The 2002 season was the Kansas City Chiefs' 33rd in the National Football League (NFL), their 43rd overall and the franchise's 40th in Kansas City, Missouri.
The 2001 season was the Kansas City Chiefs' 32nd in the National Football League (NFL) and their 42nd overall. It was their first year under head coach Dick Vermeil and 13th under general manager Carl Peterson. They finished the regular season with a 6–10 record.
The 2000 season was the Kansas City Chiefs' 31st in the National Football League (NFL), their 41st overall and their second and final season under head coach Gunther Cunningham. They failed to improve on their 9–7 record from 1999 and finished the season 7–9, marked by a series of on and off-field struggles and incidents.
The 1997 season was the Kansas City Chiefs' 28th in the National Football League (NFL) and their 38th overall. The Chiefs improved on their 9–7 record from 1996, and finished with a 13–3 record and as AFC West division champions. The Rich Gannon–Elvis Grbac quarterback controversy was a focal point of the team's season. It brewed throughout the entire season and arguably cost the Chiefs a victory in the playoffs. The Chiefs were defeated by division rival and eventual Super Bowl champion, Denver Broncos, in the 1997 playoffs. 1997 was the final season the Chiefs appeared in the playoffs during the 1990s and for the next several seasons, they fell into futility. They did not return to the playoffs until 2003.
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, the team missed the playoffs for the first time since 1989.
The 1994 Kansas City Chiefs season was the franchise's 25th season in the National Football League, the 32nd as the Kansas City Chiefs and the 35th overall. They failed to improve their 11–5 record from 1993 and finishing with a 9–7 record and Wild Card spot in the 1994–95 playoffs. The Chiefs lost to the Miami Dolphins 27–17 in the wild-card round. Alongside celebrating the NFL's 75th anniversary season, Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana retired following the season.
The 1992 Kansas City Chiefs season was the franchise's 23rd season in the National Football League and the 33rd overall. The Chiefs matched their 10–6 record from 1991, but were shut out by the San Diego Chargers 17–0 in the wild-card round.
The 1991 Kansas City Chiefs season was the franchise's 22nd season in the National Football League and 32nd overall. They failed to improve on their 11–5 record from 1990 and finished with a 10–6 record. Compared to the Chiefs' 1990 campaign, Steve DeBerg’s consistency had dropped. The running game made up for lost time as Christian Okoye ran for 1,031 yards for the season, Barry Word was productive, and rookie Harvey Williams was outstanding in limited playing time. The Chiefs defeated their division rival, the Los Angeles Raiders in the Wild Card round, resulting in the franchise's first playoff victory since Super Bowl IV in 1970. The next week, the Chiefs lost to the Buffalo Bills in the divisional playoffs.
The 1989 season was the Kansas City Chiefs' 20th in the National Football League, their 30th overall and their first under head coach Marty Schottenheimer and general manager Carl Peterson. They improved on their 4–11–1 record from 1988 and finished with an 8–7–1 record. The Chiefs did not qualify for the playoffs in for the third straight year but did send four players to the Pro Bowl. The Chiefs Week 11 10–10 tie against the Cleveland Browns remains the most recent tie in Chiefs history.
The 1981 Kansas City Chiefs season was the franchise's 12th season in the National Football League and 22nd overall. They improved from 1980 from an 8–8 record to a 9–7 record but missing the playoffs for the tenth consecutive season.
The 1982 Kansas City Chiefs season was the franchise's strike-shortened 13th season in the National Football League and the 23rd overall.
The 1983 Kansas City Chiefs season was the franchise's 14th season in the National Football League and the 24th overall. They matched on their 6–10 record and last place finish in the AFC West.
The 1984 Kansas City Chiefs season was the franchise's 15th season in the National Football League, the 22nd as the Kansas City Chiefs, and the 25th overall.
The 1985 Kansas City Chiefs season was the franchise's 16th season in the National Football League and the 26th overall.
The 1986 Kansas City Chiefs season marked the franchise's 17th season in the National Football League and the 27th overall. The season concluded with a 10–6 record, representing the team's best performance since 1971. This successful run earned The Chiefs a wild card playoff berth, although their postseason journey was cut short by a New York Jets 35–15.
The 1987 Kansas City Chiefs season was the franchise's 18th season in the National Football League and the 28th overall. Under new head coach Frank Gansz, the Chiefs split their first two games, 1-1. The 1987 NFL season featured games predominantly played by replacement players, as the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) players went on strike from weeks four to six with week three being cancelled across the league. The replacement players went 0–3. After the regulars returned, the Chiefs continued to struggle. They lost their next five games to stand at 1–9 and finished the season with a 4–11 record a year after making the playoffs in 1986.
The 2014 season was the Kansas City Chiefs' 45th in the National Football League (NFL), their 55th overall and their second under the head coach/general manager tandem of Andy Reid and John Dorsey. The Chiefs broke the crowd noise record on Monday Night Football against the New England Patriots on September 29, 2014 with a crowd roar of 142.2 decibels. The Chiefs failed to match their 11–5 record from 2013, and missed the playoffs. However, they defeated both teams that would eventually meet in that season's Super Bowl: the New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks. The 2014 Kansas City Chiefs became the first NFL team since the 1964 New York Giants, and the only team in the 16 game season era, to complete an entire season with no touchdown passes to a wide receiver.
The 2016 season was the Kansas City Chiefs' 47th in the National Football League (NFL), their 57th overall and their fourth under head coach Andy Reid and the fourth and final season under general manager John Dorsey who was fired June 22, 2017. The Chiefs clinched their first AFC West division title since 2010, beginning a streak of eight consecutive that still stands as of 2023. The Chiefs also clinched a first-round bye for the first time since 2003, but lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Divisional round 18–16.
The 2018 Kansas City Chiefs season was the franchise's 49th season in the National Football League (NFL), their 59th overall, their sixth under head coach Andy Reid, and their second under general manager Brett Veach. The Chiefs finished 12–4 and won their third consecutive AFC West title, made their fourth consecutive playoff appearance, but lost to the eventual Super Bowl champion New England Patriots in the AFC Championship in overtime. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes won the AP NFL MVP award, becoming the first Chiefs player to ever be named MVP.
The 2019 season was the Kansas City Chiefs' 50th in the National Football League (NFL), their 60th overall, their seventh under head coach Andy Reid and third under general manager Brett Veach.