1977 Kansas City Chiefs season
Encyclopedia
The 1977
Kansas City Chiefs
season was the worst in franchise history with the Chiefs winning only two of fourteen games. 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.
Defensive backs coach Tom Bettis was named interim coach and claimed a 20–10 victory vs. Green Bay
(11/6) in the club’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.
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.
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.
By managing to win only twice in the 1977 season
, the team was given the second pick in the 1978 NFL Draft
.
1977 NFL season
The 1977 NFL season was the 58th regular season of the National Football League. The Seattle Seahawks were placed in the AFC West while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were slotted in the NFC Central....
Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...
season was the worst in franchise history with the Chiefs winning only two of fourteen games. Head coach Paul Wiggin
Paul Wiggin
Paul Wiggin is a former football player and coach who currently serves as the senior consultant for pro personnel with the Minnesota Vikings....
was fired following a 44–7 loss to Cleveland
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in week seven. Tom Bettis
Tom Bettis
William Thomas "Tom" Bettis is a former American football linebacker and coach. After starring at Purdue, Bettis was selected by the Green Bay Packers in the first round of the 1955 NFL Draft. He played nine seasons for the Packers, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Chicago Bears...
took over as interim head coach for the rest of the season.
1977 NFL Draft
| Round | Selection | Overall | Player | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | 10 | Gary Green | Baylor Baylor University Baylor University is a private, Christian university located in Waco, Texas. Founded in 1845, Baylor is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.-History:... |
| 2 | 9 | 37 | Tony Reeds | University of Colorado University of Colorado at Boulder The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado... |
| 3 | 11 | 67 | Thomas Howard | Texas Tech Texas Tech Red Raiders The Texas Tech Red Raiders are the athletic teams that represent Texas Tech University . The women's basketball team uses the name Lady Raiders; however, the school's other women's teams use the "Red Raiders" name. The university's athletic program fields teams in 15 varsity sports and 30 club sports... |
| 4 | 8 | 92 | Mark Bailey | Long Beach State |
| 4 | 11 | 95 | Darius Helton | North Carolina Central North Carolina Central University North Carolina Central University is a public historically black university in the University of North Carolina system, located in Durham, North Carolina, offering programs at the baccalaureate, master’s, professional and doctoral levels.... |
| 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 University of Kansas The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The... |
| 8 | 9 | 204 | Ron Olsonoski | St. Thomas (MN) University of St. Thomas (Minnesota) The University of St. Thomas is a private, Catholic, liberal arts, and archdiocesan university located in St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States... |
| 8 | 20 | 215 | Waddell Smith | Kansas |
| 9 | 3 | 226 | Derrick Glanton | Bishop Bishop College Bishop College was a historically black college, founded in Marshall, Texas, and later moved to Dallas, Texas, that operated from 1881 to 1988.-History:... |
| 9 | 11 | 234 | Dave Green | New Mexico University of New Mexico The University of New Mexico at Albuquerque is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It is the state's flagship research institution... |
| 10 | 10 | 261 | Mark Vitali | Purdue |
| 11 | 9 | 288 | Maurice Mitchell | Northern Michigan Northern Michigan University Northern Michigan University is a four-year college public university established in 1899 located in Marquette, in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. With a population of nearly 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students, Northern Michigan University is the Upper Peninsula's largest... |
| 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.Defensive backs coach Tom Bettis was named interim coach and claimed a 20–10 victory vs. Green Bay
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
(11/6) in the club’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.
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
Marv Levy
Marvin Daniel Levy is a former American and Canadian football coach, front office executive and author.He is a former professional football coach, in the CFL as head coach of the Montreal Alouettes , and in the NFL as head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills , coaching the Bills...
, the former head coach of the CFL
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
’s Montreal Alouettes
Montreal Alouettes
The Montreal Alouettes are a Canadian Football League team based in Montreal, Quebec.The current franchise named the Alouettes moved to Montreal from Baltimore, Maryland, in 1996 where they had been known as the Baltimore Stallions...
, was named the fourth head coach in franchise history on December 20.
The heart and soul of the Chiefs once-vaunted defense departed when roommates Willie Lanier
Willie Lanier
Willie Edward Lanier is a former American football middle-linebacker who played for the Kansas City Chiefs from 1967 through 1977. He won postseason honors for eight consecutive years, making the American Football League All-Star team in 1968 and 1969 before being selected to the Pro Bowl from...
and Jim Lynch, who both joined the club together as second-round draft picks in 1967
1967 Kansas City Chiefs season
The 1967 Kansas City Chiefs season ended with a 9–5 record and no playoff berth despite their AFL championship win and appearance in the inaugural AFL-NFL championship game the previous year....
, retired following the ‘77 campaign. Baltimore
History of the Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They play in the AFC South division of the National Football League. They have won 3 NFL championships and 2 Super Bowls....
later acquired Lanier’s rights in a trade, but failed to lure him out of retirement.
By managing to win only twice in the 1977 season
1977 NFL season
The 1977 NFL season was the 58th regular season of the National Football League. The Seattle Seahawks were placed in the AFC West while the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were slotted in the NFC Central....
, the team was given the second pick in the 1978 NFL Draft
1978 NFL Draft
The 1978 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held May 2–3, 1978...
.
Schedule
| Week | Opponent | Result | Game site | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | at New England Patriots New England Patriots The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National... |
L 17–21 | Schaefer Stadium Foxboro Stadium Foxboro Stadium was an outdoor stadium, located in Foxborough, Massachusetts... |
|
| 2 | San Diego Chargers San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 7–23 | Arrowhead Stadium Arrowhead Stadium Arrowhead Stadium is a stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri and home to the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs.... |
|
| 3 | Oakland Raiders Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 28–37 | Arrowhead Stadium Arrowhead Stadium Arrowhead Stadium is a stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri and home to the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs.... |
|
| 4 | at Denver Broncos Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 7–23 | Mile High Stadium Mile High Stadium Mile High Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, that stood in Denver, Colorado, from 1948 until 2001.It hosted the Denver Broncos, of the AFL and the NFL, from 1960-2000, the Colorado Rockies, of the National League, of the MLB, from 1993-1994, the Colorado Rapids, of MLS, from 1996-2001, the... |
|
| 5 | Baltimore Colts History of the Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional football team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They play in the AFC South division of the National Football League. They have won 3 NFL championships and 2 Super Bowls.... |
L 6–17 | Arrowhead Stadium Arrowhead Stadium Arrowhead Stadium is a stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri and home to the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs.... |
|
| 6 | at San Diego Chargers San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers are a professional American football team based in San Diego, California. they were members of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
W 21–16 | San Diego Stadium Qualcomm Stadium Qualcomm Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium, in San Diego, California, in the Mission Valley area.... |
|
| 7 | at Cleveland Browns Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 7–44 | Cleveland Stadium Cleveland Stadium Cleveland Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium, located in Cleveland, Ohio. In its final years, the stadium seated 74,438, for baseball and 81,000, for football. It was one of the early multi-purpose stadiums, built to accommodate both baseball and football... |
|
| 8 | Green Bay Packers Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions... |
W 20–10 | Arrowhead Stadium Arrowhead Stadium Arrowhead Stadium is a stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri and home to the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs.... |
|
| 9 | at Chicago Bears Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 27–28 | Soldier Field Soldier Field Soldier Field is located on Lake Shore Drive in Chicago, Illinois, United States, in the Near South Side. It is home to the NFL's Chicago Bears... |
|
| 10 | Denver Broncos Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 7–14 | Arrowhead Stadium Arrowhead Stadium Arrowhead Stadium is a stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri and home to the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs.... |
|
| 11 | at Houston Oilers Tennessee Titans The Tennessee Titans are a professional American football team based in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. They are members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Previously known as the Houston Oilers, the team began play in 1960 as a charter... |
L 20–34 | Astrodome Reliant Astrodome Reliant Astrodome, also known as the Houston Astrodome or simply the Astrodome, is the world's first multi-purpose, domed sports stadium, located in Houston, Texas, USA. The stadium is part of the Reliant Park complex... |
|
| 12 | Cincinnati Bengals Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional football team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the AFC's North Division in the National Football League . The Bengals began play in 1968 as an expansion team in the American Football League , and joined the NFL in 1970 in the AFL-NFL... |
L 7–27 | Arrowhead Stadium Arrowhead Stadium Arrowhead Stadium is a stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri and home to the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs.... |
|
| 13 | Seattle Seahawks Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team... |
L 31–34 | Arrowhead Stadium Arrowhead Stadium Arrowhead Stadium is a stadium located in Kansas City, Missouri and home to the NFL's Kansas City Chiefs.... |
|
| 14 | at Oakland Raiders Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
L 20–21 | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum | |
Standings
| AFC Central | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA | STK | |
| Denver Broncos 1977 Denver Broncos season The 1977 Denver Broncos season was the team's 18th year in professional football and its 8th with the National Football League. The team had its best season by far finishing first in the AFC West and making the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.... |
12 | 2 | 0 | .857 | 274 | 148 | L-1 |
| Oakland Raiders 1977 Oakland Raiders season -Regular season:-Playoffs:Oakland won the wild card playoffs in 1977 and later won the divisional playoffs in a game against the Baltimore Colts when Errol Mann tied the game with a field goal... |
11 | 3 | 0 | .786 | 351 | 230 | W-2 |
| San Diego Chargers 1977 San Diego Chargers season The 1977 San Diego Chargers season began with the team trying to improve on their 6-8 record in 1976. It was Tommy Prothro's final season as the team's head coach.-NFL Draft:-Schedule:-Week 1: Oakland Raiders:-Standings:-See also:... |
7 | 7 | 0 | .500 | 222 | 205 | L-2 |
| Seattle Seahawks 1977 Seattle Seahawks season The 1977 Seattle Seahawks season was the team's second season with the National Football League. The 1977 season was the team's first in the AFC West.-1977 NFL Draft:-Staff:-Schedule:-Standings:-External links:* *... |
5 | 9 | 0 | .357 | 282 | 373 | W-2 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 2 | 12 | 0 | .143 | 225 | 349 | L-6 |