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 final season under general manager John Dorsey, who was fired on June 22, 2017. The Chiefs clinched their first AFC West division title since 2010, beginning a streak of nine consecutive that extended to 2024. The Chiefs also clinched a first-round bye for the first time since 2003, but they lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Divisional round 18–16 despite holding them to no touchdowns.
Violation of anti-tampering policy On March 9, 2016, the NFL announced that the Chiefs had violated the league's anti-tampering policy while pursuing wide receiver Jeremy Maclin during the 2015 off-season. The NFL defines tampering as prospective teams contacting soon-to-be free agents before NFL policies allow, which is two days prior to the beginning of the new league year. As punishment, the Chiefs forfeited their 2016 third-round selection, a 2017 sixth-round selection, and were fined $250,000. In addition, head coach Andy Reid was fined $75,000, and general manager John Dorsey was fined $25,000. The Chiefs immediately appealed the decision believing the punishment was excessively harsh and inconsistent with punishments that have given to other teams in similar situations. On April 19, the NFL denied the Chiefs appeal, however, they did reduce the team's fine to $200,000 and Reid's fine to $60,000.
NFL Top 100 The Chiefs had an NFL best 9 players in the annual Top 100 Players countdown.
Rank Player Position Change 26 Justin Houston LB 1 55 Eric Berry S NR 65 Marcus Peters CB NR 75 Jamaal Charles RB 63 80 Derrick Johnson LB NR 81 Alex Smith QB NR 84 Tamba Hali LB 14 91 Travis Kelce TE NR 93 Jeremy Maclin WR NR
Roster changes
Offseason
Reserve/future free agent contracts Player Position Tyrell Adams LB Da'Ron Brown WR Deveron Carr CB Kenny Cook WR Dominique Davis DE Reid Fragel T Laurence Gibson T Cameron Gordon OLB Jordan Kovacs SS Keith Lewis CB Michael Liedkte G Trey Millard FB Jimmy Staten DE Alameda Ta'amu NT Ross Travis TE Fred Williams WR
Retirements Position Player Seasons withthe Chiefs Years pro Date announced FS Husain Abdullah 3 7 March 28 DE Mike DeVito 3 9 April 11
Free agents
Position Player Status* 2015 Team(s) 2016 Team T Jeff Allen UFA Kansas City Chiefs Houston Texans WR Jason Avant UFA Kansas City Chiefs None FS Eric Berry UFA Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs SS Tyvon Branch UFA Kansas City Chiefs Arizona Cardinals SS Stevie Brown UFA New York Giants Kansas City Chiefs CB Marcus Cooper UFA Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs QB Chase Daniel UFA Kansas City Chiefs Philadelphia Eagles S Akeem Davis UFA New Orleans SaintsSeattle SeahawksIndianapolis Colts Kansas City Chiefs G Jordan Devey UFA San Francisco 49ers Kansas City Chiefs CB Jamell Fleming UFA Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs LB Tamba Hali UFA Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs DE Jaye Howard UFA Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs LB Derrick Johnson UFA Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs WR Seantavius Jones UFA New Orleans Saints Kansas City Chiefs LB Tautvydas Kieras UFA None Kansas City Chiefs DE David King ERFA Seattle SeahawksKansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs OLB Andy Mulumba UFA Green Bay Packers Kansas City Chiefs DE Jonathan Massaquoi UFA Atlanta Falcons Kansas City Chiefs LB Dezman Moses RFA Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs C Drew Nowak UFA Seattle Seahawks Kansas City Chiefs DE Efe Obada UFA Dallas Cowboys Kansas City Chiefs T Mitchell Schwartz UFA Cleveland Browns Kansas City Chiefs FS Daniel Sorensen ERFA Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs CB Sean Smith UFA Kansas City Chiefs Oakland Raiders T Donald Stephenson UFA Kansas City Chiefs Denver Broncos WR Rod Streater UFA Oakland Raiders Kansas City Chiefs RB Charcandrick West ERFA Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs WR Mike Williams UFA None Kansas City Chiefs DE Nick Williams ERFA Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs SS Jimmy Wilson UFA San Diego Chargers Kansas City Chiefs LB Frank Zombo UFA Kansas City Chiefs Kansas City Chiefs*
Draft
2016 Kansas City Chiefs Draft Round Selection Player Position College 2 37 Chris Jones Defensive tackle Mississippi State 3 74 KeiVarae Russell Cornerback Notre Dame 4 105 Parker Ehinger Guard Cincinnati 4 106 Eric Murray Cornerback Minnesota 4 126 Demarcus Robinson Wide receiver Florida 5 162 Kevin Hogan Quarterback Stanford 5 165 Tyreek Hill Wide receiver West Alabama 6 178 D. J. White Cornerback Georgia Tech 6 203 Dadi Nicolas Linebacker Virginia Tech Notes The Chiefs forfeited their original third-round selection (what would have been the 91st overall selection) as part of the punishment for violating the NFL's anti-tampering policy. The Chiefs acquired an additional fifth-round selection in a trade that sent safety Kelcie McCray to the Seattle Seahawks. The Chiefs traded their 1st round draft pick (28th overall) and 7th round pick (249th overall) to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for the 49ers 2nd round pick (37th overall), 4th round pick (105th overall), and 6th round pick (178th overall) The Chiefs traded their 2nd round draft pick (59th overall) to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in exchange the Buccaneers 3rd round pick (74th overall) and 4th round selection (106th overall)
Undrafted free agents Position Player College WR Mitch Mathews BYU OL Jake Bernstein Vanderbilt C Ben Clarke Hawaii CB Vernon Harris Dartmouth CB Shak Randolph SMU LB Terrance Smith Florida State SS Peni Vea UNLV FS Bryce Cheek Akron
Players signed from rookie mini camp tryouts Position Player College CB Shannon Edwards Fresno State G Garrick Mayweather Fordham T Zach Sterup Nebraska
Cuts
Position Player WR Kenny Cook G Paul Fanaika G Ben Grubbs
Players cut in the offseason before playing for the Chiefs
Position Player G Jake Bernstein C Ben Clarke LB Cameron Gordon S Jimmy Wilson WR Fred Williams LB Tautvydas Kieras G Michael Liedtke T Laurence Gibson S Jordan Kovacs S Keith Lewis LB Efe Obada SS Peni Vea
Camp transactions
Cuts Position Player Alameda Ta'amu DT Tre Jones CB Shannon Edwards CB Vernon Harris CB
Signings Position Player Bryce Cheek S Nick Foles QB Jeron Johnson S Malcolm Jackson CB
Preseason transactions
Cuts Position Player S Akeem Davis
Signings Position Player S Brock Vereen
Trades
Position Player/pickreceived Team Compensation CB CB Kenneth Acker San Francisco 49ers 7th round pick2018 NFL draft N/A Undisclosed draft pick2018 NFL draft Arizona Cardinals CB Marcus Cooper N/A Undiscloseddraft pick San Francisco 49ers WR Rod Streater
Roster cut downs
+Cuts to 75 Position Player S Bryce Cheek DE Niko Davis T Curtis Feigt CB Malcolm Jackson WR Seantavius Jones WR Mitch Mathews LB Jonathan Massaquoi WR Kashif Moore C Drew Nowak
+Cuts to 53 Position Player LB Tyrell Adams WR Da'Ron Brown CB Deveron Carr T Reid Fragel S Jamell Fleming WR Frankie Hammond QB Kevin Hogan S Jeron Johnson DE David King LB Andy Mulumba C Daniel Munyer QB Aaron Murray TE Brian Parker G Jarrod Pughsley S Shak Randolph RB Darrin Reaves LB Terrance Smith DE Jimmy Staten T Zach Sterup CB Brock Vereen
Regular season transactions Trades
Position Player/PickReceived Team Compensation N/A None* Green Bay Packers RB Knile Davis
Cuts Position Player CB KeiVarae Russell DE Nick Williams
Signings Position Player Previous team T Bryan Witzmann Dallas Cowboys DE Kendall Reyes Washington Redskins LB Terrance Smith Kansas City Chiefs* G Mike Person Atlanta Falcons DL Jarvis Jenkins New York Jets RB Knile Davis Green Bay Packers† CB Terrance Mitchell Kansas City Chiefs*
Players involved in multiple transactions This list is for players who were involved in more than one transaction during the season
Position Player Final status LB Dezman Moses Free agent T Jordan Devey Chiefs active roster LB Ramik Wilson Chiefs active roster DT Rakeem Nuñez-Roches Chiefs active roster LB Sam Barrington Saints active roster LB Sio Moore Cardinals active roster CB Terrance Mitchell Chiefs active roster DT David King Chiefs active roster RB Bishop Sankey Vikings practice squad
Staff
Final roster
Preseason Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 Seattle Seahawks L 16–17 0–1 Arrowhead Stadium Recap 2 at Los Angeles Rams L 20–21 0–2 Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Recap 3 at Chicago Bears W 23–7 1–2 Soldier Field Recap 4 Green Bay Packers W 17–7 2–2 Arrowhead Stadium Recap
Game summaries Week 1: vs. Seattle Seahawks
Week 2: at Los Angeles Rams
Week 3: at Chicago Bears
Week 4: vs. Green Bay Packers
Regular season
Schedule Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Recap 1 September 11 San Diego Chargers W 33–27 1–0 Arrowhead Stadium Recap 2 September 18 at Houston Texans L 12–19 1–1 NRG Stadium Recap 3 September 25 New York Jets W 24–3 2–1 Arrowhead Stadium Recap 4 October 2 at Pittsburgh Steelers L 14–43 2–2 Heinz Field Recap 5Bye 6 October 16 at Oakland Raiders W 26–10 3–2 Oakland Alameda Coliseum Recap 7 October 23 New Orleans Saints W 27–21 4–2 Arrowhead Stadium Recap 8 October 30 at Indianapolis Colts W 30–14 5–2 Lucas Oil Stadium Recap 9 November 6 Jacksonville Jaguars W 19–14 6–2 Arrowhead Stadium Recap 10 November 13 at Carolina Panthers W 20–17 7–2 Bank of America Stadium Recap 11 November 20 Tampa Bay Buccaneers L 17–19 7–3 Arrowhead Stadium Recap 12 November 27 at Denver Broncos W 30–27 8–3 Sports Authority Field at Mile High Recap 13 December 4 at Atlanta Falcons W 29–28 9–3 Georgia Dome Recap 14 Oakland Raiders W 21–13 10–3 Arrowhead Stadium Recap 15 December 18 Tennessee Titans L 17–19 10–4 Arrowhead Stadium Recap 16 December 25 Denver Broncos W 33–10 11–4 Arrowhead Stadium Recap 17 January 1 at San Diego Chargers W 37–27 12–4 Qualcomm Stadium Recap Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.
Game summaries
Week 1: vs. San Diego Chargers
Week 2: at Houston Texans
Week 3: vs. New York Jets
The Chiefs picked off the Jets six times.
Week 4: at Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 6: at Oakland Raiders
Week 7: vs. New Orleans Saints
Week 8: at Indianapolis Colts
Week 9: vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 10: at Carolina Panthers
Week 11: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 12: at Denver Broncos
Week 13: at Atlanta Falcons
Week 14: vs. Oakland Raiders
Week 15: vs. Tennessee Titans
Week 16: vs. Denver Broncos Christmas Day games
Week 17: at San Diego Chargers
Standings
Division
Conference
Postseason
Schedule Round Date Opponent (seed) Result Record Venue Recap Wild CardFirst-round bye Divisional January 15 Pittsburgh Steelers (3) L 16–18 0–1 Arrowhead Stadium Recap
Game summaries
AFC Divisional Playoffs: vs. (3) Pittsburgh Steelers
References
External links