Hank Stram took the Chiefs to a championship at Super Bowl IV. Andy Reid has them finally back in the big game at LIV. So who were the coaches who failed to get the Chiefs to the championship game for 50 years?
Paul Wiggin (11-24)
Paul Wiggin was a member of the last Browns team to win a championship in 1964. Cleveland was the final straw in his time as Chiefs head coach. He was hired on Jan. 23, 1975. After compiling an 11–24 mark in less than three seasons, Wiggin was fired following a 44–7 loss against the Browns, on October 30, 1977.
Tom Bettis (1-6)
Tom Bettis (pictured, left of Hank Stram) played nine seasons for the Green Bay Packers, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Chicago Bears. After his playing career, Bettis went on to coach in the NFL for 30 years. Bettis served as interim coach of the Chiefs in 1977 after the firing of Paul Wiggin. In seven games as head coach, Bettis compiled a 1–6 record, ending a 12-year stint as a coach of the Chiefs. He returned in 1988 to be the defensive backs coach of the Chiefs.
Marv Levy (31-42)
Marv Levy returned to the NFL from the CFL in 1978 as head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs. He coached the Chiefs for five seasons with steady improvement each year, but was fired at the end of the strike-shortened 1982 season with a 3-6 record.
John Mackovic (30-34)
John Mackovic was named head coach of the Chiefs for the 1983 season. In his four seasons as head coach, he also was offensive coordinator. Mackovic’s first three Chiefs teams missed the playoffs. In his final season, the Chiefs made the playoffs as a Wild Card, their first playoff appearance in 15 years and only their second since the AFL–NFL merger. Team owner Lamar Hunt fired Mackovic days after they were eliminated. The catalyst behind Mackovic’s dismissal was a meeting between Hunt and eight of the most prominent Chiefs.
Frank Gansz (8-22-1)
In January 1986, Gansz was named assistant head coach and special teams coach for the Chiefs. He took over as head coach in January 1987 after John Mackovic was fired. In his first year, a strike-shortened season, he finished 4–11. The following year, he went 4–11–1. In January 1989, Gansz was fired and replaced by Marty Schottenheimer.
Marty Schottenheimer (101-58-1)
GM Carl Peterson named Marty Schottenheimer head coach on Jan, 24, 1989. Schottenheimer spent a total of 10 seasons as head coach from 1989-98 recording a 101–58–1 regular-season record (.634) and had three division titles, seven playoff appearances, and a trip to the AFC Championship in 1993, losing to the Bills
Gunther Cunningham (16-16)
After Schottenheimer resigned, Gunther Cunningham’ was promoted to head coach. In his first season, the Chiefs finished 9-7, but were eliminated from playoff contention on the final day of the season when the Oakland Raiders’ Joe Nedney kicked a field goal as time expired. The Chiefs regressed to 7-9 in his second year and he was fired. Cunningham said he was never told he was out, rather finding out via an article on the team’s website.
Dick Vermeil (44-36)
Dick Vermeil was emotional and popular wherever he went as head coach. In Kansas City, Vermeil spent five seasons, signing on Jan. 12, 2001, despite his retirement following a Super Bowl win with the St. Louis Rams. After a 6-10 first season, Vermeil improved to 8–8 in 2002. The Chiefs had the NFL’s best offense in 2002. In 2003, the Chiefs started 9–0 and finished with a 13–3 record, winning the AFC West. The Chiefs went 7–9 in 2004, though they had the NFL’s top-ranked offense for the third consecutive year. Vermeil returned for the 2005 season. On Dec. 31, Vermeil announced he would retire at the conclusion of the season.
Herm Edwards (15-33)
After Dick Vermeil retired, Chiefs president Carl Peterson hinted to the press about interest in hiring Jets coach Herman Edwards that could have been considered tampering. The Jets granted permission to the Chiefs to speak with Edwards. At the time, Edwards had two years remaining on his contract with the Jets. Eventually, the teams worked out a deal, and the Chiefs sent the Jets a fourth-round pick in the 2006 NFL Draft as compensation (the Jets later used this selection to take Leon Washington). Edwards went 15-33 in three seasons, and was fired Jan. 23, 2009.
Todd Haley (19-26)
Todd Haley came to the Chiefs after being offensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals, who lost to the Steelers in Super Bowl XLIII. Haley was 19-26 in two-plus seasons with Kansas City. Haley was fired on Dec.,12, 2011, after leading his team to a 5–8 record.
Romeo Crennel (4-15)
Romeo Crennel was named the team’s interim head coach after Todd Haley was fired. Crennel won his first game on Dec. 18, 2011 against the then- undefeated Green Bay Packers, 19–14. On Jan. 9, 2012, Crennel was named the 11th full-time head coach in Chiefs history. Three days later, Crennel announced his intent to remain as defensive coordinator during his tenure as head coach, a decision that did not last long. On Dec. 1, 2012, Crennel attempted to prevent the suicide of player Jovan Belcher by talking to him and witnessed his death by a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. On Dec. 31, 2012, it was announced that Crennel had been fired, opening the way for the team to hire Andy Reid.
