1977 Kansas City Chiefs season

1977 Kansas City Chiefs season
Head coach Paul Wiggin (Fired)
Tom Bettis (Interim)
Home field Arrowhead Stadium
Results
Record 2–12
Division place 5th AFC West
Playoff finish did not qualify
Pro Bowlers None

The 1977 Kansas City Chiefs season was the worst in franchise history[1] until 2008, with the Chiefs winning only two of fourteen games. After an 0-5 start, Head coach Paul Wiggin was fired following a 44–7 loss to Cleveland in week seven. Tom Bettis took over as interim head coach for the rest of the season. The team endured a six-game losing streak to conclude the season at 2-12.

Off-season

1977 NFL Draft

Main article: 1977 NFL Draft
Round Selection Overall Player College
1 10 10 Gary Green Baylor
2 9 37 Tony Reeds University of Colorado
3 11 67 Thomas Howard Texas Tech
4 8 92 Mark Bailey Long Beach State
4 11 95 Darius Helton North Carolina Central
4 20 104 Eric Harris Memphis State
6 11 150 Rick Burleson University of Texas
6 28 167 Andre Herrera Southern Illinois
7 10 177 Chris Golub Kansas
8 9 204 Ron Olsonoski St. Thomas (MN)
8 20 215 Waddell Smith Kansas
9 3 226 Derrick Glanton Bishop
9 11 234 Dave Green New Mexico
10 10 261 Mark Vitali Purdue
11 9 288 Maurice Mitchell Northern Michigan
12 11 318 Ray Burks UCLA

Regular season

An 0–5 start doomed the squad with a 44–7 loss at Cleveland (10/30) effectively sealing Wiggin’s fate. Despite the club’s record Wiggin was still a popular figure in Kansas City, but was nonetheless relieved of his duties on Halloween, marking the only in-season coaching switch in team history. Wiggin concluded his tenure with an 11–24 record.[1]

Defensive backs coach Tom Bettis was named interim coach and claimed a 20–10 victory vs. Green Bay (11/6) in the franchise’s initial contest under his direction, but it was the only victory of his brief head coaching tenure. The team endured a six-game losing streak to conclude the season at 2–12.[1]

Bettis and the remainder of the coaching staff assembled by Wiggin were released on December 19, one day after a 21–20 loss at Oakland (12/18) in the regular season finale. Marv Levy, the former head coach of the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes, was named the fourth head coach in franchise history on December 20.[1]

The heart and soul of the Chiefs once-vaunted defense departed when roommates Willie Lanier and Jim Lynch, who both joined the club together as second-round draft picks in 1967, retired following the ‘77 campaign. Baltimore later acquired Lanier’s rights in a trade, but failed to lure him out of retirement.[1]

By managing to win only twice in the 1977 season, the team was given the second pick in the 1978 NFL Draft.

Schedule

Week Opponent Result Game site Attendance
1 at New England Patriots L 17–21 Schaefer Stadium
58,185
2 San Diego Chargers L 7–23 Arrowhead Stadium
56,146
3 Oakland Raiders L 28–37 Arrowhead Stadium
60,684
4 at Denver Broncos L 7–23 Mile High Stadium
74,878
5 Baltimore Colts L 6–17 Arrowhead Stadium
63,076
6 at San Diego Chargers W 21–16 San Diego Stadium
33,010
7 at Cleveland Browns L 7–44 Cleveland Stadium
60,381
8 Green Bay Packers W 20–10 Arrowhead Stadium
62,687
9 at Chicago Bears L 27–28 Soldier Field
49,543
10 Denver Broncos L 7–14 Arrowhead Stadium
54,050
11 at Houston Oilers L 20–34 Astrodome
42,934
12 Cincinnati Bengals L 7–27 Arrowhead Stadium
38,488
13 Seattle Seahawks L 31–34 Arrowhead Stadium
22,262
14 at Oakland Raiders L 20–21 Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
50,304

Standings

AFC West
W L T PCT DIV CONF PF PA STK
Denver Broncos(1) 12 2 0 .857 6–1 11–1 274 148 L1
Oakland Raiders(4) 11 3 0 .786 5–2 10–2 351 230 W2
San Diego Chargers 7 7 0 .500 3–4 6–6 222 205 L2
Seattle Seahawks 5 9 0 .357 1–3 4–9 282 373 W2
Kansas City Chiefs 2 12 0 .143 1–6 1–11 225 349 L6

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Chiefs History: 1970s Kansas City Chiefs, January 2, 2006.

External links

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