THE LONGEST GAME EVER PLAYED, DECEMBER 25, 1971
Forty years ago today, December 25th, 1971, was a Christmas Day day thousands of Kansas Citians, including myself, will never forget. So many unforgettable things about this day, the last Chiefs' game to be played in old Municipal Stadium, the holiday setting, an NFL Playoff game between the Chiefs & the Miami Dolphins. It was the last playoff game ever played on Christmas Day, mainly because half the fans are devastated by the outcome & hey, it's Christmas. To further understand the magnitude of this game it's important to note 12 future members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame played in this game. Both coaches, Miami's Don Shula & Kansas City's Hank Stram also became HOFers as did Chiefs founder & owner, Lamar Hunt. The game was broadcast on NBC by Hall of Famer Curt Gowdy & Al DeRogatis. Even Santa Claus made an appearance before kickoff.
The game was especially memorable to me because I was in the Air Force at the time, serving at March AFB, Riverside, California. I finagled 4-days of leave time to fly home, see my family & go to the game. I still had the same season tickets I'd had since before I could drive, ninth row in the fabled Wolfpack Section of the North bleachers. Chiefs games were in my family's blood, Mom & her husband had season tickets in the baseball box seats. My Dad, Betty & Dick, sat on the same row as me, two sections over in the Wolfpack. Accompanying me that day was my bestest buddy, Mike Rudolph. He was also serving, having just completed Army basic training. Our other companions that day were half pints of "1889" & Jim Beam. A little bourbon for a cold day. You have to understand it was a different time back then plus we weren't driving, we always took the bus. Two other people of note were sitting in the stands that day, my future wife & father-in-law, were bundled up in the baseball seats in the cool December shade.
My Mom had warned me that morning we had to get home from the stadium ASAP so we could go to her in-laws for Christmas dinner around 4:30. Noon kickoff, we could probably make it. We got off the bus less than a mile from our dinner destination. They were holding dinner for 18 people until 1 hour after the game ended. There were many folks back then who couldn't comprehend a family Christmas dinner being interrupted or postponed for a football game. Didn't they know it was Christmas? That's the way Mom's in-laws felt, this football game was not only a huge inconvenience, but it was just wrong for Christmas. As it turned out, we didn't arrive for dinner until 7PM.
As Mike & I got to our seats, I was greeted by the people who had sat around me for like 5 years. You didn't move back in those days, no one ever gave up their seats.They asked about the Air Force & would I be back for next season. I had sold my seats to another friend but he knew all along I'd be back for the playoffs if I could get leave. I'd watched a few games from the barracks day room out in California but now I was back where I belonged for a Chiefs' playoff game, in my regular seat. Lots of holiday handshakes & hugs from my Wolfpack family, it was great to be back. We cracked the seal on the first half pint right after the National Anthem.
The Chiefs scored twice in the first quarter to take a 10-0 lead. Jan Stenerud's 24-yard field goal was to be his last on this day, his worst-ever as a professional. Running back Ed Podolak, the consummate 3rd down back of his era, scored the first touchdown right in front of us on a 7-yard swing pass from Len Dawson.
Quarter two brought a short touchdown run by Larry Csonka & a Garo Yepremian field goal to knot the score at ten. Halftimes were always the same for me, go to the men's room & visit my Dad, Betty & Dick. They always had more than enough potent potables to share, so we had a Christmas toddy with them before returning to our seats for the second half.
Fullback Jim Otis opened the 3rd quarter scoring for the Chiefs with a 1-yard touchdown plunge. It was matched by a 1-yard run by Miami's Jim Kiick. The quarterbacks, both with degrees from Purdue University, had similar days yardage-wise & each threw one touchdown & two interceptions. The Chiefs run defense was especially stout thru three quarters, the Dolphins averaging just over 3-yards per carry. But two Chiefs drives ended with no points as Stenerud missed another field goal & Dawson threw an interception.
The 4th quarter brought all the tension to a head, Podolak put Kansas City ahead 24-17 with less than 5-minutes to play on a 3-yard run. Miami QB Bob Griese took the Dolphins downfield & on 3rd & goal from the five, he found tight end Marv Fleming for the tying score.
It looked bleak, but once again Ed Podolak rose to the occasion. Number 14 in your program, number 1 in your hearts. The guy K.C. fans had called "Fumblelak" just two years before, was now going to win this game right now. He fielded the kickoff, broke thru the initial wall of tacklers & it was a footrace to the goaline right in front of our seats. He was knocked out of bounds at the Miami 22. After running the ball three times to the 15, Hank Stram called his last timeout at 00:05. As the place was rocking, Mike noticed a guy who went to school with us, sitting in what was known as "Stenerud's Roost", the endzone seats literally on top of the East endzone. At that exact moment, he made eye contact with Mike & me, motioning "wide right." We couldn't believe it, here's a guy saying Stenerud is going to miss this 31-yard field goal. A Kansas City guy, what the hell was he thinking? Perfect snap, perfect hold by Dawson, kick is up, it's no good.......wide right.
Now we were looking at sudden death overtime, something totally new to millions of fans around the country. The 1959 NFL & 1962 AFL Championship games had been the only sudden death games ever played in professional football. Gowdy liked to call it "Sudden Victory," he was alone in that sentiment. It's getting dark, I know people are waiting dinner for us, but there were no cell phones back then, I had no way of communicating with my Mom, who was seated on the other side of the stadium, to see if they were still in the stadium. Mike was beginning to wonder if his Mom was going to be angry he was missing the family dinner. Of course Mom hadn't left, no one left, no one. In the first overtime period, both field goal kickers missed, Stenerud's was blocked. Now we go to period six, seventy-five minutes couldn't decide it, they played on into the cold darkness.
I knew Podolak was having a great game, I just didn't realize how great. His 350-total yards is still an NFL playoff record that stands today. I remember Jim Brown sent Podolak a telegram the next morning, saluting his effort in the game. He carried 17 times for 85-yards, caught 8 passes for 110-yards, returned three kickoffs for 153-yards & a punt for 2. If the game was going to go longer, Ed Podolak still had something left in the tank. Jim Kiick said "this game was going to go until somebody won or somebody died."
Seven minutes into the sixth period, Larry Csonka broke a 30-yard run on a draw play to set up the Dolphins for a game winning field goal. This time Yepremian didn't miss. It was over, now we truly understood the meaning of sudden death. It's horrible, you could hear a pin drop in that stadium as the faithful filed out in disbelief. The only conversations on the bus going back to Ward parkway Shopping Center were whispers, a lot of blank stares on that bus. A lot of exhausted people who had ridden this emotional roller coaster for the past five hours rode in silence.
Holiday dinners all over the city were ruined, hams dried out, turkey's overcooked. Disgruntled family members still waiting on the football fans of the family to arrive. It truly wrecked Christmas for thousands of people in Kansas City. This game was the reason the NFL decided to never again stage a playoff game on Christmas Day. Today's 16-game schedule precludes that problem now, the playoffs don't start until well into January.
As we arrived for our 4:30 Christmas Dinner at 7PM, we were so tired we weren't even bothered by how unpopular we'd become that day. Our voices were shot from screaming, a slight hangover was now setting in & I was scheduled to fly back to California at midnight. Mike picked me up to take me to the airport, the old one down by the Missouri River. When we arrived, we found the flight had been cancelled & I was rescheduled for an 8AM flight. We went back to Mike's house, ate a few cold leftovers & sacked out on the couches in their family room. Not the happiest Christmas to be sure, but one we'll never forget.
The NFL Network is televising a brand new 1-hour special on the "Longest Game Ever Played' today at 5PM CT. Hopefully they'll rebroadcast it several times, it's Christmas, time to be with family, not watching a TV documentary about a 40-year old football game. But with Linda in Kansas City, me & my bum knee will be parked in front of the TV at five o'clock. No Jim Beam this time tho, straight Diet Coke. Merry Christmas.
If you were there or remember listening to it on the radio(all local TV was blacked out in those days regardless of ticket sales) & it affected your Christmas, let me hear from you in the comment section or by email: rich@richsfootballreport.com
I've already gotten some great comments from friends on Facebook & will pass along all of your comments later this week.
The game was especially memorable to me because I was in the Air Force at the time, serving at March AFB, Riverside, California. I finagled 4-days of leave time to fly home, see my family & go to the game. I still had the same season tickets I'd had since before I could drive, ninth row in the fabled Wolfpack Section of the North bleachers. Chiefs games were in my family's blood, Mom & her husband had season tickets in the baseball box seats. My Dad, Betty & Dick, sat on the same row as me, two sections over in the Wolfpack. Accompanying me that day was my bestest buddy, Mike Rudolph. He was also serving, having just completed Army basic training. Our other companions that day were half pints of "1889" & Jim Beam. A little bourbon for a cold day. You have to understand it was a different time back then plus we weren't driving, we always took the bus. Two other people of note were sitting in the stands that day, my future wife & father-in-law, were bundled up in the baseball seats in the cool December shade.
My Mom had warned me that morning we had to get home from the stadium ASAP so we could go to her in-laws for Christmas dinner around 4:30. Noon kickoff, we could probably make it. We got off the bus less than a mile from our dinner destination. They were holding dinner for 18 people until 1 hour after the game ended. There were many folks back then who couldn't comprehend a family Christmas dinner being interrupted or postponed for a football game. Didn't they know it was Christmas? That's the way Mom's in-laws felt, this football game was not only a huge inconvenience, but it was just wrong for Christmas. As it turned out, we didn't arrive for dinner until 7PM.
As Mike & I got to our seats, I was greeted by the people who had sat around me for like 5 years. You didn't move back in those days, no one ever gave up their seats.They asked about the Air Force & would I be back for next season. I had sold my seats to another friend but he knew all along I'd be back for the playoffs if I could get leave. I'd watched a few games from the barracks day room out in California but now I was back where I belonged for a Chiefs' playoff game, in my regular seat. Lots of holiday handshakes & hugs from my Wolfpack family, it was great to be back. We cracked the seal on the first half pint right after the National Anthem.
The Chiefs scored twice in the first quarter to take a 10-0 lead. Jan Stenerud's 24-yard field goal was to be his last on this day, his worst-ever as a professional. Running back Ed Podolak, the consummate 3rd down back of his era, scored the first touchdown right in front of us on a 7-yard swing pass from Len Dawson.
Quarter two brought a short touchdown run by Larry Csonka & a Garo Yepremian field goal to knot the score at ten. Halftimes were always the same for me, go to the men's room & visit my Dad, Betty & Dick. They always had more than enough potent potables to share, so we had a Christmas toddy with them before returning to our seats for the second half.
Fullback Jim Otis opened the 3rd quarter scoring for the Chiefs with a 1-yard touchdown plunge. It was matched by a 1-yard run by Miami's Jim Kiick. The quarterbacks, both with degrees from Purdue University, had similar days yardage-wise & each threw one touchdown & two interceptions. The Chiefs run defense was especially stout thru three quarters, the Dolphins averaging just over 3-yards per carry. But two Chiefs drives ended with no points as Stenerud missed another field goal & Dawson threw an interception.
The 4th quarter brought all the tension to a head, Podolak put Kansas City ahead 24-17 with less than 5-minutes to play on a 3-yard run. Miami QB Bob Griese took the Dolphins downfield & on 3rd & goal from the five, he found tight end Marv Fleming for the tying score.
It looked bleak, but once again Ed Podolak rose to the occasion. Number 14 in your program, number 1 in your hearts. The guy K.C. fans had called "Fumblelak" just two years before, was now going to win this game right now. He fielded the kickoff, broke thru the initial wall of tacklers & it was a footrace to the goaline right in front of our seats. He was knocked out of bounds at the Miami 22. After running the ball three times to the 15, Hank Stram called his last timeout at 00:05. As the place was rocking, Mike noticed a guy who went to school with us, sitting in what was known as "Stenerud's Roost", the endzone seats literally on top of the East endzone. At that exact moment, he made eye contact with Mike & me, motioning "wide right." We couldn't believe it, here's a guy saying Stenerud is going to miss this 31-yard field goal. A Kansas City guy, what the hell was he thinking? Perfect snap, perfect hold by Dawson, kick is up, it's no good.......wide right.
Now we were looking at sudden death overtime, something totally new to millions of fans around the country. The 1959 NFL & 1962 AFL Championship games had been the only sudden death games ever played in professional football. Gowdy liked to call it "Sudden Victory," he was alone in that sentiment. It's getting dark, I know people are waiting dinner for us, but there were no cell phones back then, I had no way of communicating with my Mom, who was seated on the other side of the stadium, to see if they were still in the stadium. Mike was beginning to wonder if his Mom was going to be angry he was missing the family dinner. Of course Mom hadn't left, no one left, no one. In the first overtime period, both field goal kickers missed, Stenerud's was blocked. Now we go to period six, seventy-five minutes couldn't decide it, they played on into the cold darkness.
I knew Podolak was having a great game, I just didn't realize how great. His 350-total yards is still an NFL playoff record that stands today. I remember Jim Brown sent Podolak a telegram the next morning, saluting his effort in the game. He carried 17 times for 85-yards, caught 8 passes for 110-yards, returned three kickoffs for 153-yards & a punt for 2. If the game was going to go longer, Ed Podolak still had something left in the tank. Jim Kiick said "this game was going to go until somebody won or somebody died."
Seven minutes into the sixth period, Larry Csonka broke a 30-yard run on a draw play to set up the Dolphins for a game winning field goal. This time Yepremian didn't miss. It was over, now we truly understood the meaning of sudden death. It's horrible, you could hear a pin drop in that stadium as the faithful filed out in disbelief. The only conversations on the bus going back to Ward parkway Shopping Center were whispers, a lot of blank stares on that bus. A lot of exhausted people who had ridden this emotional roller coaster for the past five hours rode in silence.
Holiday dinners all over the city were ruined, hams dried out, turkey's overcooked. Disgruntled family members still waiting on the football fans of the family to arrive. It truly wrecked Christmas for thousands of people in Kansas City. This game was the reason the NFL decided to never again stage a playoff game on Christmas Day. Today's 16-game schedule precludes that problem now, the playoffs don't start until well into January.
As we arrived for our 4:30 Christmas Dinner at 7PM, we were so tired we weren't even bothered by how unpopular we'd become that day. Our voices were shot from screaming, a slight hangover was now setting in & I was scheduled to fly back to California at midnight. Mike picked me up to take me to the airport, the old one down by the Missouri River. When we arrived, we found the flight had been cancelled & I was rescheduled for an 8AM flight. We went back to Mike's house, ate a few cold leftovers & sacked out on the couches in their family room. Not the happiest Christmas to be sure, but one we'll never forget.
The NFL Network is televising a brand new 1-hour special on the "Longest Game Ever Played' today at 5PM CT. Hopefully they'll rebroadcast it several times, it's Christmas, time to be with family, not watching a TV documentary about a 40-year old football game. But with Linda in Kansas City, me & my bum knee will be parked in front of the TV at five o'clock. No Jim Beam this time tho, straight Diet Coke. Merry Christmas.
If you were there or remember listening to it on the radio(all local TV was blacked out in those days regardless of ticket sales) & it affected your Christmas, let me hear from you in the comment section or by email: rich@richsfootballreport.com
I've already gotten some great comments from friends on Facebook & will pass along all of your comments later this week.
Rich, Excellent post! I was only 8 years old in Dec 1970, but still remember watching this game with my Dad and Grandpa. You have a way of writing and telling stories that makes them such a joy to read. I hope you will continue to do this for decades to come.
Sam
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Sam,
Thank you for your kind words & your loyalty to my site. You folks living outside KC were the only ones who could watch the game. Back then all home games were blacked out for a 75-mile radius regardless if it was soldout or not. It's still a painful memory for me, I believe that was the greatest Chiefs team off all time.
But watching the game with your dad & grandfather made it pretty special didn't it?
Happy New Year!
Rich
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