After beginning the 2003 season 9–0, the Chiefs finished the regular season with a record of 13–3. 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. 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. Kansas City concluded its 13–3 regular season with a 31–3 victory vs. Chicago (December 28), marking a perfect 8–0 a record at home and the club's 13th consecutive regular-season victory at Arrowhead Stadium. In that win,
Priest Holmes set a trio of TD records. He finished the season with 27 rushing scores, establishing NFL single-season records for both rushing TDs and total TDs. Holmes (61) also bypassed WR Otis Taylor (60) for the most career TDs scored by a player in Chiefs history. The Chief's five-win improvement from the previous season tied as the best mark in franchise 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 team also led the NFL with a +19 turnover differential. Nine Chiefs players received
Pro Bowl recognition, the third-highest total in team history, while the club's six offensive Pro Bowlers marked the most in club annals.
Schedule Note: Intra-division opponents are in
bold text.
Game summaries Week 1: vs. San Diego Chargers 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.
Drew Brees of the Chargers was intercepted twice in the 27–14 Chiefs win.
Week 2: vs. Pittsburgh Steelers The Steelers scored first on a
Chad Scott interception, but after leading 10–0 Pittsburgh was torched by
Dante Hall’s 100-yard kick return score.
Priest Holmes ran in three touchdowns while Steelers quarterback
Tommy Maddox was intercepted three times including one returned for a touchdown by
Jerome Woods in a 41–20 Chiefs win. During halftime the chiefs held a ceremony honoring former head coach
Hank Stram inducting him into the ring of honor at Arrowhead Stadium.
Week 3: at Houston Texans The Chiefs
made their first trip to Houston since
September 1996, now playing in
Reliant Stadium next door to the
Astrodome. Kansas City's aggregate winning streak against Houston NFL teams reached five as Houston was hammered 42–14 despite two
Trent Green interceptions. The Chiefs rushed for 168 yards and three touchdowns.
Week 4: at Baltimore Ravens The Ravens held the Chiefs to 265 yards of offense and out-rushed them 202 yards (
Jamal Lewis accounted for 115 yards and the tying touchdown in the final six minutes) to 129, but
Dante Hall raced in the winning score (17–10 Chiefs) on the kickoff following Lewis’ score and
Kyle Boller was intercepted at the Chiefs 2-yard line in the final minute. Ex-Raven
Priest Holmes had 25 touches (22 carries and four catches) for a combined 103 yards.
Week 5: vs. Denver Broncos Dante Hall’s signature touchdown came in the fourth quarter with the 4–0 Chiefs trailing 23–17 against the 4–0 Broncos. In the final nine minutes, he caught a punt, was chased back to his three-yard line, then cut left, and stormed past the Denver punt coverage unit to score.
Jason Elam missed a Broncos field goal attempt but
Priest Holmes fumbled at the Broncos eight-yard line.
Jake Plummer advanced the Broncos to their 28 but went no further. The Chief's 24–23 win came despite being outgained in yardage 468-262 and despite two turnovers to one by Denver.
Week 6: at Green Bay Packers This edition of the rematch series from
the first AFL-NFL World Championship Game became one of the most competitive games of the season. The Packers raced to a 14–0 lead before two
Trent Green touchdowns tied the game. The Packers scored seventeen straight points in the second and third quarters but early in the fourth
Priest Holmes scored.
Brett Favre was then intercepted by
Jerome Woods at the Chiefs 21 and Woods scored. Exchanges of field goals (
Morten Anderson’s 31-yard kick came with one second left) left the game tied 31–31. The Chiefs in overtime called eight straight Holmes rushes before trying a 48-yard field goal; the kick was blocked by
Cletidus Hunt. On the Packers possession
Ahman Green was immediately stopped by Woods and Woods forced the fumble recovered at the Chiefs 49; Trent Green then unloaded deep to
Eddie Kennison and Kennison scored, thus ending a 40–34 Chiefs triumph.
Week 7: at Oakland Raiders Week 8: vs. Buffalo Bills 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.
Week 10: vs. Cleveland Browns Trent Green had 368 yards and three touchdowns, Priest Holmes added two scores on the ground, and the Browns were limited to 199 yards of offense in a 41–20 Chiefs win. During halftime the chiefs in a ceremony honored their former running back
Marcus Allen inducting him into the ring of honor.
Week 11: at Cincinnati Bengals An undefeated season (attending
Miami's overtime win over
the Ravens members of
the 1972 Dolphins kept a close watch on this game) would not transpire as the Bengals surged to their fifth win, fulfilling a pregame prediction by
Chad Johnson (seven catches, 74 yards) of a Bengals win.
Jon Kitna’s 77-yard strike to
Peter Warrick effectively ended the 24–19 Bengals upset despite a late Trent Green score.
Week 12: vs. Oakland Raiders The 3–7 Raiders refused to go quietly as they erased a 21–7 Chiefs lead.
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.
Week 13: at San Diego Chargers The Chiefs reached eleven wins leading wire to wire at
Qualcomm Stadium despite two Trent Green interceptions to go with two Green touchdowns. Priest Holmes exploded to 162 rushing yards and two scores.
Week 14: at Denver Broncos The Chiefs suffered their second loss of the season 45–27. The game lead tied or changed six times in the first three quarters but after taking a 24–21 lead the Broncos added 21 more points.
Clinton Portis ran in five touchdowns for Denver.
Week 15: vs. Detroit Lions 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. It was
Steve Mariucci’s only career loss to the Chiefs. Detroit did not return to Kansas City until the 2023 NFL season opener where the Lions beat the Chiefs 21-20.
Week 16: at Minnesota Vikings Having clinched the
AFC West the Chiefs were vying for a playoff bye. 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. Despite the 45-20 loss, the Chiefs gained on a playoff bye on Denver's win over
the Colts the next day.
Week 17: vs. Chicago Bears 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. They did so 31–3 on three rushing scores while the 7-9 Bears used three quarterbacks who combined for two interceptions.
Standings ==Postseason==