| Team: | Kansas City Chiefs |
| Year: | 1996 |
| Record: | 9–7 |
| Division Place: | 2nd AFC West |
| Coach: | Marty Schottenheimer |
| General Manager: | Carl Peterson |
| Owner: | Lamar Hunt |
| Stadium: | Arrowhead Stadium |
| Playoffs: | Did not qualify |
| Shortnavlink: | Chiefs seasons |
The 1996 season was the Kansas City Chiefs' 27th in the National Football League (NFL) and their 37th overall. Following their loss to the Colts in the playoffs the year before, the Chiefs failed to improve their 13–3 record from 1995 and finishing 9–7 record and second-place finish in the AFC West. Despite being predicted as one of the eventual winners of Super Bowl XXXI by Sports Illustrated,[1] the team missed the playoffs for the first time since 1989.
See main article: 1996 NFL draft. [2]
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | Recap | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | August 4 | vs. Dallas Cowboys | W 32–6 | 1–0 | 45,128 | Recap | ||
| 2 | New Orleans Saints | W 42–6 | 2–0 | Arrowhead Stadium | 65,710 | Recap | ||
| 3 | St. Louis Rams | L 30–34 | 2–1 | Arrowhead Stadium | 72,191 | Recap | ||
| 4 | at Chicago Bears | W 14–10 | 3–1 | Soldier Field | 51,111 | Recap |
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | Recap | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 1 | at Houston Oilers | W 20–19 | 1–0 | Houston Astrodome | 27,725 | Recap | |
| 2 | September 8 | Oakland Raiders | W 19–3 | 2–0 | Arrowhead Stadium | 79,281 | Recap | |
| 3 | September 15 | at Seattle Seahawks | W 35–17 | 3–0 | Kingdome | 39,790 | Recap | |
| 4 | September 22 | Denver Broncos | W 17–14 | 4–0 | Arrowhead Stadium | 79,439 | Recap | |
| 5 | September 29 | at San Diego Chargers | L 19–22 | 4–1 | Jack Murphy Stadium | 59,384 | Recap | |
| 6 | Pittsburgh Steelers | L 7–17 | 4–2 | Arrowhead Stadium | 79,189 | Recap | ||
| 7 | Bye | |||||||
| 8 | Seattle Seahawks | W 34–16 | 5–2 | Arrowhead Stadium | 76,057 | Recap | ||
| 9 | October 27 | at Denver Broncos | L 7–34 | 5–3 | Mile High Stadium | 75,652 | Recap | |
| 10 | November 3 | at Minnesota Vikings | W 21–6 | 6–3 | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome | 59,552 | Recap | |
| 11 | November 10 | Green Bay Packers | W 27–20 | 7–3 | Arrowhead Stadium | 79,281 | Recap | |
| 12 | November 17 | Chicago Bears | W 14–10 | 8–3 | Arrowhead Stadium | 76,762 | Recap | |
| 13 | November 24 | San Diego Chargers | L 14–28 | 8–4 | Arrowhead Stadium | 69,472 | Recap | |
| 14 | November 28 | at Detroit Lions | W 28–24 | 9–4 | Pontiac Silverdome | 75,079 | Recap | |
| 15 | at Oakland Raiders | L 7–26 | 9–5 | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum | 57,082 | Recap | ||
| 16 | December 15 | Indianapolis Colts | L 19–24 | 9–6 | Arrowhead Stadium | 71,136 | Recap | |
| 17 | December 22 | at Buffalo Bills | L 9–20 | 9–7 | Rich Stadium | 68,671 | Recap | |