Uncovered: The Forgotten NFL Team That Paved The Way For The Kansas City Chiefs

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Long before the still-unfurling Magical Mystery Tour of Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes and Co. — decades prior to Hank Stram’s “Wild West Variety Show,” as John Facenda and NFL Films called the Chiefs of the late 1960s and early 1970s — there existed a lesser-known yet equally captivating NFL story in Kansas City.

In the early years of the 20th century, long before the establishment of the Chiefs, Kansas City had its first NFL team — an underdog story that mirrored the Wild West spirit that the city embodied. The Cowboys, no, not those Dallas Cowboys, but the Kansas City Cowboys, took on the mighty opposing teams from the growing professional football league.

The origins of the Kansas City Cowboys date back to the year 1925 when they were initially formed as an independent team before joining the National Football League in the following year. They began competing in the 1926 NFL season, adorned in their iconic cowboy attires, which became a symbol of the city’s vibrant spirit. Their home stadium, at Municipal Stadium, would be filled with thousands of spectators who came to watch these modern-day cowboys clash on the gridiron.

However, it was not an easy journey for the Kansas City Cowboys as they battled through financial hardships, competition from more established teams, and the uncharted territory of the early days of professional football. Amidst these struggles, the team fought on, committed to putting their “stampede”-style football on the map and bringing pride to the great city of Kansas.

Unfortunately, their reign in the NFL was not meant to be. Following the conclusion of the 1926 season, financial constraints plagued the team, and they could no longer continue to compete, thereby resulting in their departure from the league. Despite this disappointing finale, their legacy in the eyes of the city’s early football lovers lives on, showcasing an audacious example of perseverance, city pride, and passion for the American football.