid recorded his 100th win as the Chiefs head coach on October 3, 2021, a 42–30 win over his former team, Philadelphia Eagles. Reid became the first coach in NFL history to win 100 games as a head coach with multiple teams as well as the first to lead multiple teams to four straight Conference Championships, previously doing so with the Eagles from the 2001 to 2004 seasons.
On March 4, 2021, the Chiefs announced that they had officially renamed Arrowhead Stadium, GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.[3]
The Chiefs lost two of their longest tenured players in the offseason. Tackle Eric Fisher was released[4] and fullback Anthony Sherman retired.[5] Both players joined the Chiefs in 2013.
In the offseason, the Chiefs announced they would once again retire their live horse mascot Warpaint to continue with their commitment to stop using Native American imagery.[6]
The Chiefs opened the season on September 12 with a 33–29 victory over the Cleveland Browns. The win was the Chiefs' 15th consecutive win in September.[7] The Chiefs would lose their next two games to give them a 1–2 record after three games, which was their first losing record in 89 games, dating back to week 10 of the 2015 season.[8] The Chiefs' 20–38 week 5 loss to the Buffalo Bills, was the Chiefs' first double-digit loss in the regular season since 2017 and the Chiefs' first double-digit loss at home since 2014. In Week 7, the Chiefs lost 3–27 to the Tennessee Titans, which is the fewest points scored in a game since Patrick Mahomes became the quarterback. The Chiefs maintained a non-winning record until a week 9 victory over the Green Bay Packers. That 7-week stretch without a winning record was the Chiefs' longest stretch without a winning record since 2012 when they held a losing record the entire season. After starting the season 3–4, the Chiefs won their ninth game in week 14 over the Las Vegas Raiders clinching their ninth consecutive winning season, one short of the franchise record of 10. The 48–9 victory over the Raiders was the largest in franchise history over the Raiders and the largest victory against any opponent since the 2006 season.[9] In week 16, following a 36–10 victory over the Steelers and a loss by the Chargers, the Chiefs clinched their sixth consecutive AFC West division championship and their franchise record seventh straight playoff berth.[10] The Chiefs finished the regular season 12–5, their fourth consecutive 12-win season, all four since Patrick Mahomes became the starting quarterback.
Kansas City defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 42–21 in the Wild Card round of the 2021–22 NFL playoffs. They would then host Buffalo in the Divisional round, winning that game 42–36 in overtime. This game was hailed as one of the greatest modern NFL playoff games, with both teams combining for 25 points in the final two minutes of regulation.[11][12][13][14][15][16][17] The following week, despite being favored to win the AFC Championship game, the Chiefs would lose the game in an upset to the Bengals in overtime 24–27, a game in which they led 21–3 at one point in the second quarter.
Main article: NFL Top 100 Players of 2021
NFL Network began announcing their annual top 100 list on August 15, 2021. Five Chiefs players were named to the list. Defensive end Frank Clark is the only player still on the roster that was ranked the previous season that went unranked for the 2021 season. Tight end Travis Kelce was ranked 5th, which is the highest ranking ever for a tight end in the history of the Top 100. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes was ranked 1st on the list, which was the first time a Chiefs player was ranked the number one.
More information Rank, Player ...
| Rank | Player | Position | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Patrick Mahomes | Quarterback |  3 |
| 5 | Travis Kelce | Tight end | 13 |
| 15 | Tyreek Hill | Wide receiver | 7 |
| 34 | Chris Jones | Defensive tackle | 2 |
| 58 | Tyrann Mathieu | Safety |  19 |
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Transactions listed below occurred between the day after Super Bowl LV, February 8, and August 14, the day of the Chiefs first preseason game.
Source unless otherwise noted[18]
Coaching staff changes
More information Old coach, Reason ...
| 2021 Kansas City Chiefs Coaching staff changes | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Old coach | Reason | Position | New coach |
| Deland McCullough[19] | Accepted job at Indiana[19] | Running backs coach | Greg Lewis |
| Britt Reid[20] | Contract expired, not re-signed for disciplinary reasons[20] | Linebackers/outside linebackers coach | Ken Flajole |
| Greg Lewis | Title change to Running backs coach | Wide receivers | Joe Bleymaier |
| Joe Bleymaier | Title change to Wide receivers coach | Pass game analyst / assistant quarterbacks | David Giradi |
| David Giradi | Title change to Pass game analyst / Assistant quarterbacks | Offensive quality control | Connor Embree |
| Connor Embree | Title change to Offensive quality control | Defensive assistant | Donald D'Alesio |
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Players lost
Below are players who were on the roster at the end of the 2020 season, but were either released or did not re-sign after their contract expired. If a player resigns during the offseason, their name will be removed from the list.
More information Player, Position ...
| 2021 Kansas City Chiefs Players lost | ||
|---|---|---|
| Player | Position | Reason |
| Le'Veon Bell[21] | RB | UFA |
| Bashaud Breeland[22] | CB | UFA |
| Alex Brown[23] | CB | ERFA |
| Eric Fisher[4] | T | Released |
| Antonio Hamilton[24] | CB | UFA |
| Tanoh Kpassagnon[25] | DE | UFA |
| Kelechi Osemele[26] | G | UFA |
| Mike Pennel[27] | DT | UFA |
| Martinas Rankin[28] | T | Released |
| Austin Reiter[29] | C | UFA |
| Mitchell Schwartz[4] | T | Released |
| Sammy Watkins[30] | WR | UFA |
| Damien Williams[31] | RB | Released |
| Damien Wilson[32] | LB | UFA |
| Deon Yelder[33] | TE | RFA |
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Retirements
Players that were on the Chiefs roster at the end of the season who announced their retirement before the preseason are listed below, even if their contract with the Chiefs had officially expired prior to their announcement.
More information Player, Position ...
| 2021 Kansas City Chiefs Retirements | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Player | Position | NFL seasons | Seasons with the Chiefs |
| Anthony Sherman[34] | FB | 10 | 8 |
| Nick Keizer[35] | TE | 4 | 2 |
| Daniel Kilgore[36] | C | 10 | 1 |
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Players added
More information Player, Position ...
| 2021 Kansas City Chiefs Additions | |
|---|---|
| Player | Position |
| Kyle Long | G |
| Joe Thuney | G |
| Blake Bell | TE |
| Anthony Gordon | QB |
| Jordan Ta'amu | QB |
| Gehrig Dieter* | WR |
| Dalton Schoen | WR |
| Chad Williams | WR |
| Antonio Callaway | WR |
| Jody Fortson* | TE |
| Maurice Ffrench* | WR |
| Derrick Gore | RB |
| Sean Culkin | TE |
| Evan Baylis* | TE |
| Prince Tega Wanogho | T |
| Bryan Witzmann* | T |
| Darryl Williams* | G |
| Tyler Clark | DT |
| Demone Harris* | DE |
| Austin Edwards* | DE |
| Omari Cobb* | LB |
| Emmanuel Smith* | LB |
| Deandre Baker* | CB |
| Rodney Clemons | S |
| Jarran Reed | DT |
| Elijah McGuire | RB |
| Michael Burton | FB |
| Austin Blythe | C |
| Tajae Sharpe | WR |
| Kamalei Correa | LB |
| Daurice Fountain | WR |
| Darrius Shepherd | WR |
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*Finished 2020 season on the Chiefs practice squad.
Trades
Listed below are trades were a player was included in the trade.
More information Team, Received ...
| 2021 Kansas City Chiefs Trades | ||
|---|---|---|
| Team | Received | Compensation |
| Baltimore Ravens | T Orlando Brown Jr. 2nd-round selection 2021 6th-round selection 2022 | 1st-round selection 2021 3rd-round selection 2021 4th-round selection 2021 5th-round selection 2022 |
| Minnesota Vikings | CB Mike Hughes 7th-round selection 2022 | 6th-round selection 2022 |
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Draft
Main article: 2021 NFL Draft
More information Round, Selection ...
| 2021 Kansas City Chiefs Draft | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round | Selection | Player | Position | College |
| 2 | 58 | Nick Bolton | Linebacker | Missouri |
| 63 | Creed Humphrey | Center | Oklahoma | |
| 4 | 144* | Joshua Kaindoh | Defensive end | Florida State |
| 5 | 162 | Noah Gray | Tight end | Duke |
| 181* | Cornell Powell | Wide receiver | Clemson | |
| 6 | 226 | Trey Smith | Guard | Tennessee |
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Trades
- The Chiefs traded a sixth-round selection (213th overall) in the 2021 draft to the Tennessee Titans in exchange for a seventh-round selection in the 2020 NFL Draft.[37]
- The Chiefs received a sixth-round selection (207th overall) in the 2021 draft from the Miami Dolphins in exchange for a seventh-round selection (258th overall) in the 2021 draft and running back DeAndre Washington.[38]
- The Chiefs traded their first-round selection (31st overall), third-round selection (94th overall), fourth-round selection (136th overall) in the 2021 draft, and a fifth-round selection in the 2022 NFL Draft to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr., a second-round selection (58th overall) in the 2021 draft, and a sixth-round selection in the 2022 NFL Draft.[39]
- The Chiefs traded their fourth-round selection (175th overall) and their sixth-round selection (207th overall) to the New York Jets in exchange for the Jets fourth-round selection (162nd overall) and a sixth-round selection (226th overall).
Undrafted free agents
More information Player, Position ...
| 2021 Kansas City Chiefs UDFAs | ||
|---|---|---|
| Player | Position | College |
| Zayne Anderson | S | BYU |
| Dicaprio Bootle | CB | Nebraska |
| Shane Buechele | QB | SMU |
| Marlon Character | CB | Louisville |
| Riley Cole | LB | South Alabama |
| Malik Herring | DE | Georgia |
| Devon Key | S | Western Kentucky |
| Jaylon McClain-Sapp | CB | Marshall |
| Manny Patterson | CB | Maine |
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Signed and released in the offseason
Below are players who were signed and released in the offseason before playing for the team.
More information Player, Position ...
| 2021 Kansas City Chiefs Signed and released | |
|---|---|
| Player | Position |
| Sean Culkin | TE |
| Jordan Ta'amu | QB |
| Tajae Sharpe | WR |
| Jaylon McClain-Sapp | CB |
| Kamalei Correa | LB |
| Drew Scott | LS |
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Transactions listed below, occurred between August 15, the day after the Chiefs first preseason game, and September 12, the day of the Chiefs first regular season game.
Source for all transactions[18]
Cut to 85
The first preseason roster cutdown occurred on August 17. In addition the transactions below, the Chiefs placed running back Elijah McGuire on injured reserve.
More information Name, Position ...
| 2021 Kansas City Chiefs Cut to 85 | |
|---|---|
| Name | Position |
| Evan Baylis | TE |
| Antonio Callaway | WR |
| Manny Patterson | CB |
| Chad Williams | WR |
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Cut to 80
The second preseason cutdown occurred on August 24. The Chiefs released or waived five players and did not use reserve lists to make the 80 player limit.
More information Name, Position ...
| 2021 Kansas City Chiefs Cut to 80 | |
|---|---|
| Name | Position |
| Taco Charlton | DE |
| Will Parks | CB |
| Bryan Witzmann | G |
| Riley Cole | LB |
| Anthony Gordon | QB |
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Final cutdown
The third and final preseason cutdown occurred on August 31. In addition to the transactions below, the Chiefs traded a player, placed Kyle Long on the physically unable to perform list, and placed Malik Herring on the reserve/non-football injury list.
More information Name, Position ...
| 2021 Kansas City Chiefs Final Cutdown | |
|---|---|
| Name | Position |
| Zayne Anderson | S |
| Dicaprio Bootle | CB |
| Shane Buechele | QB |
| Marlon Character | CB |
| Tyler Clark | DT |
| Rodney Clemons | S |
| Omari Cobb | LB |
| Austin Edwards | DE |
| Maurice Ffrench | WR |
| Derrick Gore | RB |
| Demone Harris | DE |
| Marcus Kemp | WR |
| Devon Key | S |
| BoPete Keyes | CB |
| Wyatt Miller | OT |
| Cornell Powell | WR |
| Dalton Schoen | WR |
| Darrius Shepherd | WR |
| Emmanuel Smith | LB |
| Darwin Thompson | RB |
| Prince Tega Wanogho | OT |
| Tim Ward | DE |
| Darryl Williams | C |
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Trades
Listed below are trades were a player was included in the trade.
More information Team, Received ...
| 2021 Kansas City Chiefs Trades | ||
|---|---|---|
| Team | Received | Compensation |
| New England Patriots | 7th round selection 2022 NFL Draft | Yasir Durant |
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Signings
More information Name, Position ...
| 2021 Kansas City Chiefs Signings | |
|---|---|
| Name | Position |
| Marcus Kemp*[40] | WR |
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*Marcus Kemp was initially released during roster cut-downs, but was signed to the practice squad. The day after being signed to the practice squad, he was elevated to the active roster after linebacker Willie Gay was placed on injured reserve
Below are transactions that occurred after the Chiefs first game through their final game. Transactions below are only transactions related to the Chiefs active roster. Practice squad transactions will not be included.
Source for transactions through December 31[18]
Source for transactions after January 1[41]
Standard elevations
Standard practice squad elevations allow a player to elevated from the practice squad to the active roster for a single game and revert back to the practice squad following the game. Below are standard elevations used by the Chiefs during the season.
More information Name, Position ...
| 2021 Kansas City Chiefs Standard elevations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Position | Week(s) used |
| Zayne Anderson | S | 1 |
| Dicaprio Bootle | CB | 4, 14 |
| Demone Harris* | DE | 5, 6 |
| Darius Harris | LB | 7, 8 |
| Christian Rozeboom* | LB | 7 |
| Austin Edwards | DE | 8 |
| Daurice Fountain | WR | 11, WC, DV, ACG |
| Josh Jackson | CB | 14, 16 |
| Nakia Griffin-Stewart | TE | 16 |
| Johnny Townsend* | P | 16 |
| Darwin Thompson | RB | WC, DV |
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*No longer on practice squad
Non-standard elevations
Below are players elevated from the practice squad using a non-standard elevation, meaning, if the Chiefs want them to go back to the practice squad, they must clear waivers then sign them back to the practice squad.
More information Name, Position ...
| 2021 Kansas City Chiefs Non-Standard elevations | |
|---|---|
| Name | Position |
| Josh Gordon | WR |
| Derrick Gore | RB |
| Prince Tega Wanogho | OT |
| Shane Buechele | QB |
| Zayne Anderson | S |
| Elliott Fry | K |
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Trades
Listed below are trades where a player was included in the trade.
More information Team, Received ...
| 2021 Kansas City Chiefs Trades | ||
|---|---|---|
| Team | Received | Compensation |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | DE Melvin Ingram | 6th-round selection 2022 NFL Draft |
| New York Jets | TE Daniel Brown | G Laurent Duvernay-Tardif |
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Players cut
More information Name, Position ...
| 2021 Kansas City Chiefs Cuts | |
|---|---|
| Name | Position |
| Darius Harris | LB |
| Daurice Fountain | WR |
| Daniel Brown | TE |
| Elliott Fry | K |
| Josh Gordon | WR |
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Injured reserve activations
Players listed below were activated off injured reserve
More information Name, Position ...
| 2021 Kansas City Chiefs IR Activations | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Position | Date added to IR | Date activated |
| Willie Gay | LB | September 2 | October 9 |
| Clyde Edwards-Helaire | RB | October 12 | November 20 |
| Jerick McKinnon | RB | November 30 | January 1 |
| Joshua Kaindoh | DE | October 5 | January 11 |
| Khalen Saunders | DT | November 30 | January 25 |
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COVID-19 protocols
The following players missed games because of the NFL's COVID-19 protocols. Typically, a player misses because of a positive test. Vaccinated players can return simply after a subsequent negative test, unvaccinated players are out for five days.
More information Name, Position ...
| 2021 Kansas City Chiefs COVID-19 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Name | Position | Week(s) missed |
| Chris Jones | DT | 15 |
| Josh Gordon | WR | 15 |
| Willie Gay | LB | 15 |
| Harrison Butker | K | 16 |
| Rashad Fenton | CB | 16 |
| Kyle Long | G | 16 |
| Tommy Townsend | P | 16 |
| Nick Bolton | LB | 16 |
| Travis Kelce[42] | TE | 16 |
| Lucas Niang | OT | 16 |
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Front office
Head coaches Offensive coaches
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Defensive coaches
Special teams coaches
Strength and conditioning
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Schedule
More information Week, Date ...
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | August 14 | at San Francisco 49ers | W 19–16 | 1–0 | Levi's Stadium | Recap |
| 2 | August 20 | at Arizona Cardinals | W 17–10 | 2–0 | State Farm Stadium | Recap |
| 3 | August 27 | Minnesota Vikings | W 28–25 | 3–0 | Arrowhead Stadium | Recap |
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Game summaries
Week 1: at San Francisco 49ers
More information Period, Total ...
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 7 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 19 |
| 49ers | 6 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 16 |
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More information Game information ...
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|---|---|---|
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Week 1: Kansas City Chiefs at San Francisco 49ers – Game summary
at Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California
- Date: August 14
- Game time: 7:30 p.m. CDT/5:30 p.m. PDT
- Game weather: Clear, 79 °F (26 °C)
- Game attendance: 54,397
- Referee: Carl Cheffers
- TV announcers (KSHB): Ari Wolfe, Trent Green, Kay Adams and Matt McMullen
- Recap, Game Book
Week 2: at Arizona Cardinals
More information Period, Total ...
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 3 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 17 |
| Cardinals | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 10 |
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Week 2: Kansas City Chiefs at Arizona Cardinals – Game summary
at State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona
- Date: August 20
- Game time: 7:00 p.m. CDT/5:00 p.m. MST
- Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
- Game attendance: 56,271
- Referee: Ronald Torbert
- TV announcers (ESPN): Steve Levy, Brian Griese, Louis Riddick and Lisa Salters
- Recap, Game Book
Week 3: vs. Minnesota Vikings
More information Period, Total ...
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vikings | 3 | 0 | 7 | 15 | 25 |
| Chiefs | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 28 |
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Week 3: Minnesota Vikings at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: August 27
- Game time: 7:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: Sunny, 91 °F (33 °C)
- Game attendance: 72,680
- Referee: Shawn Hochuli
- TV announcers (KSHB): Ari Wolfe, Trent Green, Kay Adams and Matt McMullen
- Recap, Game Book
Schedule
More information Week, Date ...
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 12 | Cleveland Browns | W 33–29 | 1–0 | Arrowhead Stadium | Recap |
| 2 | September 19 | at Baltimore Ravens | L 35–36 | 1–1 | M&T Bank Stadium | Recap |
| 3 | September 26 | Los Angeles Chargers | L 24–30 | 1–2 | Arrowhead Stadium | Recap |
| 4 | October 3 | at Philadelphia Eagles | W 42–30 | 2–2 | Lincoln Financial Field | Recap |
| 5 | October 10 | Buffalo Bills | L 20–38 | 2–3 | Arrowhead Stadium | Recap |
| 6 | October 17 | at Washington Football Team | W 31–13 | 3–3 | FedExField | Recap |
| 7 | October 24 | at Tennessee Titans | L 3–27 | 3–4 | Nissan Stadium | Recap |
| 8 | November 1 | New York Giants | W 20–17 | 4–4 | Arrowhead Stadium | Recap |
| 9 | November 7 | Green Bay Packers | W 13–7 | 5–4 | Arrowhead Stadium | Recap |
| 10 | November 14 | at Las Vegas Raiders | W 41–14 | 6–4 | Allegiant Stadium | Recap |
| 11 | November 21 | Dallas Cowboys | W 19–9 | 7–4 | Arrowhead Stadium | Recap |
| 12 | Bye | |||||
| 13 | December 5 | Denver Broncos | W 22–9 | 8–4 | Arrowhead Stadium | Recap |
| 14 | December 12 | Las Vegas Raiders | W 48–9 | 9–4 | Arrowhead Stadium | Recap |
| 15 | December 16 | at Los Angeles Chargers | W 34–28 (OT) | 10–4 | SoFi Stadium | Recap |
| 16 | December 26 | Pittsburgh Steelers | W 36–10 | 11–4 | Arrowhead Stadium | Recap |
| 17 | January 2 | at Cincinnati Bengals | L 31–34 | 11–5 | Paul Brown Stadium | Recap |
| 18 | January 8 | at Denver Broncos | W 28–24 | 12–5 | Empower Field at Mile High | Recap |
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Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1: vs. Cleveland Browns
More information Period, Total ...
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Browns | 8 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 29 |
| Chiefs | 3 | 7 | 10 | 13 | 33 |
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More information Game information ...
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Week 1: Cleveland Browns at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: September 12
- Game time: 3:25 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: Sunny, 88 °F (31 °C)
- Game attendance: 72,973
- Referee: Bill Vinovich
- TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz, Tony Romo and Tracy Wolfson
- Recap, Game Book
Week 2: at Baltimore Ravens
More information Period, Total ...
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 14 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 35 |
| Ravens | 7 | 10 | 7 | 12 | 36 |
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Week 2: Kansas City Chiefs at Baltimore Ravens – Game summary
at M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland
- Date: September 19
- Game time: 7:20 p.m. CDT/8:20 p.m. EDT
- Game weather: Clear, 73 °F (23 °C)
- Game attendance: 70,417
- Referee: Clete Blakeman
- TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Michele Tafoya
- Recap, Game Book
Week 3: vs. Los Angeles Chargers
More information Period, Total ...
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chargers | 0 | 14 | 0 | 16 | 30 |
| Chiefs | 0 | 3 | 14 | 7 | 24 |
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Week 3: Los Angeles Chargers at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: September 26
- Game time: 12:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: Clear, 81 °F (27 °C)
- Game attendance: 72,980
- Referee: Shawn Hochuli
- TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz, Tony Romo and Tracy Wolfson
- Recap, Game Book
Week 4: at Philadelphia Eagles
More information Period, Total ...
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 7 | 14 | 7 | 14 | 42 |
| Eagles | 10 | 3 | 3 | 14 | 30 |
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Week 4: Kansas City Chiefs at Philadelphia Eagles – Game summary
at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Date: October 3
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT/12:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: Partly cloudy, 73 °F (23 °C)
- Game attendance: 69,796
- Referee: Land Clark
- TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle, Charles Davis and Evan Washburn
- Recap, Game Book
Week 5: vs. Buffalo Bills
More information Period, Total ...
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bills | 7 | 17 | 7 | 7 | 38 |
| Chiefs | 3 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 20 |
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Week 5: Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: October 10
- Game time: 7:20 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: 71 °F (22 °C)
- Game attendance: 73,389
- Referee: Carl Cheffers
- TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Michele Tafoya
- Recap, Game Book
Week 6: at Washington Football Team
More information Period, Total ...
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 7 | 3 | 7 | 14 | 31 |
| Washington | 3 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
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Week 6: Kansas City Chiefs at Washington Football Team – Game summary
at FedExField, Landover, Maryland
- Date: October 17
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT/12:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: Sunny, 62 °F (17 °C)
- Game attendance: 51,322
- Referee: Adrian Hill
- TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle, Charles Davis and Evan Washburn
- Recap, Game Book
Week 7: at Tennessee Titans
More information Period, Total ...
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| Titans | 14 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 27 |
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Week 7: Kansas City Chiefs at Tennessee Titans – Game summary
at Nissan Stadium, Nashville, Tennessee
- Date: October 24
- Game time: 12:00 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: Cloudy, 70 °F (21 °C)
- Game attendance: 69,484
- Referee: Brad Allen
- TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle, Charles Davis and Evan Washburn
- Recap, Game Book
Week 8: vs. New York Giants
More information Period, Total ...
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giants | 0 | 10 | 0 | 7 | 17 |
| Chiefs | 7 | 7 | 0 | 6 | 20 |
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Week 8: New York Giants at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: November 1
- Game time: 7:15 p.m. CDT
- Game weather: 39 °F (4 °C)
- Game attendance: 72,898
- Referee: Jerome Boger
- TV announcers (ESPN): Steve Levy, Brian Griese, Louis Riddick and Lisa Salters
- Recap, Game Book
Week 9: vs. Green Bay Packers
More information Period, Total ...
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Packers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| Chiefs | 7 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
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Week 9: Green Bay Packers at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: November 7
- Game time: 3:25 p.m. CST
- Game weather: 51 °F (11 °C)
- Game attendance: 73,476
- Referee: Shawn Smith
- TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi
- Recap, Game Book
Week 10: at Las Vegas Raiders
More information Period, Total ...
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 7 | 10 | 10 | 14 | 41 |
| Raiders | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14 |
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Week 10: Kansas City Chiefs at Las Vegas Raiders – Game summary
Week 11: vs. Dallas Cowboys
More information Period, Total ...
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cowboys | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 9 |
| Chiefs | 9 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 19 |
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Week 11: Dallas Cowboys at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: November 21
- Game time: 3:25 p.m. CST
- Game weather: 58 °F (14 °C)
- Game attendance: 73,494
- Referee: John Hussey
- TV announcers (Fox): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews and Tom Rinaldi
- Recap, Game Book
Week 13: vs. Denver Broncos
More information Period, Total ...
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Broncos | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 9 |
| Chiefs | 10 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 22 |
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Week 13: Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: December 5
- Game time: 7:20 p.m. CST
- Game weather: 55 °F (13 °C)
- Game attendance: 73,185
- Referee: Carl Cheffers
- TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Kathryn Tappen
- Recap, Game Book
Week 14: vs. Las Vegas Raiders
More information Period, Total ...
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Raiders | 0 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 9 |
| Chiefs | 14 | 21 | 3 | 10 | 48 |
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Week 15: at Los Angeles Chargers
More information Period, OT ...
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 7 | 3 | 3 | 15 | 6 | 34 |
| Chargers | 0 | 14 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 28 |
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Week 15: Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Chargers – Game summary
at SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California
- Date: December 16
- Game time: 7:20 p.m. CST/5:20 p.m. CST
- Game weather: None (retractable roof closed)
- Game attendance: 70,240
- Referee: Shawn Smith
- TV announcers (Fox/NFLN/Prime Video): Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews and Kristina Pink
- Recap, Game Book
Week 16: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
More information Period, Total ...
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 10 |
| Chiefs | 14 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 36 |
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Week 17: at Cincinnati Bengals
More information Period, Total ...
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 14 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 31 |
| Bengals | 7 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 34 |
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Week 17: Kansas City Chiefs at Cincinnati Bengals – Game summary
at Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio
- Date: January 2
- Game time: 1:00 p.m. EST/12:00 p.m. CST
- Game weather: Cloudy, 33 °F (1 °C)
- Game attendance: 64,505
- Referee: Ronald Torbert
- TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz, Tony Romo and Tracy Wolfson
- Recap, Game Book
Week 18: at Denver Broncos
More information Period, Total ...
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiefs | 7 | 3 | 7 | 11 | 28 |
| Broncos | 7 | 7 | 7 | 3 | 24 |
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Week 18: Kansas City Chiefs at Denver Broncos – Game summary
at Empower Field at Mile High, Denver, Colorado
- Date: January 8
- Game time: 3:30 p.m. CST/2:30 p.m. MST
- Game weather: Cloudy, 44 °F (7 °C)
- Game attendance: 76,012
- Referee: Brad Rogers
- TV announcers (ESPN/ABC): Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Laura Rutledge
- Recap, Game Book
Standings
Division
More information AFC West, W ...
| AFC West | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | PF | PA | STK | |
| (2) Kansas City Chiefs | 12 | 5 | 0 | .706 | 5–1 | 7–5 | 480 | 364 | W1 |
| (5) Las Vegas Raiders | 10 | 7 | 0 | .588 | 3–3 | 8–4 | 374 | 439 | W4 |
| Los Angeles Chargers | 9 | 8 | 0 | .529 | 3–3 | 6–6 | 474 | 459 | L1 |
| Denver Broncos | 7 | 10 | 0 | .412 | 1–5 | 3–9 | 335 | 322 | L4 |
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Conference
More information #, Team ...
| # | Team | Division | W | L | T | PCT | DIV | CONF | SOS | SOV | STK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division winners | |||||||||||
| 1[lower-alpha 1] | Tennessee Titans | South | 12 | 5 | 0 | .706 | 5–1 | 8–4 | .472 | .480 | W3 |
| 2[lower-alpha 1] | Kansas City Chiefs | West | 12 | 5 | 0 | .706 | 5–1 | 7–5 | .538 | .517 | W1 |
| 3 | Buffalo Bills | East | 11 | 6 | 0 | .647 | 5–1 | 7–5 | .472 | .428 | W4 |
| 4 | Cincinnati Bengals | North | 10 | 7 | 0 | .588 | 4–2 | 8–4 | .472 | .462 | L1 |
| Wild cards | |||||||||||
| 5[lower-alpha 2] | Las Vegas Raiders | West | 10 | 7 | 0 | .588 | 3–3 | 8–4 | .510 | .515 | W4 |
| 6[lower-alpha 2] | New England Patriots | East | 10 | 7 | 0 | .588 | 3–3 | 8–4 | .481 | .394 | L1 |
| 7 | Pittsburgh Steelers | North | 9 | 7 | 1 | .559 | 4–2 | 7–5 | .521 | .490 | W2 |
| Did not qualify for the postseason | |||||||||||
| 8[lower-alpha 3] | Indianapolis Colts | South | 9 | 8 | 0 | .529 | 3–3 | 7–5 | .495 | .431 | L2 |
| 9[lower-alpha 3][lower-alpha 4] | Miami Dolphins | East | 9 | 8 | 0 | .529 | 4–2 | 6–6 | .464 | .379 | W1 |
| 10[lower-alpha 3][lower-alpha 4] | Los Angeles Chargers | West | 9 | 8 | 0 | .529 | 3–3 | 6–6 | .510 | .500 | L1 |
| 11[lower-alpha 5] | Cleveland Browns | North | 8 | 9 | 0 | .471 | 3–3 | 5–7 | .514 | .415 | W1 |
| 12[lower-alpha 5] | Baltimore Ravens | North | 8 | 9 | 0 | .471 | 1–5 | 5–7 | .531 | .460 | L6 |
| 13 | Denver Broncos | West | 7 | 10 | 0 | .412 | 1–5 | 3–9 | .484 | .357 | L4 |
| 14[lower-alpha 6] | New York Jets | East | 4 | 13 | 0 | .235 | 0–6 | 4–8 | .512 | .426 | L2 |
| 15[lower-alpha 6] | Houston Texans | South | 4 | 13 | 0 | .235 | 3–3 | 4–8 | .498 | .397 | L2 |
| 16 | Jacksonville Jaguars | South | 3 | 14 | 0 | .176 | 1–5 | 3–9 | .512 | .569 | W1 |
| Tiebreakers[lower-alpha 7] | |||||||||||
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See also: 2021–22 NFL playoffs
Schedule
More information Round, Date ...
| Round | Date | Opponent (seed) | Result | Record | Venue | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wild Card | January 16 | Pittsburgh Steelers (7) | W 42–21 | 1–0 | Arrowhead Stadium | Recap |
| Divisional | January 23 | Buffalo Bills (3) | W 42–36 (OT) | 2–0 | Arrowhead Stadium | Recap |
| AFC Championship | January 30 | Cincinnati Bengals (4) | L 24–27 (OT) | 2–1 | Arrowhead Stadium | Recap |
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Game summaries
AFC Wild Card Playoffs: vs. (7) Pittsburgh Steelers
More information Period, Total ...
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steelers | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
| Chiefs | 0 | 21 | 14 | 7 | 42 |
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AFC Wild Card Playoffs: (7) Pittsburgh Steelers at (2) Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: January 16, 2022
- Game time: 7:15 p.m. CST
- Game weather: 30 °F (−1 °C)
- Game attendance: 73,253
- Referee: Shawn Smith
- TV announcers (NBC): Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth and Michele Tafoya
- Recap, Game Book
AFC Divisional Playoffs: vs. (3) Buffalo Bills
Main article: 2021 AFC Divisional playoff game (Buffalo–Kansas City)
More information Period, OT ...
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bills | 7 | 7 | 7 | 15 | 0 | 36 |
| Chiefs | 7 | 7 | 9 | 13 | 6 | 42 |
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AFC Divisional Playoffs: (3) Buffalo Bills at (2) Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: January 23, 2022
- Game time: 6:40 p.m. EST/5:40 p.m. CST
- Game weather: 37 °F (3 °C)
- Game attendance: 73,242
- Referee: John Hussey
- TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson and Jay Feely
- Recap, Game Book
AFC Championship: vs. (4) Cincinnati Bengals
More information Period, OT ...
| Period | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bengals | 3 | 7 | 11 | 3 | 3 | 27 |
| Chiefs | 7 | 14 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 24 |
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AFC Championship: (4) Cincinnati Bengals at (2) Kansas City Chiefs – Game summary
at Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, Missouri
- Date: January 30, 2022
- Game time: 3:05 p.m. EST/2:05 p.m. CST
- Game weather: Cloudy, 41 °F (5 °C)
- Game attendance: 73,377
- Referee: Bill Vinovich
- TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson, Evan Washburn and Jay Feely
- Recap, Game Book
Team
More information Category, Total yards ...
| Category | Total yards | Yards per game | NFL rank (out of 32) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passing offense | 4,791 | 281.8 | 4th |
| Rushing offense | 1,955 | 115.0 | 16th |
| Total offense | 6,746 | 396.8 | 3rd |
| Passing defense | 4,273 | 251.4 | 27th |
| Rushing defense | 1,999 | 117.6 | 21st |
| Total defense | 6,272 | 368.9 | 27th |
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Individual
More information Category, Player ...
| Category | Player | Total yards | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offense | |||
| Passing | Patrick Mahomes | 4,839 | |
| Rushing | Darrel Williams | 558 | |
| Receiving | Tyreek Hill | 1,239 | |
| Defense | |||
| Tackles (Solo) | Nick Bolton | 70 | |
| Sacks | Chris Jones | 9 | |
| Interceptions | Tyrann Mathieu | 3 | |
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Statistics correct as of the end of the 2021 NFL season[43][44]
- Staff, KMBC 9 News (January 24, 2022). "Chiefs to host record setting fourth straight AFC Championship". KMBC. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - Palmer, Tod (January 24, 2022). "Chiefs make history by hosting 4th straight AFC Championship Game". KSHB 41 Kansas City News. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
- "Chiefs and GEHA Announce Naming Rights Agreement for GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium". Chiefs.com. March 4, 2021. Archived from the original on March 4, 2021. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
- Patra, Kevin (March 11, 2021). "Chiefs release starting tackles Eric Fisher, Mitchell Schwartz". NFL.com. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
- "Chiefs' Anthony Sherman announces he's retiring". KMBC.com. March 4, 2021.
- "Kansas City Chiefs aren't changing name. But they're putting Warpaint out to pasture". The Kansas City Star. July 27, 2021.
- "Mahomes dazzles as Chiefs rally for 33–29 win over Browns". ESPN.com. September 12, 2021.
- Kerr, Jeff (September 27, 2021). "Patrick Mahomes not concerned about Chiefs being in last place: 'I think we'll be ready for the challenge'". CBSSports.com.
- Rogers, Martin (January 24, 2022). "Best NFL playoff game ever? Chiefs, Bills make case". FoxSports.com. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
- Morse, Ben (January 24, 2022). "Patrick Mahomes goes 'Grim Reaper' as Kansas City Chiefs defeat the Buffalo Bills in epic back-and-forth overtime battle". CNN.com. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
- Barnwell, Bill (January 24, 2022). "Greatest NFL playoff round ever? 10 takeaways from Bills-Chiefs, struggles by Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers, plus how the Rams, 49ers and Bengals won". ESPN.com. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
- Levin, Josh (January 24, 2022). "How Chiefs-Bills Became One of the Greatest Games in NFL History". Slate.com. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
- Dodd, Dennis (January 24, 2022). "Chiefs' epic victory over Bills leaves NFL fans longing for more, but it doesn't get any better than this". NFL.com. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
- Ley, Tom (January 24, 2022). "That Was A Football Game For All Time". Defector.com. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
- "Mahomes lifts Chiefs past Allen's Bills in seesawing overtime thriller". Yahoo UK. January 24, 2022. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
- "Chiefs 2021 transactions". Chiefs.com.
- "Chiefs RBs coach Deland McCullough leaving for Indiana". NBC Sports. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
- Gordon, Grant (September 7, 2021). "RB Le'Veon Bell signing with Ravens practice squad". nfl.com. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
- Smith, Eric (June 4, 2021). "Vikings Agree to Terms with CB Bashaud Breeland". Vikings.com.
- "Lions announce signings of NB Alex Brown, S Alijah Holder, and TE Charlie Taumoepeau". Pride of Detroit. SB Nation. May 17, 2021.
- Smith, Scott (May 17, 2021). "Bucs Sign Four Veterans After Weekend Tryout". Buccaneers.com.
- "New Orleans Saints agree to terms with defensive end Tanoh Kpassagnon on two-year contract". NewOrleansSaints.com. March 29, 2021. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
- Mayer, Larry (June 18, 2021). "Roster Moves: Bears sign three free agents". Chicago Bears. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
- Williams, Charean (June 17, 2021). "Chiefs cut Martinas Rankin". NBCSports.com. Retrieved June 20, 2021.
- "Austin Reiter". NBCSportsEdge.com.
- Baca, Michael (March 26, 2021). "Ravens signing WR Sammy Watkins to one-year, $6 million deal". NFL.com. Retrieved March 26, 2021.
- Mayer, Larry (March 26, 2021). "Roster Move: Bears land ex-Chiefs RB Williams". ChicagoBears.com.
- "Jaguars Sign Linebacker Damien Wilson". Jaguars.com. April 2, 2021. Retrieved April 2, 2021.
- Stackpole, Kyle (May 5, 2021). "Washington Signs TE Deon Yelder, CB Linden Stephens". WashingtonFootball.com. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
- Alper, Josh (August 8, 2021). "Chiefs place Nick Keizer on retired list, sign Bryan Witzmann". Pro Football Talk. NBC Sports.
- Daniel Kilgore [@danielkilgore67] (July 26, 2021). "Retirement" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- Goldman, Charles (April 25, 2020). "Chiefs trade up into seventh round, select Tulane CB Thakarius 'BoPete' Keyes". USA Today. Retrieved April 26, 2020.
- Smith, Michael David (November 3, 2020). "Chiefs trade DeAndre Washington to Dolphins". ProFootballTalk. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
- "Chiefs acquire OT Orlando Brown in trade with Ravens". NFL. April 23, 2021. Retrieved April 23, 2021.
- "Chiefs re-sign WR Marcus Kemp to 53-man roster". USAToday.com.
- "Chiefs 2022 transactions". Chiefs.com.
- "2021 NFL Team Total Statistics". ESPN. Retrieved January 10, 2022.
- "Chiefs Stats". Kansas City Chiefs. Retrieved January 11, 2022.