| Team: | Kansas City Chiefs |
| Year: | 1977 |
| Record: | 2–12 |
| Division Place: | 5th AFC West |
| Coach: | Paul Wiggin (fired Oct. 31, 1–6 record) Tom Bettis (interim, 1–6 record) |
| General Manager: | Jim Schaaf |
| Owner: | Lamar Hunt |
| Stadium: | Arrowhead Stadium |
| Playoffs: | Did not qualify |
| Pro Bowlers: | None |
| Ap All-Pros: | None |
| Shortnavlink: | Chiefs seasons |
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.
See main article: article and 1977 NFL Draft.
| Round | Selection | Player | Position | College | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 | 10 | Baylor | ||
| 2 | 9 | 37 | University of Colorado | ||
| 3 | 11 | 67 | Texas Tech | ||
| 4 | 8 | 92 | Mark Bailey | ||
| 4 | 11 | 95 | |||
| 4 | 20 | 104 | |||
| 6 | 11 | 150 | Rick Burleson | ||
| 6 | 28 | 167 | Andre Herrera | Southern Illinois | |
| 7 | 10 | 177 | Chris Golub | ||
| 8 | 9 | 204 | Ron Olsonoski | ||
| 8 | 20 | 215 | 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 |
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.
| 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 |
| 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. | ||||||||