1977 Kansas City Chiefs season

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1977 Kansas City Chiefs season
OwnerLamar Hunt
Head coachPaul Wiggin (fired Oct. 31, 1–6 record)
Tom Bettis (interim, 1–6 record)
General managerJim Schaaf
Home fieldArrowhead Stadium
Results
Record2–12
Division place5th AFC West
Playoff finishDid not qualify
Pro BowlersNone

The 1977 Kansas City Chiefs season was the franchise's 8th season in the National Football League, the 15th as the Kansas City Chiefs, and the 18th overall. This season was the worst in franchise history[1] until the 2008 season, 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 7. 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 Reed 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

Roster[]

1977 Kansas City Chiefs roster
Quarterbacks

Running backs

Wide receivers

Tight ends

Offensive linemen

Defensive linemen

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special teams

Reserve lists


Practice squad



Rookies in italics

Season summary[]

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 first in-season coaching switch in team history, and the last until 2011, when Todd Haley was fired with three games remaining. 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] (Ironically, Haley's successor, Romeo Crennel, also won his first game in charge against the Packers at home; Green Bay entered that game 13–0.)

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 1977 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 Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap
1 September 18 at New England Patriots L 17–21 0–1 Schaefer Stadium 58,185 Recap
2 September 25 San Diego Chargers L 7–23 0–2 Arrowhead Stadium 56,146 Recap
3 October 3 Oakland Raiders L 28–37 0–3 Arrowhead Stadium 60,684 Recap
4 October 9 at Denver Broncos L 7–23 0–4 Mile High Stadium 74,878 Recap
5 October 16 Baltimore Colts L 6–17 0–5 Arrowhead Stadium 63,076 Recap
6 October 23 at San Diego Chargers W 21–16 1–5 San Diego Stadium 33,010 Recap
7 October 30 at Cleveland Browns L 7–44 1–6 Cleveland Stadium 60,381 Recap
8 November 6 Green Bay Packers W 20–10 2–6 Arrowhead Stadium 62,687 Recap
9 November 13 at Chicago Bears L 27–28 2–7 Soldier Field 49,543 Recap
10 November 20 Denver Broncos L 7–14 2–8 Arrowhead Stadium 54,050 Recap
11 November 27 at Houston Oilers L 20–34 2–9 Houston Astrodome 42,934 Recap
12 December 4 Cincinnati Bengals L 7–27 2–10 Arrowhead Stadium 38,488 Recap
13 December 11 Seattle Seahawks L 31–34 2–11 Arrowhead Stadium 22,262 Recap
14 December 18 at Oakland Raiders L 20–21 2–12 Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum 50,304 Recap

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Standings[]

AFC West
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 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. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Chiefs History: 1970s Archived June 9, 2008, at the Wayback Machine Kansas City Chiefs, January 2, 2006.

External links[]

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