| 2003 Kansas City Chiefs season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | Lamar Hunt |
| General manager | Carl Peterson |
| Head coach | Dick Vermeil |
| Home field | Arrowhead Stadium |
| Results | |
| Record | 13–3 |
| Division place | 1st AFC West |
| Playoff finish | Lost Divisional Playoffs (vs. Colts) 31–38 |
| Pro Bowlers | |
| AP All-Pros | 5
|
The 2003 season was the Kansas City Chiefs' 34th in the National Football League (NFL), their 44th overall and their third under head coach Dick Vermeil.
The season resulted in a 13–3 winning record, beginning with a nine-game winning streak—the franchise's best start in their 40-year history. The Chiefs won the AFC West and clinched the second seed in the playoffs to clinch their first playoff berth since 1997. Kansas City lost in an offensive shootout at home in the AFC Divisional Playoffs to the Indianapolis Colts 38–31, a game noted for involving no punts from either team's kicking squad.
The season is best remembered for the Chiefs' record-breaking offense. On December 28, running back Priest Holmes broke Marshall Faulk's single-season touchdown record, along with Emmitt Smith's single-season rushing touchdown record, by scoring his 27th rushing touchdown against the Chicago Bears. Quarterback Trent Green threw for 4,000 yards and kick returner Dante Hall returned four kicks for touchdowns. However, the Chiefs' defense would prove to be too big a weakness, as they failed to stop the Colts in the 2003-04 playoffs. The Chiefs offensive line from the season has frequently been considered one of the best offensive lines in NFL history. Two members of the offensive line, Will Shields and Willie Roaf, have been inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame along with the tight end from the team, Tony Gonzalez.