document_title: Kansas City Chiefs

question_text: who did the chiefs play in the playoffs

question_tokens: who did the chiefs play in the playoffs

text: Kansas City Chiefs

text: Franchise history[edit]

text: In 1959, Lamar Hunt began discussions with other businessmen to establish a professional football league that would rival the National Football League.[6][7][8] Hunt's desire to secure a football team was heightened after watching the 1958 NFL Championship Game between the New York Giants and Baltimore Colts.[7][9] After unsuccessful attempts to purchase and relocate the NFL's Chicago Cardinals to his hometown of Dallas, Texas,[6][10] Hunt went to the NFL and asked to create an expansion franchise in Dallas. The NFL turned him down, so Hunt then established the American Football League and started his own team, the Dallas Texans, to begin play in 1960. Hunt hired a little-known assistant coach from the University of Miami football team, Hank Stram, to be the team's head coach[7] after the job offer was declined by Bud Wilkinson and Tom Landry.[7]

text: After Stram was hired, Don Klosterman was hired as head scout, credited by many for bringing a wealth of talent to the Texans after luring it away from the NFL, often hiding players and using creative means to land them.

text: The Texans shared the Cotton Bowl with the NFL's cross-town competition Dallas Cowboys for three seasons. The Texans were to have exclusive access to the stadium until the NFL put an expansion team, the Dallas Cowboys, there.[7] While the team averaged a league-best 24,500 at the Cotton Bowl, the Texans gained less attention due to the AFL's relatively lower profile compared to the NFL.[7] In the franchise's first two seasons, the team managed only a 8–6 and 6–8 record, respectively.[11] In their third season, the Texans strolled to an 11–3 record and a berth in the team's first American Football League Championship Game, against the Houston Oilers.[10][11] The game was broadcast nationally on ABC and the Texans defeated the Oilers 20–17 in double overtime.[10] The game lasted 77 minutes and 54 seconds, which still stands as the longest championship game in professional football history.[10]

text: It turned out to be the last game the team would play as the Dallas Texans. Despite competing against a Cowboys team that managed only a 9–28–3 record in their first three seasons, Hunt decided that the Dallas–Fort Worth media market could not sustain two professional football franchises.[10][12] He considered moving the Texans to either Atlanta or Miami for the 1963 season.[10] However, he was ultimately swayed by an offer from Kansas City Mayor Harold Roe Bartle.[10][12][13] Bartle promised to triple the franchise's season ticket sales and expand the seating capacity of Municipal Stadium to accommodate the team.[10][12][13]

text: Hunt agreed to relocate the franchise to Kansas City on May 22, 1963, and on May 26 the team was renamed the Kansas City Chiefs.[10][12][13] Hunt and head coach Hank Stram initially planned to retain the Texans name, but a fan contest determined the new "Chiefs" name in honor of Mayor Bartle's nickname that he acquired in his professional role as Scout Executive of the St. Joseph and Kansas City Boy Scout Councils and founder of the Scouting Society, the Tribe of Mic-O-Say.[10][13] A total of 4,866 entries were received with 1,020 different names being suggested, including a total of 42 entrants who selected "Chiefs."[citation needed] The two names that received the most popular votes were "Mules" and "Royals" (which, 6 years later, would be the name of the city's Major League Baseball expansion franchise in 1969, after the Athletics left Kansas City for Oakland following the 1967 season).[citation needed]

text: The franchise became one of the strongest teams in the now thriving American Football League,[6] with the most playoff appearances for an AFL team (tied with the Oakland Raiders), and the most AFL Championships (3).[10] The team's dominance helped Lamar Hunt become a central figure in negotiations with NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle to agree on an AFL–NFL merger.[10][14] In the meetings between the two leagues, a merged league championship game was agreed to be played in January 1967 following the conclusion of the leagues' respective 1966 seasons. Hunt insisted on calling the game the "Super Bowl" after seeing his children playing with a popular toy at the time, a Super Ball.[10][14][15] While the first few games were designated the "AFL–NFL World Championship Game", the Super Bowl name became its officially licensed title in years to come.

text: The Chiefs cruised to an 11–2–1 record in 1966, and defeated the defending AFL Champion Buffalo Bills in the AFL Championship Game.[16] The Chiefs were invited to play the NFL's league champion Green Bay Packers in the first AFL–NFL World Championship Game. Kansas City and Green Bay played a close game for the first half, but Green Bay took control in the final two quarters, winning the game by a score of 35–10.[10] The Chiefs lost the game but gained the respect of several Packers opponents following the game.[17] The Chiefs' interleague match-up with the Packers was not the last time that they would face an NFL opponent, especially on the championship stage.[10] The following August, Kansas City hosted the NFL's Chicago Bears in the 1967 preseason and won the game 66–24.[10]

text: Despite losing to the division rival Oakland Raiders twice in the regular season in 1969, the two teams met for a third time in the AFL Championship Game where Kansas City won 17–7.[11] Backup quarterback Mike Livingston led the team in a six-game winning streak after Len Dawson suffered a leg injury which kept him out of most of the season's games.[10] While getting plenty of help from the club's defense, Dawson returned from the injury and led the Chiefs to Super Bowl IV.[10] Against the NFL champion Minnesota Vikings,[6] who were favored by 12½, the Chiefs dominated the game 23–7 to claim the team's first Super Bowl championship.[10] Dawson was named the game's Most Valuable Player after completing 12-of-17 passes for 142 yards and one touchdown, with 1 interception.[18] The following season, the Chiefs and the rest of the American Football League merged with the National Football League after the AFL–NFL merger became official.[10] The Chiefs were placed in the American Football Conference's West Division.[11]

text: From 1960 to 1969, the Chiefs/Texans won 87 games, which is the most in the 10-year history of the AFL.[19]

text: In 1970, the Chiefs won only seven games in their first season in the NFL and missed the playoffs.[11] The following season, the Chiefs tallied a 10–3–1 record and won the AFC West Division.[20] Head coach Hank Stram considered his 1971 Chiefs team as his best, but they failed to capture their championship dominance from 1969.[20] Most of the pieces of the team which won Super Bowl IV two years earlier were still in place for the 1971 season.[20] The Chiefs tied with the Miami Dolphins for the best record in the AFC, and both teams met in a Christmas Day playoff game which the Chiefs lost 27–24 in double overtime.[20] The Dolphins outlasted the Chiefs with a 37-yard field goal.[20] The game surpassed the 1962 AFL Championship Game as the longest ever at 82 minutes and 40 seconds.[20] The game was also the final football game at Kansas City's Municipal Stadium.[20]

text: In 1972, the Chiefs moved into the newly constructed Arrowhead Stadium at the Truman Sports Complex outside of Downtown Kansas City.[20] The team's first game at Arrowhead was against the St. Louis Cardinals, a preseason game which the Chiefs won 24–14.[20] Linebacker Willie Lanier and quarterback Len Dawson won the NFL Man of the Year Award in 1972 and 1973, respectively. The Chiefs would not return to the post-season for the remainder of the 1970s, and the 1973 season was the team's last winning effort for seven years.[20] Hank Stram was fired following a 5–9 season in 1974, and many of the Chiefs' future Hall of Fame players would depart by the middle of the decade.[20] From 1975 to 1988, the Chiefs had become a laughing stock of the NFL and provided Chiefs fans with nothing but futility.[21][22] Five head coaches struggled to achieve the same success as Stram, compiling an 81–121–1 record.[21]

text: In 1980, Coach Marv Levy cut future Hall of Fame Kicker Jan Stenerud for little known Nick Lowery, who would become the most accurate kicker in NFL History over the next 14 years. In 1981, running back Joe Delaney rushed for 1,121 yards and was named the AFC Rookie of the Year.[23] The Chiefs finished the season with a 9–7 record and entered the 1982 season with optimism.[23] However, the NFL Players Association strike curbed the Chiefs' chances of returning to the postseason for the first time in over a decade.[23] The Chiefs tallied a 3–6 record[11] and in the off-season, Joe Delaney died while trying to save several children from drowning in a pond near his home in Louisiana.[24]

text: The Chiefs made a mistake in drafting quarterback Todd Blackledge over future greats such as Jim Kelly and Dan Marino in the 1983 NFL Draft.[25][26] Blackledge never started a full season for Kansas City while Kelly and Marino played Hall of Fame careers.[26] While the Chiefs struggled on offense in the 1980s, the Chiefs had a strong defensive unit consisting of Pro Bowlers such as Bill Maas, Albert Lewis, Art Still and Deron Cherry.[23]

text: John Mackovic took over head coaching duties for the 1983 season after Marv Levy was fired.[23] Over the next four seasons, Mackovic coached the Chiefs to a 30–34 record, but took the team to its first post-season appearance in 15 years in the 1986 NFL playoffs.[11] They lost to the New York Jets in the wild-card round.[23] Despite leading the Chiefs to only their third winning season and second playoff appearance since the merger, Mackovic was fired for what Hunt described as a lack of chemistry.[27] Frank Gansz served as head coach for the next two seasons, but won only eight of 31 games.[23]

text: On December 19, 1988, owner Lamar Hunt hired Carl Peterson as the team's new president, general manager, and chief executive officer. Peterson fired head coach Frank Gansz two weeks after taking over and hired Marty Schottenheimer as the club's seventh head coach.[23] In the 1988 and 1989 NFL Drafts, the Chiefs selected both defensive end Neil Smith and linebacker Derrick Thomas, respectively.[23][28] The defense that Thomas and Smith anchored in their seven seasons together was a big reason why the Chiefs reached the postseason in six straight years.[29]

text: In Schottenheimer's tenure as head coach, (1989–1998), the Chiefs became a perennial playoff contender, featuring offensive players including Steve DeBerg, Christian Okoye, Stephone Paige and Barry Word, a strong defense, anchored by Thomas, Smith, Albert Lewis and Deron Cherry, and on special teams, Nick Lowery, most accurate kicker in NFL History.[6] The team recorded a 101–58–1 record, and clinched seven playoff berths.[30] The Chiefs' 1993 season was the franchise's most successful in 22 years.[28] With newly acquired quarterback Joe Montana and running back Marcus Allen, two former Super Bowl champions and MVPs, the Chiefs further strengthened their position in the NFL.[28] The 11–5 Chiefs defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Oilers on their way to the franchise's first and to date only AFC Championship Game appearance against the Buffalo Bills.[28] The Chiefs were overwhelmed by the Bills and lost the game by a score of 30–13.[28] The Chiefs' victory on January 16, 1994, against the Oilers remained the franchise's last post-season victory for 21 years until their 30–0 victory over the Houston Texans on January 9, 2016.

text: In the 1995 NFL playoffs, the 13–3 Chiefs hosted the Indianapolis Colts in a cold, damp late afternoon game at Arrowhead Stadium.[11][28] Kansas City lost the game 10–7 against the underdog Colts, after kicker Lin Elliot missed three field goal attempts and quarterback Steve Bono threw three interceptions.[28] The Chiefs selected tight end Tony Gonzalez with the 13th overall selection in the 1997 NFL Draft, a move which some considered to be a gamble being that Gonzalez was primarily a basketball player at California. During a 1997 season full of injuries to starting quarterback Elvis Grbac, backup quarterback Rich Gannon took the reins of the Chiefs' offense as the team headed to another 13–3 season.[11][28] Head coach Marty Schottenheimer chose Grbac to start the playoff game against the Denver Broncos despite Gannon's successes in previous weeks.[28] Grbac's production in the game was lacking, and the Chiefs lost to the Broncos 14–10.[28] Denver went on to capture their fifth AFC Championship by defeating Pittsburgh, and then defeated the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XXXII.

text: Coach Schottenheimer announced his resignation from the Chiefs following the 1998 season, and defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham took over coaching duties for the next two seasons, compiling a 16–16 record.[28] By the end of the Chiefs' decade of regular-season dominance, Gannon had signed with the Oakland Raiders, Neil Smith signed with the Denver Broncos, and Derrick Thomas was paralyzed from a car accident on January 23, 2000.[28] Thomas died from complications of his injury weeks later.[28] After allegedly reading online that he would be relieved of duties, head coach Gunther Cunningham was fired.[31][32]

text: Looking to change the Chiefs' game plan which relied on a tough defensive strategy for the past decade, Carl Peterson contacted Dick Vermeil about the Chiefs' head coaching vacancy for the 2001 season.[31] Vermeil previously led the St. Louis Rams to a victory in Super Bowl XXXIV.[32] Vermeil was hired on January 12. The Chiefs then traded a first round draft pick in the 2001 NFL Draft to St. Louis for quarterback Trent Green and signed free agent running back Priest Holmes to be the team's cornerstones on offense.[32]

text: In 2003, Kansas City began the season with nine consecutive victories, a franchise record.[32] They finished the season with a 13–3 record and the team's offense led the NFL in several categories under the direction of USA Today's Offensive Coach of the Year honoree, Al Saunders.[32] Running back Priest Holmes surpassed Marshall Faulk's single-season touchdown record by scoring his 27th rushing touchdown against the Chicago Bears in the team's regular season finale.[32][33] The team clinched the second seed in the 2004 NFL playoffs and hosted the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Divisional Playoffs.[32] In a game where neither team punted, the Chiefs lost the shoot-out 38–31.[32] It was the third time in nine seasons that the Chiefs went 8–0 at home in the regular season, only to lose their post-season opener at Arrowhead.

text: After a disappointing 7–9 record in 2004, the 2005 Chiefs finished with a 10–6 record but no playoff berth.[32] They were the fourth team since 1990 to miss the playoffs with a 10–6 record.[32] Running back Larry Johnson started in place of the injured Priest Holmes and rushed for 1,750 yards in only nine starts.[32] Prior to the Chiefs' final game of the season, head coach Dick Vermeil announced his retirement.[32] The Chiefs won the game 37–3 over the playoff-bound Cincinnati Bengals.[32]

text: Within two weeks of Vermeil's resignation, the Chiefs returned to their defensive roots with the selection of its next head coach.[32] The team introduced Herman Edwards, a former Chiefs scout and head coach of the New York Jets, as the team's tenth head coach after trading a fourth-round selection in the 2006 NFL Draft to the Jets.[32] Quarterback Trent Green suffered a severe concussion in the team's season opener to the Cincinnati Bengals which left him out of play for eight weeks.[32] Backup quarterback Damon Huard took over in Green's absence and led the Chiefs to a 5–3 record.[32]

text: Kansas City was awarded a Thanksgiving Day game against the Denver Broncos in response to owner Lamar Hunt's lobbying for a third Thanksgiving Day game.[32] The Chiefs defeated the Broncos 19–10 in the first Thanksgiving Day game in Kansas City since 1969.[32] Hunt was hospitalized at the time of the game and died weeks later on December 13 due to complications with prostate cancer.[14][32] The Chiefs honored their owner for the remainder of the season, as did the rest of the league.[32]

text: Trent Green returned by the end of the season, but struggled in the final stretch,[32] and running back Larry Johnson set an NFL record with 416 carries in a season.[32] Kansas City managed to clinch their first playoff berth in three seasons with a 9–7 record and a bizarre sequence of six losses from other AFC teams on New Year's Eve, culminating with a Broncos loss to the 49ers.[32] The Indianapolis Colts hosted the Chiefs in the Wild Card playoffs and defeated Kansas City 23–8.

text: In 2007, Trent Green was traded to the Miami Dolphins[34] leaving the door open for either Damon Huard or Brodie Croyle to become the new starting quarterback.[32] After starting the season with a 4–3 record, the Chiefs lost the remaining nine games when running back Larry Johnson suffered a season-ending foot injury and the quarterback position lacked stability with Huard and Croyle.[32] Despite the team's 4–12 record, tight end Tony Gonzalez broke Shannon Sharpe's NFL record for touchdowns at the position (63) and defensive end Jared Allen led the NFL in quarterback sacks with 15.5.[11]

text: The Chiefs began their 2008 season with the youngest team in the NFL.[35] The starting lineup had an average of 25.5 years of age.[35] By releasing several veteran players such as cornerback Ty Law and wide receiver Eddie Kennison and trading defensive end Jared Allen,[36] the Chiefs began a youth movement.[35][37] The Chiefs had a league-high thirteen selections in the 2008 NFL Draft and chose defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey and offensive lineman Branden Albert in the first round. Analysts quickly called Kansas City's selections as the best of the entire draft.[36][38][39][40] Entering the season, the Chiefs were unsure if injury-prone quarterback Brodie Croyle, who was the incumbent starter, could be their quarterback in the long-term.[40] Croyle was injured in the team's first game of the season and Damon Huard started in Croyle's absence.[41] Tyler Thigpen become the third Chiefs starting quarterback in as many games for a start against the Atlanta Falcons.[42][43] After a poor performance by Thigpen, in which he threw three interceptions against the Falcons defense,[43] Huard was retained as the starting quarterback.[44] The Chiefs struggled off the field as much as on as tight end Tony Gonzalez demanded a trade and running back Larry Johnson was involved in legal trouble.[45][46][47][48]

text: Croyle returned for the Chiefs' game against the Tennessee Titans, but both he and Damon Huard suffered season-ending injuries in the game.[49] The Chiefs reorganized their offense to a new spread offense game plan focused around Tyler Thigpen.[37][50][51][52] The Chiefs' new offense was implemented to help Thigpen play to the best of his abilities and also following the absence of Larry Johnson, who was suspended for his off-field conduct.[46][51][52][53] The Chiefs made a huge gamble by using the spread offense, as most in the NFL believe that it cannot work in professional football, and also head coach Herman Edwards was traditionally in favor of more conservative, run-oriented game plans.[52]

text: The 2008 season ended with a franchise worst 2–14 record, where the team suffered historic blowout defeats nearly week-in and week-out.[11][43][54] a 34–0 shut-out to the Carolina Panthers,[55] and allowed a franchise-high 54 points against the Buffalo Bills.[56] The team's general manager, chief executive officer, and team president Carl Peterson resigned at the end of the season,[57] and former New England Patriots vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli was hired as his replacement for 2009.[58] Upon his arrival, Pioli made an effort to bring in coaches and administrators from his successful past with the New England Patriots, where he won three Super Bowl titles.

text: On January 23, 2009, Herman Edwards was fired as head coach,[59][60] and two weeks later Todd Haley signed a four-year contract to become Edwards' successor.[61][62] Haley had a background with Pioli, which made him an attractive hire for Pioli's first coach in Kansas City.

text: In April 2009 Tony Gonzalez was traded to the Atlanta Falcons after failed trade attempts over the previous two seasons.[63] Notably, head coach Todd Haley fired offensive coordinator Chan Gailey just weeks before the start of the 2009 season and chose to take on the coordinator duties himself. Throughout 2009 the Chiefs acquired veterans to supplement the Chiefs' young talent including Matt Cassel, Mike Vrabel, Bobby Engram, Mike Brown, Chris Chambers, and Andy Alleman.[64][65][66] The team finished with a 4–12 record, just a two-game improvement upon their record from the 2008 season.

text: For the 2010 season, the Chiefs made significant hires for their coaching staff, bringing on former Patriots assistant coaches Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel to coach the offense and defense, respectively. The coaching additions proved to be very successful, as the Chiefs would go on to secure their first AFC West title since 2003. Their ten victories in the 2010 season combined for as many as the team had won in their previous three seasons combined.

text: On January 9, 2011, the Chiefs lost their home Wild Card playoff game to the Baltimore Ravens 30–7. Six players were chosen for the Pro Bowl: Dwayne Bowe, Jamaal Charles, Brian Waters, Tamba Hali, Matt Cassel and rookie safety Eric Berry. Jamaal Charles won the FEDEX ground player of the year award and Dwayne Bowe led the NFL in Touchdown Receptions.

text: For their first pick in the 2011 NFL draft, and 26th overall, the team selected Jonathan Baldwin, Wide Receiver from Pitt. After a poor start, Haley was relieved of duties as Head Coach on December 12. Clark Hunt made note of "bright spots at different points this season", but felt that overall the Chiefs were not progressing.[67] The highest point of the 2011 season was an upset win against the Packers, who at that time, were undefeated with a 13–0 record.

text: The Chiefs became the first team since the 1929 Buffalo Bisons to not lead in regulation through any of their first nine games. The Chiefs tied their franchise worst record of 2–14 and clinched the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. It is the first time in since the merger they have held the first overall pick.[68]

text: Following the 2012 season, the Chiefs fired head coach Romeo Crennel and general manager Scott Pioli. Former Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid was brought in as head coach to work with new general manager John Dorsey, a former Green Bay Packers head scout.

text: The Chiefs acquired quarterback Alex Smith from the San Francisco 49ers for the Chiefs' second-round pick, 34th overall, in the 2013 draft and a conditional pick in 2014 draft.[69] Matt Cassel was released shortly after. The Chiefs selected Eric Fisher with the first overall pick of the 2013 NFL Draft.

text: The Chiefs started 9–0 for the second time in team history. They would lead their wildcard game against the Indianapolis Colts 38–10 shortly after halftime, but they would collapse late and lose, 45–44.

text: In 2014, the Chiefs attempted to make the playoffs for the second straight season for the first time since 1995, however they finished 9–7 and were eliminated in Week 17.

text: After a promising win for the Chiefs against Houston in Week 1, Kansas City went on a five-game losing streak culminating in a 16–10 loss to Minnesota and the loss of Jamaal Charles to a torn ACL. However, they managed one of the most improbable season comebacks in the NFL and won ten straight to improve their record from 1–5 to 11–5. The team clinched a playoff berth after a 17–13 win over Cleveland in Week 16 to become only the second NFL team to do so after the merger.[clarification needed]

text: The streak achieved by the Chiefs broke a franchise record for 9 straight (2003, 2013) and second 9 plus game win streak under Reid. After a Week 17 win over Oakland 23–17, the Chiefs achieved their longest winning streak in franchise history at ten games. They qualified for the playoffs, playing in the 2015 AFC Wild-Card playoff game, held at NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas on January 9, 2016. The Chiefs defeated the Houston Texans 30–0 to earn their first NFL playoff win in 23 seasons, dating back to the 1993–94 NFL playoffs, a win that also came in Houston. The Chiefs' Wild-Card playoff victory ended what was at the time the third-longest drought in the NFL, and it also ended a then NFL record eight-game playoff losing streak.[70] Riddled with injuries, they were defeated by the New England Patriots 27–20 in the AFC Divisional Round.

text: After facing a 24–3 deficit with 6 minutes left in the 3rd quarter, the Chiefs engineered a 33–27 comeback win against the San Diego Chargers ending with a 2-yard touchdown run by Alex Smith in overtime to give the Chiefs their largest regular season comeback to start the season at 1–0.

text: On Christmas Day, the Chiefs defeated the Denver Broncos 33–10 to give Kansas City their tenth straight win against divisional opponents.

text: On January 1, 2017, the Chiefs clinched the AFC West and the second seed going into the playoffs that year. They clinched the 2nd seed in the AFC but fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers 18-16 as Chris Boswell hit 6 field goals.

text: The Chiefs finished the year with a 10-6 record, and ended 1st place in the AFC West.

text: In the Wild Card round the Chiefs lost a tight game to the Tennessee Titans 22-21, allowing Derrick Henry to rush for 156 yards. That ended another disappointing season for the Chiefs, and extended their NFL record for most consecutive home playoff losses to six. [71]

text: Logos and uniforms[edit]

text: When the Texans began playing in 1960, the team's logo consisted of the state of Texas in white with a yellow star marking the location of the city of Dallas. Originally, Hunt chose Columbia blue and orange for the Texans' uniforms, but Bud Adams chose Columbia blue and scarlet for his Houston Oilers franchise.[2] Hunt reverted to red and gold for the Texans' uniforms, which even after the team relocated to Kansas City, remain as the franchise's colors to this day.[2]

text: The state of Texas on the team's helmet was replaced by an arrowhead design originally sketched by Lamar Hunt on a napkin.[2] Hunt's inspiration for the interlocking "KC" design was the "SF" inside of an oval on the San Francisco 49ers helmets.[2] Unlike the 49ers' logo, Kansas City's overlapping initials appear inside a white arrowhead instead of an oval and are surrounded by a thin black outline.[2] From 1960 to 1973, the Chiefs had grey facemask bars on their helmets, but changed to white bars in 1974, making them one of the first teams in the NFL to use a non-gray facemask.[2]

text: The Chiefs' uniform design has essentially remained the same throughout the club's history.[2] It consists of a red helmet, and either red or white jerseys with the opposite color numbers and names.[2] White pants were used with both jerseys from 1960 to 1967 and 1989 to 1999.[2] Beginning in 2009, during the Pioli/Haley era, the team has alternated between white and red pants for road games during the season. Prior to September 15, 2013, the Chiefs always wore white pants with their red jerseys. The Chiefs have never worn an alternate jersey in a game, although custom jerseys are sold for retail.

text: The Chiefs wore their white jerseys with white pants at home for the 2006 season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals. The logic behind the uniform selection that day was that the Bengals would be forced to wear their black uniforms on a day that forecasted for steamy temperatures.[72] The only other time the Chiefs wore white at home was throughout the 1980 season under Marv Levy.

text: In 2007, the Kansas City Chiefs honored Lamar Hunt and the AFL with a special patch.[73] It features the AFL's logo from the 1960s with Hunt's "LH" initials inside the football.[73] In 2008, the patch became permanently affixed to the left chest of both Kansas City's home and away jerseys.[73]

text: In select games for the 2009 season, the Chiefs, as well as the other founding teams of the American Football League, wore "throwback" uniforms to celebrate the AFL's 50th anniversary.[74]

text: For the first time in team history, the Chiefs wore their red jersey with red pants forming an all red combo in their home opener against the Dallas Cowboys on September 15, 2013.

text: Arrowhead Stadium[edit]

text: Arrowhead Stadium has been the Chiefs' home field since 1972 and has a capacity of 76,416,[75] which makes it the sixth-largest stadium in the NFL. The stadium underwent a $375 million renovation, completed in mid-2010, which included new luxury boxes, wider concourses and enhanced amenities.[5][58] The stadium renovation was paid for by $250 million in taxpayer money and $125 million from the Hunt Family.[62] The stadium cost $53 million to build in 1972, and an average ticket in 2009 costs $81.[5] Centerplate serves as the stadium's concession provider and Sprint, Anheuser-Busch and Coca-Cola are major corporate sponsors.[5]

text: Dating back to the Chiefs' home opener in 1991 to mid-2009, the Chiefs had 155 consecutive sellout games.[5] The streak ended with the final home game of the 2009 season against the Cleveland Browns, resulting in the first local TV blackout in over 19 years.[76] Arrowhead has been called one of the world's finest stadiums[6] and has long held a reputation for being one of the toughest and loudest outdoor stadiums for opposing players to play in.[58][77][78][79] All noise is directly attributed to its fans[80] and was once measured at 116 decibels by the Acoustical Design Group of Mission, Kansas.[81] By way of comparison, take-off of aircraft may lead to a sound level of 106 decibels at the ground.[81] Sports Illustrated named Arrowhead Stadium the "toughest place to play" for opposing teams in 2005.[82] The tailgate party environment outside the stadium on gameday has been compared to a "college football" atmosphere.[83] Arrowhead Stadium features frequent fly-overs from a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber from nearby Whiteman Air Force Base. Since the 1994 NFL season, the stadium has had a natural grass playing surface.[84] From 1972 to 1993, the stadium had an artificial AstroTurf surface.[84]

text: During the game against the Oakland Raiders on October 13, 2013, Arrowhead Stadium once again became the loudest stadium in the world when the fans set the Guinness Book of World Records record for loudest crowd in an outdoor stadium (137.5 dB), breaking the record set by the Seattle Seahawks just four weeks prior. A few weeks after, Seattle re-gained the record by reaching a noise level of 137.6 decibels.[85][86] Chiefs fans have reclaimed the record once again; on September 29, 2014, on Monday Night Football against the New England Patriots, the fans recorded a sound reading of 142.2 decibels.[87]

text: Training camp and practice facility[edit]

text: When the franchise was based in Dallas, the team conducted their inaugural training camp at the New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell, New Mexico.[10] They moved camp to Southern Methodist University, owner Lamar Hunt's alma mater, for 1961 and continued to practice there until 1965.[10] From 1966 to 1971, the Chiefs practiced in Swope Park in Kansas City,[88] and from 1972 to 1991 held camp at William Jewell College in Clay County, Missouri–where Lamar Hunt had extensive business dealings including Worlds of Fun, Oceans of Fun and SubTropolis.[28]

text: From 1992 to 2009 the Chiefs conducted summer training camp at the University of Wisconsin–River Falls in River Falls, Wisconsin.[89] The Chiefs' 2007 training camp was documented in the HBO/NFL Films documentary reality television series, Hard Knocks.[90] Following the passage of a $25 million state tax credit proposal, the Chiefs moved their training camp to Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, Missouri, in 2010.[91] The bulk of the tax credits went for improvements to Arrowhead Stadium with $10 million applied to the move to Missouri Western.[92] A climate-controlled, 120-yard NFL regulation grass indoor field, and office space for the Chiefs was constructed at Missouri Western adjacent to the school's Spratt Stadium before the 2010 season.[93]

text: Outside of training camp and during the regular season, the Chiefs conduct practices at their own training facility nearby Arrowhead Stadium. The facility is located near the Raytown Road entrance to the Truman Sports Complex just east of Interstate 435 and features three outdoor fields (two grass and one artificial turf) as well as an indoor facility with its own full-size field.

text: Mascots and cheerleaders[edit]

text: The Chiefs' first mascot was Warpaint, a nickname given to several different breeds of pinto horse. Warpaint served as the team's mascot from 1963 to 1988.[9][94][95] The first Warpaint (born in 1955, died in 1992) was ridden bareback by rider Bob Johnson who wore a full Native American headdress.[9][94] Warpaint circled the field at the beginning of each Chiefs home game and performed victory laps following each Chiefs touchdown.[9][94] On September 20, 2009, a new Warpaint horse was unveiled at the Chiefs' home opener which was won by Oakland Raiders.[96] Warpaint is now ridden by a cheerleader, Susie.[97]

text: In the mid-1980s, the Chiefs featured a short-lived unnamed "Indian man" mascot which was later scrapped in 1988.[94] Since 1989 the cartoon-like K. C. Wolf, portrayed by Dan Meers in a wolf costume, has served as the team's mascot.[9][98] The mascot was named after the Chiefs' "Wolfpack", a group of rabid fans from the team's days at Municipal Stadium.[94] K. C. Wolf is one of the most popular NFL mascots and was the league's first mascot inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame in 2006.[99]

text: The Chiefs have employed a cheerleading squad since the team's inception in 1960.[100] In the team's early days, the all-female squad was referred to as the Chiefettes.[101] In addition to the Cheerleaders, in the early 1970s, there was also a dance/drill team that performed for pre-game and halftime. From 1986 to 1992, the cheerleader squad featured a mix of men and women.[100] Since 1993, the all-female squad has been known as the Chiefs Cheerleaders.[94][100][101]

text: Notable players[edit]

text: Current roster[edit]

text:
Kansas City Chiefs roster

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Quarterbacks

15 Patrick Mahomes II
11 Alex Smith

Running backs

27 Kareem Hunt
35 Charcandrick West
32 Spencer Ware
31 Akeem Hunt

Wide receivers

80 Jehu Chesson
10 Tyreek Hill
19 Marcus Kemp
14 Demarcus Robinson
17 Chris Conley

Tight ends

82 Orson Charles
84 Demetrius Harris
87 Travis Kelce

Offensive linemen

76 Laurent Duvernay-Tardif G
79 Parker Ehinger G
75 Cameron Erving T
72 Eric Fisher T
71 Mitchell Schwartz T
70 Bryan Witzmann G
61 Mitch Morse C

Defensive linemen

97 Allen Bailey DE
74 Justin Hamilton NT
95 Chris Jones DE

Linebackers

45 Ukeme Eligwe ILB
91 Tamba Hali OLB
50 Justin Houston OLB
56 Derrick Johnson ILB
92 Tanoh Kpassagnon OLB
59 Reggie Ragland ILB
51 Frank Zombo OLB
55 Dee Ford OLB
52 Dadi Nicolas OLB

Defensive backs

34 Leon McQuay III FS
21 Eric Murray SS
20 Steven Nelson CB
38 Ron Parker SS
22 Marcus Peters CB
40 Keith Reaser CB
24 Darrelle Revis CB
49 Daniel Sorensen FS
29 Eric Berry FS
46 Devin Chappell SS
 6 Ashton Lampkin CB

Special teams

 7 Harrison Butker K
41 James Winchester LS

Reserve lists

-- Jace Amaro TE (Future)
43 George Atkinson III RB (Future)
-- Josh Augusta NT (Future)
-- Daniel Braverman WR (Future)
 4 Gehrig Dieter WR (Future)
-- Makinton Dorleant CB (Future)
88 Anthony Firkser TE (Future)
64 Dillon Gordon OT (Future)
54 Tyrone Holmes OLB (Future)
-- Prince Charles Iworah CB (Future)
62 Kaleb Johnson G (Future)
-- T. Y. McGill NT (Future)
-- Sheldon Price CB (Future)
98 Mike Purcell NT (Future)
-- Will Redmond CB (Future)
-- Brandon Shippen WR (Future)
77 Andrew Wylie OT (Future)

Unrestricted FAs

25 Kenneth Acker CB
 9 Tyler Bray QB
-- Stefan Charles NT
 2 Dustin Colquitt P
65 Jordan Devey G
73 Zach Fulton G
23 Phillip Gaines CB
94 Jarvis Jenkins DE
96 Bennie Logan NT
57 Kevin Pierre-Louis ILB
42 Anthony Sherman FB
26 C. J. Spiller RB
30 Steven Terrell CB
13 De'Anthony Thomas WR
12 Albert Wilson WR

Restricted FAs

39 Terrance Mitchell CB
99 Rakeem Nuñez-Roches DE
53 Ramik Wilson ILB

Exclusive-Rights FAs

46 Keith Baxter CB
48 Terrance Smith ILB

Rookies in italics
Roster updated January 15, 2018
Depth chart • Transactions
46 Active, 17 Inactive, 20 FAs
→ AFC rosters → NFC rosters

AFC East
BUF
MIA
NE
NYJ
North
BAL
CIN
CLE
PIT
South
HOU
IND
JAX
TEN
West
DEN
KC
LAC
OAK

NFC East
DAL
NYG
PHI
WAS
North
CHI
DET
GB
MIN
South
ATL
CAR
NO
TB
West
ARI
LAR
SF
SEA

text: Retired numbers[edit]

text:
Kansas City Chiefs retired numbers

No.
Player
Position
Tenure

3
Jan Stenerud
K
1967-79

16
Len Dawson
QB
1962-75

18
Emmitt Thomas
CB
1966-78

28
Abner Haynes
RB
1960-64

33
Stone Johnson 1 2
RB
1963

36
Mack Lee Hill 2
RB
1964-65

58
Derrick Thomas 2
LB
1989-99

63
Willie Lanier
LB
1967-77

78
Bobby Bell
LB
1963-74

86
Buck Buchanan
DT
1963-75

1 Never officially on a Chiefs season roster. His number was retired after his death in training camp in 1963.
2 Number was posthumously retired.
Names in bold spent entire playing career with the Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs.
The number 37 has not been worn since the death of Joe Delaney.
Number 58 was not issued after the death of Derrick Thomas until it was officially retired in 2009.
The numbers 16 and 28 are the only numbers to have been worn by a single player (both Dawson and Haynes respectively).

text: Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinees[edit]

text: Nineteen members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame spent at least some portion of their career with the Chiefs. Eleven spent the majority of the career with the Chiefs. Nine of the Chiefs in the Hall of Fame were involved with the Chiefs during their Super Bowl Championship season of 1969. The Chiefs have 2 contributors, 2 coaches, and 15 players in the Hall of Fame. In addition, Hall of Fame safety Ronnie Lott had a contract with the Chiefs during the 1995 season, but only played for the Chiefs in the preseason and spent the regular season on injured reserve and is not recognized by the Hall of Fame as having played for the Chiefs.

text:
Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame enshrinees

No.
Player
Position
Tenure
Inducted

-
Lamar Hunt
Founder of franchise and American Football League
1960–2006
1972

78
Bobby Bell 1 2
LB
1963–1974
1983

63
Willie Lanier 1 2
LB
1967–1977
1986

16
Len Dawson 2 3
QB
1963–1975
1987

86
Buck Buchanan 1 2
DT
1963–1975
1990

3
Jan Stenerud 1 2 3
K
1967–1979
1991

53
Mike Webster
C
1989–1990
1997

19
Joe Montana
QB
1993–1994
2000

-
Marv Levy
Head coach
1978–1982
2001

-
Hank Stram 1 2 3
Head coach
1960–1974
2003

32
Marcus Allen
RB
1993–1997
2003

1
Warren Moon
QB
1999–2000
2006

18
Emmitt Thomas 1 2
CB
1966–1978
2008

58
Derrick Thomas 4
LB
1989–1999
2009

77
Willie Roaf
OT
2002–2005
2012

61
Curley Culp 1 2 3
DT
1968–1974
2013

68
Will Shields
OG
1993–2006
2015

-
Bill Polian
Contributor
1978–1982
2015

8
Morten Andersen
K
2002–2003
2017

1 Began career in the American Football League.
2 Member of 1969 Super Bowl championship team
3 Spent majority of their career with the Chiefs
4Posthumously inducted Names in bold spent entire career with the Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs.

text: Chiefs Hall of Fame[edit]

text: The Chiefs are one of 16 organizations that honor their players, coaches and contributors with a team Hall of Fame or Ring of Honor.[102] Established in 1970, the Chiefs Hall of Fame has inducted a new member in an annual ceremony with the exception of the 1983 season.[102][103] Several of the names were featured at Arrowhead Stadium in the stadium's architecture prior to renovations in 2009. The requirements for induction are that a player, coach, or contributor must have been with the Chiefs for four seasons and been out of the NFL for four seasons at the time of induction.[102] There are some exceptions, such as Joe Delaney and Derrick Thomas, Delaney was with the team for only two seasons before his death, Thomas was inducted 1 year after his death in January 2000 (2 years after his final season). The Chiefs have the second-most enshrinees of any NFL team in their team Hall of Fame behind the Green Bay Packers, who have enshrined over 100 players and team contributors over the years in the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame.[102]

text:
Chiefs Hall of Fame

Inducted
No.
Player
Position
Tenure

1970
—
Lamar Hunt
Team founder/Owner
1960–2006

1971
36
Mack Lee Hill
RB
1964–1965

1972
75
Jerry Mays
DT
1961–1970

1973
84
Fred Arbanas
TE
1962–1970

1974
42
Johnny Robinson
S
1960–1971

1975
88
Chris Burford
WR
1960–1967

1976
55
E.J. Holub
C/LB
1961–1970

1977
77
Jim Tyrer
OT
1961–1973

1978
21
Mike Garrett
RB
1966–1970

1979
16
Len Dawson
QB
1963–1975

1980
78
Bobby Bell
LB
1963–1974

1981
86
Buck Buchanan
DT
1963–1975

1982
89
Otis Taylor
WR
1965–1975

1983
No induction

1984
71
Ed Budde
G
1963–1976

1985
63
Willie Lanier
LB
1967–1977

1986
18
Emmitt Thomas
CB
1966–1978

1987
—
Hank Stram
Coach
1960–1974

1988
44
Jerrel Wilson
P
1963–1977

1989
14
Ed Podolak
RB
1969–1977

1990
51
Jim Lynch
LB
1967–1977

1991
28
Abner Haynes
RB
1960–1964

1992
3
Jan Stenerud
K
1967–1979

1993
69
Sherrill Headrick
LB
1960–1967

1994
58
Jack Rudnay
C
1969–1982

1995
32
Curtis McClinton
RB
1962–1969

1996
20
Deron Cherry
S
1981–1991

1997
73
Dave Hill
OT
1963–1974

1998
67
Art Still
DE
1978–1987

1999
34
Lloyd Burruss
S
1981–1991

2000
35
Christian Okoye
RB
1987–1992

2001
58
Derrick Thomas
LB
1989–1999

2002
76
John Alt
OT
1984–1996

2003
59
Gary Spani
LB
1978–1986

2004
37
Joe Delaney
RB
1981–1982

2005
—
Jack Steadman
President/GM
1960–1989

2006
90
Neil Smith
DE
1988–1996

2007
29
Albert Lewis
CB
1983–1993

2008
61
Curley Culp
DT
1968–1974

2009
8
Nick Lowery
K
1980–1993

2010
—
Marty Schottenheimer
Coach
1989–1998

2011
31
Kevin Ross
CB
1984–1993, 1997

2012
68
Will Shields
OG
1993–2006

2013
26
Gary Barbaro
S
1976–1982

2014
31
Priest Holmes
RB
2001–2007

2015
24
Gary Green
CB
1977–1983

2016
49
Tony Richardson
FB
1995–2005

2017
88
Carlos Carson
WR
1980–1989

text: Head coaches[edit]

text: Thirteen head coaches have served the Texans/Chiefs franchise since their first season in 1960. Hank Stram, the team's first head coach, led the Chiefs to three AFL championship victories and two appearances in the Super Bowl. Stram was the team's longest-tenured head coach, holding the position from 1960 to 1974.[20] Marty Schottenheimer was hired in 1989 and led Kansas City to seven playoff appearances in his 10 seasons as head coach.[23][28] Schottenheimer had the best winning percentage (.634) of all Chiefs coaches.[30] Gunther Cunningham was on the Chiefs' coaching staff in various positions from 1995 to 2008, serving as the team's head coach in between stints as the team's defensive coordinator.[31][32] Dick Vermeil coached the team to a franchise-best 9–0 start in the 2003 season.[104] Of the ten Chiefs coaches, Hank Stram and Marv Levy have been elected into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.[105] Herman Edwards served as the team's head coach from 2006 to 2008, compiling a 15–33 record and a franchise worst 6–26 record over a two-year span.[59][60][106][107] Todd Haley compiled a 19–26 record with the team from 2009–2011, including an AFC West division title in 2010.[61] Haley was fired with three games left in the 2011 season. Romeo Crennel was named interim coach, and was promoted to full-time coach in January 2012. Crennel was fired on Monday, December 31, 2012, after finishing the 2012 season with a 2–14 record. On January 5, 2013, the Chiefs hired Andy Reid to be their next head coach. In Reid's tenure, the Chiefs have been consistent contenders, making the playoffs in 4 of his first 5 seasons.

text: Ownership and administration[edit]

text: The franchise was founded in 1959 by Lamar Hunt after a failed attempt by Hunt to purchase an NFL franchise and relocate them to Texas.[108] remained the team's owner until his death in 2006.[108] The Hunt family kept ownership of the team following Lamar's death and Clark Hunt, Lamar's son, represents the family's interests.[5] While Hunt's official title is CEO and Chairman of the Board, he represents the team at all owner meetings.[109][110] In 2010, Hunt assumed role as CEO alongside his role as Chairman of the Board.[111] According to Forbes, the team is valued at $2.4 billion and ranks 24th among NFL teams in 2017.[5]

text: Owner Lamar Hunt served as the team's president from 1960 to 1976. Because of Lamar Hunt's contributions to the NFL, the AFC Championship trophy is named after him.[112] He promoted general manager Jack Steadman to become the team's president in 1977.[112] Steadman held the job until Carl Peterson was hired by Hunt in 1988 to replace him.[112] Peterson resigned the title as team president in 2008.[113] Denny Thum became the team's interim president following Peterson's departure and was officially given the full position in May 2009.[113][114] Thum resigned from his position on September 14, 2010.[111]

text: Don Rossi served as the team's general manager for half of the 1960 season, resigning in November 1960.[10] Jack Steadman assumed duties from Rossi and served in the position until 1976.[10][20][112] Steadman was promoted to team president in 1976 and despite being relieved of those duties in 1988,[112] he remained with the franchise until 2006 in various positions.[20][23] Jim Schaaf took over for Steadman as general manager until being fired in December 1988.[23] Carl Peterson was hired in 1988 to serve as the team's general manager, chief executive officer and team president.[23][112] Peterson remained in the position for 19 years until he announced his resignation from the team in 2008.[113][115] Denny Thum served as interim general manager[113] until January 13, 2009, when the Chiefs named New England Patriots executive Scott Pioli the team's new general manager.[58][116] Pioli was released in early January after the hiring of Andy Reid, and was replaced by John Dorsey. Pioli's record as the Chief's general manager was 23–41.

text: On June 22, 2017, it was announced that the Chiefs had fired Dorsey.[117] They hired Brett Veach on July 10, 2017.[118]

text: Staff[edit]

text:
Kansas City Chiefs staff

v
t
e

Front Office

Chairman/CEO – Clark Hunt
President – Mark Donovan
General Manager – Brett Veach
Director of Football Administration – Brandt Tilis
Salary Cap & Legal Executive – Chris Shea
Director of Player Personnel – Mike Borgonzi
Director of College Scouting – Ryan Poles
Assistant Director of College Scouting – Ryne Nutt
Director of Pro Personnel – Tim Terry

Head Coaches

Head Coach – Andy Reid

Offensive Coaches

Offensive Coordinator – Eric Bieniemy
Running Backs – Deland McCullough
Wide Receivers – Greg Lewis
Tight Ends – Tom Melvin
Offensive Line – Andy Heck
Assistant Quarterbacks/Assistant Offensive Line – Corey Matthaei
Offensive Quality Control – Joe Blaymeir
Offensive Quality Control – Mike Kafka

Defensive Coaches

Defensive Coordinator – Bob Sutton
Defensive Line – Britt Reid
Assistant Defensive Line – Mike Smith
Linebackers – Gary Gibbs
Assistant Linebackers – Mark DeLeone
Defensive Backs – Emmitt Thomas
Secondary/Cornerbacks – Al Harris
Defensive Assistant – Terry Bradden
Defensive quality control – Jay Valai

Special Teams Coaches

Special Teams – Dave Toub
Assistant Special Teams – Rod Wilson

Coaching Support Staff

Statistical Analysis Coordinator – Mike Frazier
Special Projects – Tommy Brasher
Director of Video Operations – Pat Brazil
Assistant Director of Video Operations – Ken Radino
Video Assistant – Colin Clark
Video Assistant – Josh Schmidt

Strength and Conditioning

Strength and Conditioning – Barry Rubin
Assistant Strength and Conditioning – Travis Crittenden
Assistant Strength and Conditioning – Devin Woodhouse
Sports Science/Conditioning – Ryan Reynolds

→ Coaching Staff
→ Management
→ More NFL staffs

AFC East
BUF
MIA
NE
NYJ
North
BAL
CIN
CLE
PIT
South
HOU
IND
JAX
TEN
West
DEN
KC
LAC
OAK

NFC East
DAL
NYG
PHI
WAS
North
CHI
DET
GB
MIN
South
ATL
CAR
NO
TB
West
ARI
LAR
SF
SEA

text: Media[edit]

text: Radio and television[edit]

text:
Kansas City Chiefs radio play-by-play announcers[119]

1960–1962
Charlie Jones

1963
Merle Harmon

1964–1970
Tom Hedrick

1971–1973
Dick Carlson

1974–1975
Ray Scott

1976
Al Wisk

1977
Tom Hopkins

1978–1984
Wayne Larrivee

1985–1993
Kevin Harlan

1994–
Mitch Holthus

text: Since 1989, KCFX, a.k.a. "101 The Fox", has broadcast all Chiefs games on FM radio under the moniker of The Chiefs Fox Football Radio Network. Since 1994, Mitch Holthus has served as play-by-play announcer and former Chiefs quarterback Len Dawson serves as color commentator.[119] Former Chiefs longsnapper Kendall Gammon serves as the field reporter.[119] Former Chiefs broadcaster Bob Gretz also contributes to the broadcasts.[119][120] KCFX holds broadcast rights to Chiefs games through the 2009 season.[119][120] Starting in the 2016 season, Dawson will only serve as color commentator during home games, and Gammon will be color commentator during road games, with Dani Welniak assuming Gammon's sideline reporting role for away games.[121] The Chiefs and KCFX hold the distinction of being the longest FM radio broadcast partnering tenure in the NFL.[119][120] The Chiefs Radio Network extends throughout the six-state region of Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Arkansas, with 61 affiliate stations.[119][120]

text: KCTV Channel 5 (CBS) broadcasts most Chiefs regular season games, with exceptions as following. KCTV also broadcasts all Chiefs pre-season games. WDAF Channel 4 (Fox) broadcasts games in which the Chiefs host an NFC opponent. KSHB Channel 41 (NBC) broadcasts all games in which the Chiefs play on NBC Sunday Night Football or NBC's NFL playoffs coverage. KMBC Channel 9 (ABC) has aired Monday Night Football games locally since 1970.

text: Prior to the 1994 season, WDAF was the primary station for the Chiefs as an NBC affiliate (they aired on KMBC when ABC had the AFL package through 1964), since NBC had the AFC package. The inter-conference home games aired on KCTV starting in 1973 (when the NFL allowed local telecasts of home games). After week one of the 1994 season, WDAF switched to Fox (which got the NFC package), and has aired the Chiefs' inter-conference home games since. The bulk of the team's games moved to KSHB through the end of the 1997 season. Since that time, they have aired on KCTV, save for the 2015 Week 17 game vs. the Oakland Raiders, which aired on WDAF when the NFL cross-flexed the game from CBS to FOX.

text: As of the 2015 preseason, the Chiefs preseason broadcasters were Paul Burmeister who serves as the play-by-play announcer, former Chiefs quarterback Trent Green serves as the color commentator, and KCChiefs.com insider B.J. Kissel is the sideline reporter.

text: Radio affiliates[edit]

text: Chiefs games are broadcast in Missouri and Kansas as well as parts of Iowa, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Arkansas, and South Dakota.[122] Stations in major cities are listed below.

text:
City
Call sign
Frequency

Kansas City, Missouri
KCFX
101.1 MHz

Jefferson City, Missouri
KBBM
100.1 MHz

Springfield, Missouri
KXUS
97.3 MHz

Springfield, Missouri
KGMY
1400 kHz

Joplin, Missouri / Pittsburg, Kansas
KKOW
860 kHz

Manhattan, Kansas
KMAN
1350 kHz

Salina, Kansas
KINA
910 kHz/94.5 MHz

Salina, Kansas
KSKG
99.9 MHz

Topeka, Kansas
KDVV
100.3 MHz

Wichita, Kansas
KTHR
107.3 MHz

Des Moines, Iowa
KBGG
1700 kHz

Omaha, Nebraska
KXSP
590 kHz

text: Preseason game affiliates[edit]

text:
Metro area
Call sign
Affiliation

Kansas City metro
KCTV5 / KSMO
CBS / MyTV

Columbia, Missouri
Jefferson City, Missouri
KMIZ / KQFX / KZOU
ABC / FOX / MyTV

Des Moines, Iowa
Ames, Iowa
KDSM
FOX

Ft. Smith, Arkansas
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Springdale, Arkansas
Rogers, Arkansas
KNWA / KFTA
NBC / FOX

Joplin, Missouri
Pittsburg, Kansas
KODE / KSNF
ABC / NBC

Lincoln, Nebraska
Hastings, Nebraska
Kearney, Nebraska
KFXL / KHGI
FOX / ABC

Ottumwa, Iowa
Kirksville, Missouri
KTVO / KTVO 3.2
CBS / ABC

Springfield, Missouri
KOLR / KOZL
CBS / Indy

St. Joseph, Missouri
KQTV
ABC

Topeka, Kansas
WIBW / EIBW
CBS / MyTV

Tulsa, Oklahoma
KOTV / KQCW
CBS / CW

Wichita metro
Ensign, Kansas
Hays, Kansas
Goodland, Kansas
KWCH / KSCW-DT / KDCU
CBS / CW / Univision

text: Culture[edit]

text: Fan base[edit]

text: The Chiefs boast one of the most loyal fan bases in the NFL.[76][123] Kansas City is the sixth-smallest media market with an NFL team, but they have had the second-highest attendance average over the last decade.[80] Studies by Bizjournals in 2006 gave the Chiefs high marks for consistently drawing capacity crowds in both good seasons and bad.[124] The Chiefs averaged 77,300 fans per game from 1996 to 2006, second in the NFL behind the Washington Redskins.[124] The franchise has an official fan club called Chiefs Kingdom which gives members opportunities to ticket priority benefits and VIP treatment.[125][126]

text: At the end of "The Star-Spangled Banner" before home games, many Chiefs fans intentionally yell out "CHIEFS!" rather than singing "brave" as the final word.[127] In 1996, general manager Carl Peterson said "We all look forward, not only at Arrowhead, but on the road, too, to when we get to that stanza of the National Anthem... Our players love it."[127] After the September 11, 2001 attacks, Chiefs fans refrained from doing so in honor of those who lost their lives in the tragedy and continued to do so for the remainder of the 2001 season.[128] At the Chiefs' September 23, 2001, home game against the New York Giants, fans gave the opposing Giants a standing ovation.[79]

text: After every Chiefs touchdown at home games, fans chant while pointing in the direction of the visiting team and fans, "We're gonna beat the hell outta you...you...you, you, you, you!" over the song "Rock and Roll Part 2."[129] The chant starts after the third "hey!" in the song.[129] The original version of the song by Gary Glitter was previously used until the NFL banned his music from its facilities in 2006 following the British rocker's conviction on sexual abuse charges in Vietnam.[129] A cover version of the song played by Tube Tops 2000 has been played since 2006 at every home game.[129]

text: Chiefs fans also carry on a tradition that began at Florida State University in the mid 1980s by using the Seminole WarChant as a rallying cry during key moments in their football games.[130][131] Prior to each home game, a former Chiefs player, called the honorary drum leader, bangs on a drum with a large drum stick to start the Tomahawk chop.[132]

text: The Chiefs' fan base has expanded across the world like many other NFL teams. However, there is a Twitter account dedicated to Chiefs fans in the UK and has been recognized by the Kansas City Chiefs and is their official UK fan page. They have many dedicated fans writing articles and interviewing players of the team such as Tamba Hali.[133]

text: Arrowhead Stadium is also recognized by Guinness World Records as having the loudest outdoor stadium in the world. This was achieved on September 29, 2014 in a Monday Night Football game against the New England Patriots when the crowd achieved a roar of 142.2 decibels[134] which is comparable to standing 100 feet from a jet engine, which even with short term exposure, can cause permanent damage.[135]

text: Tony DiPardo[edit]

text: From various periods between 1963 and the 2008 season, trumpeter Tony DiPardo and The T.D. Pack Band played live music at every Chiefs home game.[136][137] The band was known as The Zing Band when the team was located at Municipal Stadium. DiPardo was honored by head coach Hank Stram in 1969 with a Super Bowl ring for the team's victory in Super Bowl IV.[136] When his health was declining, DiPardo took a leave of absence from the band from 1983 to 1988.[137] DiPardo's daughter took over as bandleader in 1989, by which time DiPardo returned to the band by popular demand.[137][138] For the 2009 season, due to renovations at Arrowhead Stadium, the band did not return to perform at the stadium.

text: DiPardo died on January 27, 2011, at age 98. He had been hospitalized since December 2010 after suffering a brain aneurysm.[139]


document_title: Hurricane Charley

question_text: what category was hurricane charley when it hit florida

root

text: Hurricane Charley

text: Meteorological history[edit]

text: Charley began as a tropical wave that moved off the west coast of Africa on August 4.[3] It moved quickly westward and steadily organized over the open Atlantic Ocean, with convection developing in curved bands.[3] The wave continued to develop as it approached the Lesser Antilles, and became Tropical Depression Three on August 9 while 115 mi (185 km) south-southeast of Barbados, near the island of Grenada, however, the threat to Barbados was short-lived.[3][6] Low upper-level wind shear and well-defined outflow contributed to further intensification, and the depression strengthened on August 10, despite being located in the eastern Caribbean Sea, which is an area not particularly suited to tropical cyclogenesis.[4] At this time, the National Hurricane Center in Miami designated the name "Charley."[3]

tag: p

text: A strong ridge of high pressure to the system's north forced Charley to change track quickly to the west-northwest. It continued to strengthen and became a Category 1 hurricane on August 11, while 90 mi (140 km) south of Kingston, Jamaica.[3][6] The storm was being steered around the periphery of the high pressure area, and as a result, Charley changed direction toward the northwest. The following day, the core passed 40 mi (64 km) southwest of Jamaica, affecting the island on August 11 and 12.[4][6] The storm then passed 15 mi (24 km) northeast of Grand Cayman, reaching Category 2 status just after passing the island.[3][4] The hurricane continued to strengthen as it turned to the northwest and rounded the southwest portion of the subtropical ridge, becoming a major hurricane—a storm classified as a Category 3 hurricane or higher—just before making landfall on southern Cuba.[3] Charley came ashore near Punta Cayamas with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (190 km/h) and gusts of up to 133 mph (214 km/h), at about 0430 UTC on August 13.[6] It weakened while crossing the island, passing about 15 mi (24 km) west of downtown Havana before weakening to 110 mph (180 km/h).[3]

text: After crossing Cuba near Menelao Mora, Hurricane Charley accelerated to the north-northeast, toward the southwest coast of Florida in response to the approach of an unseasonal mid-tropospheric trough.[6] Charley passed over the Dry Tortugas at 1200 UTC on August 13, with maximum winds of about 110 mph (180 km/h).[3][4] The strike occurred only 22 hours after Tropical Storm Bonnie made landfall on St. Vincent Island, marking the first time two tropical cyclones hit the same state within a 24-hour period.[1] Then Charley rapidly intensified, strengthening from a 110 mph (180 km/h) hurricane with a minimum central barometric pressure of 965 mbar (hPa; 28.50 inHg) to a 145 mph (233 km/h) hurricane with a pressure of 947 mbar (hPa; 27.96 inHg) in just three hours. It continued to strengthen as it turned more to the northeast, and made landfall near the island of Cayo Costa, Florida as a 150 mph (240 km/h) Category 4 hurricane with a pressure of 941 mbar (hPa; 27.79 inHg) at approximately 1945 UTC on August 13.[4][7] An hour later, the hurricane struck Punta Gorda as a 145 mph (233 km/h) storm and then passed up through Port Charlotte.[3] However, the eye had shrunk before landfall, limiting the most powerful winds to an area within 7 mi (11 km) of the center.[3]

text: Charley weakened considerably due to its passage over land, but still retained sustained winds of about 85 mph (137 km/h) as it passed directly over Orlando between 0020 and 0140 UTC August 14, ; gusts of up to 106 mph (171 km/h) were recorded at Orlando International Airport.[4] It cut a swath of destruction across Florida, also passing near Kissimmee.[3] The hurricane reemerged into the Atlantic Ocean after crossing directly over New Smyrna Beach as a Category 1 hurricane, but restrengthened slightly over open waters.[3][4] Continuing to move rapidly to the north-northeast, Charley struck near Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge, South Carolina as an 80 mph (130 km/h) hurricane, moved offshore briefly, and made its final landfall near North Myrtle Beach as a minimal hurricane, with winds of 75 mph (121 km/h).[4] Charley then began interacting with an approaching frontal boundary, becoming a tropical storm over southeastern North Carolina.[4] After moving back into the Atlantic Ocean near Virginia Beach on August 15, the storm became extratropical and became embedded in the frontal zone.[3][4] The extratropical storm continued to move rapidly to the northeast, and was completely absorbed by the front shortly after sunrise on August 15, near southeastern Massachusetts.[3][4]

text: Preparations[edit]

text: On August 10, two days before the hurricane passed near the island, Jamaican officials issued a tropical storm warning, which was upgraded to a hurricane warning a day later.[3] In Jamaica, the threat of the storm forced the country's two airports to close, and also forced two cruise ships to reroute.[8] The Cayman Islands issued a hurricane warning on August 11, a day before the hurricane passed near the archipelago.[3]

text: Cuban government officials issued a hurricane watch for the southern coastline on August 11, two days before the hurricane struck the island. This was upgraded to a hurricane warning on the 12th, 13 ½ hours before Charley made landfall.[3] Because of the threat, the government issued a mandatory evacuation for 235,000 citizens and 159,000 animals in the area of the expected impact.[9] An additional 3,800 residents were evacuated from offshore islands, while 47,000 in Havana were transported from old, unsafe buildings to safer areas.[10] The people were transported to shelters provisioned with supplies. In addition, the power grid in southern Cuba was turned off to avoid accidents.[9]

text: On August 11, Florida governor Jeb Bush issued a state of emergency declaration due to the impending threat Charley presented to the state while the storm was still located south of Jamaica.[11] The National Hurricane Center issued hurricane warnings for the Florida Keys and from Cape Sable to the mouth of the Suwannee River a day prior to Charley's passage through the state, while tropical storm warnings were issued elsewhere throughout Florida.[3] Because of the threat, 1.9 million people along the Florida west coast were urged to evacuate, including 380,000 residents in the Tampa Bay area, and 11,000 in the Florida Keys.[12][13][14] It was the largest evacuation order for Pinellas County history,[14] and the largest evacuation request in Florida since Hurricane Floyd five years before. Many Floridians remained despite the evacuation order, as authorities estimated that up to a million people would not go to shelters;[15] instead, these residents boarded up their homes and bought supplies to ride out the storm.[13] However, about 1.42 million people evacuated their homes in Florida, and approximately 50,000 residents were placed in shelters throughout the state.[16][17] Power companies mobilized workers to prepare for the expected widespread power outages. MacDill Air Force Base, home of U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) and the U.S. military center for the Iraq War, severely limited its staff on base, shifting most of its operations to its forward headquarters in Doha, Qatar.[13] Similarly, Kennedy Space Center, which usually counts with 13,000 on-site personnel, reduced its staff to only 200 people in preparation for the hurricane, and secured all Space Shuttles by sealing them in their hangars. Many amusement parks in the Orlando area closed early, and Walt Disney World's Animal Kingdom remained closed. This was only the second time in history that a Disney park was closed due to a hurricane, with the other occurrence being after Hurricane Floyd.[18] The approaching hurricane also forced several cruise ships to reroute their paths,[13] and forced rail service between Miami and New York to shut down.[19]

text: The rapid strengthening of Charley in the eastern Gulf of Mexico caught many by surprise. Around five hours before its Florida landfall, Charley was a strong Category 2 hurricane predicted to strengthen its strongest winds to 115 mph (185 km/h) upon its landfall in the Tampa-Saint Petersburg area.[20] About two hours before landfall, the National Hurricane Center issued a special advisory, notifying the public that Charley had become a 145 mph (233 km/h) Category 4 hurricane, with a predicted landfall location in the Port Charlotte area.[21] As a result of this change in forecast, numerous people in the Charlotte County area were unprepared for the hurricane, despite the fact that the new track prediction was well within the previous forecast's margin of error. National Hurricane Center forecasting intern Robbie Berg publicly blamed the media for misleading residents into believing that a Tampa landfall was inevitable. In addition, he also stated that residents of Port Charlotte had ample warning,[22] as a hurricane warning had been issued for the landfall area 23 hours before, and a hurricane watch had existed for 35 hours.[3]

text: Several local meteorologists, however, did depart from the official predictions of a Tampa Bay landfall as early as the morning of August 13. Jim Farrell[23] of WINK, Robert Van Winkle WBBH, Steve Jerve of WFLA in Tampa, Jim Reif of WZVN in Fort Myers, and Tom Terry of WFTV in Orlando, all broke with their national news forecasts and stated at around 1500 UTC that Charley was going to turn early, striking around Charlotte Harbor and traveling over Orlando, as would prove to be the case.[24]

text: Following the Florida landfall, Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue declared a state of emergency as a precaution against a 4–7 ft (1.2–2.1 m) storm surge and price gouging.[25] In South Carolina, Governor Mark Sanford declared a state of emergency as Charley approached its final landfall. Two coastal counties were forced to evacuate, with state troopers redirecting traffic further inland from Myrtle Beach.[18] In all, 138,000 evacuated from the Grand Strand area.[26]

text: Impact[edit]

text:
Storm deaths by region[3]

Region
Direct
Indirect
Total

Jamaica
1
0
1

Cuba
4
0
4

Florida
9
20
29

Rhode Island
1
0
1

Total
15
20
35

tag: table

text: One death in Jamaica, four deaths in Cuba, and ten deaths in the United States were directly attributed to Charley.[3] Numerous injuries were reported, as well as 25 indirect deaths in the U.S.[3]

text: Property damage from Charley in the United States was estimated by the NHC to be $15.0 billion.[27] At the time, this figure made Charley the second costliest hurricane in United States history, behind 1992's Hurricane Andrew's $43.7 billion. However, Charley has since dropped to ninth costliest, due to the damage caused by Hurricane Ivan later in the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season, Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Wilma in 2005, Hurricane Ike in 2008, Hurricane Irene in 2011, Hurricane Sandy in 2012, and Hurricane Harvey in 2017.[28]

text: Caribbean Sea[edit]

text: On Jamaica, strong winds caused moderate damage to the agricultural sector, with crop and livestock damage totaling to $1.44 million.[29] As the storm traveled along the southwest coast of Jamaica, it caused heavy wind and rain damage.[6] Damage was heaviest in Saint Elizabeth Parish, where 100 people had to be housed in six shelters. Strong winds downed trees and power lines, causing power outages and blocking roads.[30] Throughout the country, Charley caused $4.1 million in damage and one fatality.[6] In spite of the close approach that Charley made on the Cayman Islands, the islands were mostly spared, and were subjected to little damage.[30] Rainfall was light, peaking at 0.9 inches (23 mm) in Grand Cayman, while Cayman Brac reported tropical storm force winds.[3]

text:
Costliest U.S. Atlantic hurricanes
Cost refers to total estimated property damage

Rank
Hurricane
Season
Damage

1
Katrina
2005
7011108000000000000♠$108 billion

2
Sandy
2012
7010714000000000000♠$71.4 billion

3
Ike
2008
7010295200000000000♠$29.5 billion

4
Andrew
1992
7010265000000000000♠$26.5 billion

5
Wilma
2005
7010210070000000000♠$21 billion

6
Ivan
2004
7010188200000000000♠$18.8 billion

7
Irene
2011
7010156000000000000♠$15.6 billion

8
Charley
2004
7010151130000000000♠$15.1 billion

9
Rita
2005
7010120370000000000♠$12 billion

10
Matthew
2016
7010100000000000000♠$10 billion

Source: National Hurricane Center[31][32][33][nb 1]

text: Operationally, forecasters estimated that Charley struck southern Cuba as a 105 mph (169 km/h) Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson scale.[34] In post-hurricane-season analysis, Charley was determined to have struck southern Cuba as a 120 mph (190 km/h) hurricane; the original estimate was revised based on a report of a 118 mph (190 km/h) sustained wind measurement in Playa Baracoa, and meant that Charley was a major hurricane at landfall.[6] The hurricane produced a storm surge of up to 13.1 ft (4.0 m) in Playa Cajio;[3] on the other hand, Charley's quick passage caused precipitation amounts to be small, with the largest total, 5.87 inches (149 mm) occurring in Mariel.[6]

text: Strong wind gusts downed nearly 1,500 power lines and knocked over 28 large high tension wire towers at a power plant in Mariel. As a result, more than half of the electricity customers in Havana Province were left without power for 12 days after the storm, and all of Pinar del Río Province was without power for over 11 days. Blackouts continued in areas where power returned. The power outages resulted in lack of drinking water for numerous people, including no potable water in the city of Havana for four days. As a result, the Cuban government sent water tanks to satisfy the short term need. Similarly, there was a lack of gas for cooking for over a week. However, one Cuban government official stated that it could take up to two months for basic utilities to be returned to many isolated villages.[10]

text: Near its landfall location, Charley destroyed 290 of the 300 houses in the village, while over 70,000 homes in Havana were either damaged or destroyed. Numerous hotels reported damage, potentially impacting the important tourism industry in the country. Agricultural damage was heavy, with the hurricane damaging more than 3,000 agricultural institutions. Citrus officials estimated a loss of 15,000 metric tons of grapefruit on the Isle of Youth, while strong winds ruined 66,000 metric tons of citrus trees in the Havana area. Charley also destroyed around 57,000 acres (230 km²) of fruit trees in the Havana area.[10] Approximately 95% of the sugar cane, bean, and banana crops were affected in Cuban territory.[35] In all, Charley was directly responsible for four deaths in Cuba, and was responsible for $923 million in property damage, primarily from agricultural losses.[6]

text: Florida[edit]

text: Hurricane Charley severely affected the state of Florida. There were nine direct fatalities, 20 indirect fatalities, and numerous injuries attributed to the storm.[3] Property damage was estimated at $5.4 billion, and approximately $285 million in agricultural damage.[17] However, due to Charley's speed (it crossed the Florida peninsula in approximately seven hours) and small size, rainfall along the eyewall was mostly limited to 4–6 inches (10–15 centimetres).[17]

text: While moving northward to the west of the Florida Keys, Charley produced moderate winds of 48 mph (77 km/h) with gusts to 60 mph (97 km/h) in Key West.[3] The winds toppled a few trees, power lines, and unreinforced signs. A boat, knocked loose by strong waves, struck a power transmission line, causing widespread power outages from Marathon to Key West. On Fort Jefferson in the Dry Tortugas, the hurricane produced an estimated storm surge of up to 6 ft (1.8 m). The surge, combined with incoming waves, caused extensive flooding in the park and damaged numerous docks. In spite of this, property damage was minimal in the area, totaling $160,000.[12]

text: Hurricane Charley passed directly over Captiva Island near Cayo Costa with peak winds of 150 mph (240 km/h).[3] The Category 4 hurricane produced an estimated storm surge of up to 6.5 ft (2.0 m) on the island, which is lower than expected for a storm of its intensity. The decrease in the height of the surge was due to the hurricane's small size and its rapid intensification just prior to landfall. Furthermore, the storm surge, combined with the strong pressure gradient, produced a ¼ mi (450 m) inlet on North Captiva Island,[36] known as Charley's Cut. Strong waves and storm surge caused severe beach erosion and dune damage at various locations. The storm severely damaged five houses, lightly damaged many others, and downed many trees on Gasparilla Island. At least half of the 300 homes on North Captiva Island were substantially damaged, including ten that were destroyed. On Captiva Island, the strong winds severely damaged most houses, as well as several recreational buildings.[37]

text: The city of Arcadia in DeSoto County saw extreme damage, in spite of being relatively further inland.[38] About 95% of the buildings in the downtown area saw some sort of damage. The only shelter in the town had its roof torn open by the wind, leaving 3,500 evacuees inside unprotected from the onslaught of the storm.[39]

text: Hardee County saw property damage estimated at $750 million, along with six injuries, but no deaths were reported. Charley caused blackouts in the entire county, as well as damage to 3,600 homes and the destruction of 1,400. A radio tower near Sebring was toppled, along with numerous trees and power poles along the north and east side of Highlands County. Additionally, there were several reports of severely damaged homes in Polk County near Babson Park and Avon Park. In Lake Wales, Florida, a sand mine lake encroached into State Road 60 due to wave action and swallowed a car. Additionally, Lake Wales saw 23,000 buildings damaged, as well as the destruction of 739 structures. Seven deaths were reported in the county, one of them determined to be direct.[40]

text: Throughout the rest of the islands in Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee, and Collier counties, strong winds from Hurricane Charley caused severe damage to hundreds of buildings and trees.[37] Lee County also endured an 8-foot (2.4 m) storm surge.[17] These counties were exposed to Charley's eyewall, so they saw the most damage. Due to its small size, the area of most intense damage was located within a 10-mi (16-km) band centered on Charley's track, with additional heavy damage forming an outer band extending 7.5 mi (12.1 km) to each side of the inner swath of damage.[41] In Charlotte County, 80% of buildings were damaged.[42]

text: On mainland Florida, Charley produced a peak storm surge of 10–13 feet (3.0–4.0 metres) at Vanderbilt Beach near Naples, along with a much lower surge at its Punta Gorda landfall.[36] The hurricane dropped generally light rainfall across Florida, with the maximum amount of 9.88 inches (251 mm) occurring in Bud Slough in Sarasota County.[4] In Punta Gorda's airport, where the hurricane made landfall, wind speeds of up to 90 mph (140 km/h) were measured, alongside gusts of up to 111 mph (179 km/h), before the instrument was blown apart, along with most of the planes and the airport itself.[3][41] The Charlotte Regional Medical Center recorded an unofficial peak wind gust of 172 mph (277 km/h).[3] Port Charlotte's Saint Joseph's Hospital had its roof blown away by Charley's strong winds.[41] Due to the compact nature of the hurricane, the storm's radius of maximum sustained winds only extended a short distance from its center. In comparison, Fort Myers, which is only 25 mi (40 km) from where Charley made landfall, experienced sustained winds of only 61 mph (98 km/h) with gusts of 78 mph (126 km/h).[3] In South Florida, Charley spawned several tornadoes, including a long-lived F2 that struck Clewiston,[43] and five weak tornadoes near the point where the hurricane made landfall.[44]

text: The most severe damage from Hurricane Charley occurred in Charlotte County. In Boca Grande, numerous houses sustained extensive roof damage, while thousands of trees and power lines were uprooted or snapped. In Port Charlotte and Punta Gorda, many buildings, RVs, and mobile homes were completely destroyed, while other buildings were uproofed due to the powerful winds.[44]

text: Charley devastated Southwest Florida, causing $14.6 billion in property damage on the peninsula of Florida alone. Many towns such as Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte were leveled by the hurricane. Trees were downed and trailer parks were obliterated as far as Ormond Beach.[45]

text: Charley also caused considerable damage in the central and eastern parts of the state. Several possible tornadoes occurred, with severe thunderstorms during the duration of the storm. Winds were estimated to be at 80 mph (130 km/h) sustained near, and to the north of Okeechobee, while winds at Orlando International Airport topped out at 105 mph (169 km/h) in a gust.[46] The storm caused 2 million customers to lose electricity in Florida.[41] In some areas, power was not restored for weeks: 136,000 residents had no electricity a week after Charley's landfall,[47] and 22,000 customers, primarily from cooperatives, were still waiting for their service to be restored on August 26.[48] Citizens in Daytona Beach, New Smyrna Beach, and Port Orange in Southeastern Volusia County also dealt with storm surge from the St. Johns River and Halifax River, and Intracoastal Waterway as Charley passed over before re-emerging into the Atlantic Ocean. Further inland, Seminole County experienced some of the highest winds ever recorded from a hurricane in the area, with a gust of 97 mph (156 km/h) in Longwood at 0407 UTC on August 14 and 101 mph (163 km/h) in Altamonte Springs. Power was out in these areas for up to 12 days after the storm in some locations.

text: Public schools in some counties in the path of the hurricane were scheduled to be closed for two weeks.[49] In some areas this was necessary because the school buildings were damaged or destroyed: all 59 of Osceola County's schools were damaged, and one-third of Charlotte County's were destroyed by Charley's impact. DeSoto County schools saw $6 million in damage, while Orange County Public Schools saw $9 million in damage to their educational infrastructure.[50]

text: Agricultural losses were heavy. In Florida, the second-largest producer of oranges in the world, damage to the citrus crop was estimated at $200 million, and caused a 50% increase in the price of grapefruit juice. Charley, along with the other storms that hit Florida during 2004, caused a total agricultural loss of $2.2 billion. Other crops, nurseries, buildings, and agricultural equipment also suffered.[51]

text: Rest of United States[edit]

text: Upon making landfall on northeastern South Carolina, Charley produced a storm tide that was unofficially measured to up to 7.19 ft (2.19 m) in Myrtle Beach. Wind gusts were moderate, peaking at 60 mph (97 km/h) in North Myrtle Beach, though there were several unofficial records of hurricane-force gusts.[3] Charley produced moderate rainfall along its path, peaking at over 7 in (178 mm).[4] Moderate winds knocked down numerous trees.[52] Flash flooding occurred in Charleston County, causing drainage problems.[53] Damage in South Carolina totaled to $20 million.[3]

text: In North Carolina, Charley produced an estimated storm surge of 2–3 ft (0.61–0.91 m), along with waves of up to 8 ft (2.4 m) in height. This produced minor beach erosion along the coastline. Winds gusted from 60 to 70 mph (97 to 113 km/h), causing minor wind damage. Rainfall amounts in the state were moderate, ranging from 4 to 6 in (100 to 150 mm), but still caused flooding across seven North Carolina counties. The hurricane spawned five weak tornadoes across the state,[54] including an F1 in Nags Head that damaged twenty structures.[55] Charley destroyed 40 houses and damaged 2,231, 231 severely, including 221 damaged beach homes in Sunset Beach. Damage was the greatest in Brunswick County, where wind gusts peaked at 85 mph (137 km/h). Crop damage was also heavy in Brunswick County, with 50% of the tobacco crop lost and 30% of the corn and vegetable fields destroyed. Strong winds downed trees and power lines, leaving 65,000 without power.[56] Damage in North Carolina totaled to $25 million.[3]

text: Tropical Storm Charley produced wind gusts of up to 72 mph (116 km/h) at Chesapeake Light in Virginia, causing scattered power outages. Rainfall was light, ranging from 2 to 3.7 in (51 to 94 mm).[57] Charley produced one tornado in Chesapeake and one in Virginia Beach. In Rhode Island, one man drowned in a rip current.[3]

text: Aftermath[edit]

text: President George W. Bush declared Florida a federal disaster area. He later reflected on the government response to Charley:

text:
“
...the job of the federal government and the state government is to surge resources as quickly as possible to disaster areas. And that's exactly what's happening now. We choppered over and saw the devastation of this area. A lot of people's lives are turned upside down. We've got ice and water moving in, trailers for people...are moving in. The state is providing security...There's a lot of compassion moving in the area, the Red Cross is here."[58]
”

text: U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson released $11 million in additional aid and other assistance to Florida, with $10 million to be earmarked to Head Start facilities that need repair or new supplies, another $1 million was provided to the DeSoto Memorial Hospital in Arcadia and Osceola Regional Medical Center in Kissimmee, and $200,000 would be spent to provide services to senior citizens. Across Florida, 114 food service operations and eight comfort stations were set up. FEMA opened four disaster recovery centers.[59]

text: Retirement[edit]

text: Because of its effects in the United States, the name Charley was retired from the rotating lists of tropical cyclone names in the spring of 2005 by the World Meteorological Organization. As a result, the name will never again be used for a North Atlantic hurricane. The name was replaced with Colin for the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season.[6]