3. Kansas City Chiefs, 1997, Heartbreak
Chiefs fans are unlikely to ever get over coach Marty Schottenheimer‘s decision to re-insert quarterback Elvis Grbac back in to the lineup. Future Raider Super Bowl quarterback and league MVP Rich Gannon filled in for Grbac for six games. He went 5-1 in those starts and led the Chiefs to an AFC West championship and the top seed in the playoffs. When Grbac was healthy for the playoffs, Marty decided he was still the starter.
The team scored 10 points against the Broncos in that game, lost 14-10, and watched the Denver Broncos go on to win the Super Bowl.
This was not the most talented team in K.C. history, and probably not even in the top 10 in terms of pure talent. They had Greg Hill as the lead halfback and a 37-year-old Marcus Allen as the number two guy; neither reached 600 yards on the ground. Andre Rison had over 1,000 receiving yards, but no other receiver had 500, including rookie tight end Tony Gonzalez. Running back Kimble Anders, along with Rison, made the Pro Bowl that year for the offense.
On defense only two players made the Pro Bowl, too. Derrick Thomas in what was the least healthy/productive season of his career (only 12 games played), and cornerback James Hasty.
Despite the lack of overall talent, the team found a way to win 13 regular season games and win the division. It is because of that true team effort that the team makes it this high on the list. It is easier to be good with a bevy of talent. This team had four future Hall of Famers (Shields, Gonzalez, Thomas, Allen), but only guard Will Shields played like it in 1997, statistically speaking.