1965 Kansas City Chiefs season

{{Infobox NFL team season

| team = Kansas City Chiefs

| year = 1965

| record = 7–5–2

| division_place = 3rd AFL Western

| coach = Hank Stram

| general manager = Jack Steadman

| owner = Lamar Hunt

| stadium = Municipal Stadium

| AFL allstars = QB Len Dawson
WR Frank Jackson
OT Jim Tyrer
FB Curtis McClinton
DE Jerry Mays
DE Buck Buchanan
LB Sherrill Headrick
LB E. J. Holub
LB Bobby Bell
S Johnny Robinson

| playoffs = Did not qualify

| shortnavlink = Chiefs seasons

}}

The 1965 Kansas City Chiefs season was the sixth season for the Kansas City Chiefs as a professional AFL franchise and the third in Kansas City; they finished with a 7–5–2 record (their first winning season in Kansas City), third in the Western division.

For the 1965 season, the Chiefs were caught in the middle of the AFL and NFL's bidding wars for college talent. Kansas City made running back Gale Sayers from the University of Kansas their first-round draft pick (sixth overall),NFL 2001 Record and Fact Book, Workman Publishing Co, New York, NY, {{ISBN|0-7611-2480-2}}, p. 395 but Sayers signed with the Chicago Bears, who had selected him fourth overall in the NFL's draft.

The Chiefs lost running back Mack Lee Hill late in the year when he suffered torn ligaments in his right knee in the next-to-last regular-season game at Buffalo on December 12. Following what was expected to be a routine surgery two days later at Menorah Hospital in Kansas City, Hill died from what was termed "a sudden and massive embolism."{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=rE4yAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UOYFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4303%2C1888915 |work=Lawrence Daily Journal-World |location=(Kansas) |agency=Associated Press |title=Mack Lee Hill is dead at 25 after surgery |date=December 15, 1965 |page=26}} Hunt called Hill's death "the worst shock possible." Five days after Hill's unexpected death, the mourning Chiefs defeated the Denver Broncos to finish with a 7–5–2 record.{{Cite web |url=http://www.kcchiefs.com/history/60s |title=Kansas City Chiefs History 1960's |access-date=July 30, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041018042826/http://www.kcchiefs.com/history/60s/ |archive-date=October 18, 2004 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=sE4yAAAAIBAJ&sjid=UOYFAAAAIBAJ&pg=7393%2C2424769 |work=Lawrence Daily Journal-World |location=(Kansas) |title=3 ex-KU stars in victories while Sayers' club beaten |date=December 20, 1965 |page=22}}

Roster

class="toccolours" style="text-align: left; border: 2px solid black;"
colspan="7" style="text-align:center;{{NFLPrimaryStyle\|Kansas City Chiefs\|border=2}};" \| 1965 Kansas City Chiefs roster
style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" \| Quarterbacks 16 Len Dawson QB 10 Pete Beathard Running Backs 30 Jack Spikes P/FB 23 Bert Coan HB 32 Curtis McClinton FB 36 Mack Lee Hill FB 26 Frank Jackson HB Wide Receivers / Flankers 89 Otis Taylor WR / PR / KR 26 Frank Pitts WR / FL / HB 28 Abner Haynes WR / RB / KR 80 Reggie Carolan WR / FL 42 Johnny Robinson HB / WR / DB Tight Ends 84 Fred Arbanas TE 88 Chris Burford WR / E \| style="width: 25px;" \| \| style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" \| Offensive Linemen 77 Jim Tyrer LG 79 Jerry Cornelison T/G 71 Ed Budde LG 60 Al Reynolds RG 61 Dennis Biodrowski G 65 Jon Gilliam C 64 Curt Merz RG 73 Dave Hill RT Defensive Linemen 85 Chuck Hurston DE 76 Hatch Rosdahl DE 82 Ed Lothamer DE 75 Jerry Mays DE 86 Buck Buchanan LDT 79 Al Dotson DT 70 Curt Farrier DT 87 Mel Branch RDE \| style="width: 25px;" \| \| style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" \| Linebackers 78 Bobby Bell OLB / DE 56 Walt Corey RLB 69 Sherrill Headrick MLB 35 Smokey Stover LLB 55 E.J. Holub LLB 69 Sherrill Headrick MLB 50 Ronnie Caveness LB Defensive Backs 24 Fred Williamson LCB 38 Solomon Brannan CB 20 Bobby Hunt SS 45 Dave Grayson RCB 22 Willie Mitchell DB 14 Bobby Ply LB / DB Special Teams 51 Tommy Brooker K / LB 44 Jerrel Wilson P Rookies in italics

class="toccolours" style="text-align: left; border: 2px solid black;"

colspan="7" style="text-align:center;{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Kansas City Chiefs|border=2}};" | 1965 Kansas City Chiefs roster

style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" | Quarterbacks

16 Len Dawson QB
10 Pete Beathard

Running Backs

Wide Receivers / Flankers

89 Otis Taylor WR / PR / KR
26 Frank Pitts WR / FL / HB
28 Abner Haynes WR / RB / KR
80 Reggie Carolan WR / FL
42 Johnny Robinson HB / WR / DB

Tight Ends

84 Fred Arbanas TE
88 Chris Burford WR / E

| style="width: 25px;" |

| style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" | Offensive Linemen

77 Jim Tyrer LG
79 Jerry Cornelison T/G
71 Ed Budde LG
60 Al Reynolds RG
61 Dennis Biodrowski G
65 Jon Gilliam C
64 Curt Merz RG
73 Dave Hill RT

Defensive Linemen

85 Chuck Hurston DE
76 Hatch Rosdahl DE
82 Ed Lothamer DE
75 Jerry Mays DE
86 Buck Buchanan LDT
79 Al Dotson DT
70 Curt Farrier DT
87 Mel Branch RDE

| style="width: 25px;" |

| style="font-size: 95%;" valign="top" | Linebackers

78 Bobby Bell OLB / DE
56 Walt Corey RLB
69 Sherrill Headrick MLB
35 Smokey Stover LLB
55 E.J. Holub LLB
69 Sherrill Headrick MLB
50 Ronnie Caveness LB

Defensive Backs

24 Fred Williamson LCB
38 Solomon Brannan CB
20 Bobby Hunt SS
45 Dave Grayson RCB
22 Willie Mitchell DB
14 Bobby Ply LB / DB

Special Teams

51 Tommy Brooker K / LB
44 Jerrel Wilson P

Rookies in italics

{{cite web | url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/teams/kan/1965_roster.htm | title=1965 Kansas City Chiefs Roster & Players | website=Pro-Football-Reference.com }}

Preseason

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Kansas City Chiefs|year=1965|border=2}}"| Week

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Kansas City Chiefs|year=1965|border=2}}"| Date

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Kansas City Chiefs|year=1965|border=2}}"| Opponent

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Kansas City Chiefs|year=1965|border=2}}"| Result

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Kansas City Chiefs|year=1965|border=2}}"| Record

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Kansas City Chiefs|year=1965|border=2}}"| Venue

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Kansas City Chiefs|year=1965|border=2}}"| Attendance

!style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle|Kansas City Chiefs|year=1965|border=2}}"| Recap

style="background:#cfc"

! 1

| {{dow tooltip|August 7, 1965}}

| at Denver Broncos

| W 30–24

| 1–0

| Bears Stadium

| 17,707

| [https://www.profootballarchives.com/1965aflkc.html Recap]

style="background:#fcc"

! 2

| {{dow tooltip|August 15, 1965}}

| San Diego Chargers

| L 10–31

| 1–1

| Municipal Stadium

| 13,132

| [https://www.profootballarchives.com/1965aflkc.html Recap]

style="background:#fcc"

! 3

| {{dow tooltip|August 22, 1965}}

| at Oakland Raiders

| L 6–23

| 1–2

| Frank Youell Field

| 13,592

| [https://www.profootballarchives.com/1965aflkc.html Recap]

style="background:#cfc"

! 4

| {{dow tooltip|August 28, 1965}}

| vs. Buffalo Bills

| W 18–16

| 2–2

| Veterans Field {{small|(Wichita, KS)}}

| 15,157

| [https://www.profootballarchives.com/1965aflkc.html Recap]

style="background:#cfc"

! 5

| {{dow tooltip|September 4, 1965}}

| Boston Patriots

| W 34–7

| 3–2

| Municipal Stadium

| 15,157

| [https://www.profootballarchives.com/1965aflkc.html Recap]

Regular season

=Schedule=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" !style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle\|Kansas City Chiefs\|year=1965\|border=2}}"\| Week !style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle\|Kansas City Chiefs\|year=1965\|border=2}}"\| Date !style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle\|Kansas City Chiefs\|year=1965\|border=2}}"\| Opponent !style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle\|Kansas City Chiefs\|year=1965\|border=2}}"\| Result !style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle\|Kansas City Chiefs\|year=1965\|border=2}}"\| Record !style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle\|Kansas City Chiefs\|year=1965\|border=2}}"\| Venue !style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle\|Kansas City Chiefs\|year=1965\|border=2}}"\| Attendance !style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle\|Kansas City Chiefs\|year=1965\|border=2}}"\| Recap
style="background:#fcc" ! 1 \| September 12 \| at Oakland Raiders \| L 10–37 \| 0–1 \| Frank Youell Field \| 18,659 \| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196509120rai.htm Recap]
style="background:#cfc" ! 2 \| {{dow tooltip\|September 18, 1965}} \| at New York Jets \| W 14–10 \| 1–1 \| Shea Stadium \| 53,658 \| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196509180nyj.htm Recap]
style="background:#ffc" ! 3 \| September 26 \| at San Diego Chargers \| T 10–10 \| 1–1–1 \| Balboa Stadium \| 28,126 \| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196509260sdg.htm Recap]
style="background:#cfc" ! 4 \| October 3 \| Boston Patriots \| W 27–17 \| 2–1–1 \| Municipal Stadium \| 26,773 \| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196510030kan.htm Recap]
style="background:#cfc" ! 5 \| October 10 \| at Denver Broncos \| W 31–23 \| 3–1–1 \| Bears Stadium \| 31,001 \| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196510100den.htm Recap]
style="background:#fcc" ! 6 \| October 17 \| Buffalo Bills \| L 7–23 \| 3–2–1 \| Municipal Stadium \| 26,941 \| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196510170kan.htm Recap]
style="background:#fcc" ! 7 \| October 24 \| at Houston Oilers \| L 36–38 \| 3–3–1 \| Rice Stadium \| 34,670 \| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196510240oti.htm Recap]
style="background:#cfc" ! 8 \| October 31 \| Oakland Raiders \| W 14–7 \| 4–3–1 \| Municipal Stadium \| 18,354 \| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196510310kan.htm Recap]
style="background:#fcc" ! 9 \| November 7 \| New York Jets \| L 10–13 \| 4–4–1 \| Municipal Stadium \| 25,523 \| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196511070kan.htm Recap]
style="background:#cfc" ! 10 \| November 14 \| San Diego Chargers \| W 31–7 \| 5–4–1 \| Municipal Stadium \| 21,968 \| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196511140kan.htm Recap]
style="background:#ffc" ! 11 \| November 21 \| at Boston Patriots \| T 10–10 \| 5–4–2 \| Fenway Park \| 13,056 \| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196511210nwe.htm Recap]
style="background:#cfc;" ! 12 \| November 28 \| Houston Oilers \| W 52–21 \| 6–4–2 \| Municipal Stadium \| 16,459 \| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196511280kan.htm Recap]
13 \| colspan="7" \|Bye
style="background:#fcc" ! 14 \| December 12 \| at Buffalo Bills \| L 25–34 \| 6–5–2 \| War Memorial Stadium \| 40,298 \| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196512120buf.htm Recap]
style="background:#cfc" ! 15 \| December 19 \| Denver Broncos \| W 45–35 \| 7–5–2 \| Municipal Stadium \| 14,421 \| [https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/196512190kan.htm Recap]
style="{{NFLPrimaryStyle\|Kansas City Chiefs\|year=1965\|border=2}}" \|colspan="8"\| Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.