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 historyChiefs History: 1970s Kansas City Chiefs, January 2, 2006. 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.
Linebackers Willie Lanier and Jim Lynch, the last remaining links to the Chiefs' Super Bowl IV championship team in 1969, each played their final NFL season.
Off-season
1977 NFL draft
Undrafted free agents + 1977 undrafted free agents of notePlayerPositionCollegeJim LohmannTackleUTEP
Roster
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.
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. (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.
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.
By managing to win only twice in the 1977 season, the team was given the second pick in the 1978 NFL draft.
Preseason Week Date Opponent Result Record Venue Attendance Recap 1 at Detroit Lions L 0–17 0–1 Pontiac Silverdome 52,309 Recap 2 Pittsburgh Steelers W 23–21 1–1 Arrowhead Stadium 28,584 Recap 3 at Washington Redskins L 7–13 1–2 RFK Stadium 33,263 Recap 4 Los Angeles Rams W 27–19 2–2 Arrowhead Stadium 34,975 Recap 5 Atlanta Falcons L 16–24 2–3 Arrowhead Stadium 22,748 Recap 6 St. Louis Cardinals W 37–20 3–3 Arrowhead Stadium 38,480 Recap
Regular season 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 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.
Game summaries Week 1: at New England Patriots
Week 2: vs. San Diego Chargers
Week 3: vs. Oakland Raiders
Week 4: at Denver Broncos
Week 5: vs. Baltimore Colts
Week 6: at San Diego Chargers
Week 7: at Cleveland Browns
Week 8: vs. Green Bay Packers
Week 9: at Chicago Bears
Week 10: vs. Denver Broncos
Week 11: at Houston Oilers
Week 12: vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Week 13: vs. Seattle Seahawks
Week 14: at Oakland Raiders
Standings
References
External links