Super Bowl History: Super Bowl IV

Super Bowl IV, played on January 11, 1970, featured the American Football League champion Kansas City Chiefs and the National Football League champion Minnesota Vikings. The game was held at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana in front of a crowd of over 80,000 people.

The stage was set for Super Bowl IV, which pitted the heavily favored Minnesota Vikings, who finished the regular season 12-2 and easily defeated their opponents in the Western Conference and NFL Championship Game, against the upstart Kansas City Chiefs.

Despite the fact that the AFL's New York Jets had won the previous season's Super Bowl, many sports writers and fans believed that the NFL was superior to the AFL at the time and fully expected the Vikings to defeat the Chiefs, who were given a 13.5 point spread as underdogs.

The Chiefs proved many doubters wrong by finishing the regular season with an 11-3 record, as they advanced to the Super Bowl by winning two road games in the AFL playoffs, first by defeating the New York Jets 13-6 and then taking down division rival Oakland Raiders 17-7 in the AFL title game.

In the wet and muddy conditions of Super Bowl IV, the Kansas City Chiefs defense truly shone, limiting the Minnesota Vikings' offense to only 67 rushing yards and forcing three interceptions. They also recovered two fumbles, solidifying their dominance on the field.

The Chiefs, who were considered underdogs, defeated the Vikings and their quarterback, Len Dawson, to become the fourth quarterback in a row to be named Super Bowl MVP. Dawson had a solid game, completing 12 of 17 passes for 142 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

In terms of legacy, Super Bowl IV is remembered as a defining moment for the Kansas City Chiefs franchise as it was their first Super Bowl victory. Chiefs' Hank Stram was wearing a microphone, this was the first time that a head coach had worn a microphone during a Super Bowl.