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Team Guide · NFL AFC West

Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs are Patrick Mahomes' team — multiple Super Bowl titles in the Mahomes era, red and gold, and one of the NFL's marquee franchises. The natural home team for any Mahomes collection.

City
Kansas City
League
NFL AFC West
Founded
1960

The Kansas City Chiefs are inseparable from Patrick Mahomes’ story, but the franchise’s history reaches back well before his 2017 rookie season. Founded in 1960 and playing in the AFC West, Kansas City built a modern dynasty around Mahomes — multiple Super Bowl titles and a run of deep playoff appearances that turned the Chiefs into the NFL’s marquee team of its era.

From the AFL to Arrowhead: the pre-Mahomes Chiefs

The franchise began life as the Dallas Texans, a charter member of the American Football League (AFL) in 1960. The team relocated to Kansas City in 1963 and was renamed the Kansas City Chiefs. Under head coach Hank Stram and quarterback Len Dawson, the Chiefs reached Super Bowl I (January 1967) but lost to the Green Bay Packers. Three seasons later, that same core beat the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV (January 1970) for the franchise’s first championship — and Dawson was named Super Bowl MVP. (Franchise timeline and championship years per the Kansas City Chiefs article on Wikipedia, read 24 August 2026.)

That title held for 50 years. The Chiefs didn’t return to a Super Bowl again until Mahomes led them back in February 2020. That drought is part of why the Mahomes era resonates so strongly with longtime Chiefs fans, not just newer collectors.

How Mahomes became a Chief

Kansas City traded up in the 2017 NFL Draft, sending Buffalo its 2017 first-round pick plus a 2018 first-rounder to move from 27th overall to 10th, where the Chiefs selected Mahomes out of Texas Tech. Head coach Andy Reid, in Kansas City since 2013, sat the rookie behind veteran Alex Smith for the 2017 season before handing him the starting job in 2018 and trading Smith to Washington.

Collecting the Chiefs during the Mahomes era

Because Mahomes has only ever played for the Chiefs, every Mahomes card is a Chiefs card. That makes this franchise the natural anchor for a Mahomes collection — from his 2017 rookies through each Super Bowl run to every new season’s releases. Red-and-gold imagery and championship-era cards are especially prized by collectors chasing the dynasty years.

Where to go next

Featured Kansas City Chiefs Players

Player Guide

Patrick Mahomes

Quarterback

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback, three-time Super Bowl champion and two-time NFL MVP — one of the most collected active players in the hobby. Here's the complete overview of collecting his cards, from 2017 rookies to modern Panini hits.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long has Patrick Mahomes played for the Chiefs?
Since being drafted 10th overall in 2017. After sitting his rookie year behind Alex Smith, he took over as the starter in 2018 and has led Kansas City to multiple Super Bowl titles since.
Are Chiefs-era Mahomes cards more collectible?
Mahomes has only ever played for the Chiefs, so every one of his cards is a Chiefs card. Red-and-gold imagery and championship-era cards are especially beloved by collectors.
Did the Chiefs win a Super Bowl before Patrick Mahomes?
Yes — once. The Chiefs beat the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IV (January 1970) under head coach Hank Stram and quarterback Len Dawson, the franchise's only title before the Mahomes era. Kansas City then went 50 years without returning to a Super Bowl until Mahomes and the Chiefs won Super Bowl LIV in February 2020.
How did the Chiefs get Patrick Mahomes?
Kansas City traded up in the 2017 NFL Draft, sending its 2017 first-round pick and a 2018 first-round pick to the Buffalo Bills to move from the 27th overall pick to the 10th, where they selected Mahomes out of Texas Tech.