1977 Kansas City Chiefs season

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 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.

1977 Kansas City Chiefs season
Head coachPaul Wiggin (Fired)
Tom Bettis (Interim)
Home fieldArrowhead Stadium
Results
Record2–12
Division place5th AFC West
Playoff finishdid not qualify
Pro Bowlersnone

Off-season

1977 NFL Draft
Main article: 1977 NFL Draft
Round Selection Overall Player College
11010Gary GreenBaylor
2937Tony ReedUniversity of Colorado
31167Thomas HowardTexas Tech
4892Mark BaileyLong Beach State
41195Darius HeltonNorth Carolina Central
420104Eric HarrisMemphis State
611150Rick BurlesonUniversity of Texas
628167Andre HerreraSouthern Illinois
710177Chris GolubKansas
89204Ron OlsonoskiSt. Thomas (MN)
820215Waddell SmithKansas
93226Derrick GlantonBishop
911234Dave GreenNew Mexico
1010261Mark VitaliPurdue
119288Maurice MitchellNorthern Michigan
1211318Ray BurksUCLA

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

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
WeekOpponentResultGame siteAttendance
1at New England PatriotsL 17–21Schaefer Stadium
58,185
2San Diego ChargersL 7–23Arrowhead Stadium
56,146
3Oakland RaidersL 28–37Arrowhead Stadium
60,684
4at Denver BroncosL 7–23Mile High Stadium
74,878
5Baltimore ColtsL 6–17Arrowhead Stadium
63,076
6at San Diego ChargersW 21–16San Diego Stadium
33,010
7at Cleveland BrownsL 7–44Cleveland Stadium
60,381
8Green Bay PackersW 20–10Arrowhead Stadium
62,687
9at Chicago BearsL 27–28Soldier Field
49,543
10Denver BroncosL 7–14Arrowhead Stadium
54,050
11at Houston OilersL 20–34Astrodome
42,934
12Cincinnati BengalsL 7–27Arrowhead Stadium
38,488
13Seattle SeahawksL 31–34Arrowhead Stadium
22,262
14at Oakland RaidersL 20–21Oakland–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
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References
  1. Chiefs History: 1970s Archived June 9, 2008, at the Wayback Machine Kansas City Chiefs, January 2, 2006.
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