The Kansas City Chiefs lost a valuable member of the family on Tuesday with the news that former head coach Marty Schottenheimer, a most beloved member of Chiefs Kingdom, passed away “peacefully” at the age of 77.
Schottenheimer was one of the most successful head coaches in franchise history, giving the team a full decade of consistent and successful leadership throughout most of the ’90s—from 1989 when he was first hired to ’98. During his ten-year tenure with the Chiefs, Schottenheimer had 101 wins and 58 losses, good for a .634 win percentage.
Unfortunately for Schottenheimer, the Chiefs could never get over the hump in the postseason in those days, and the Schottenheimer stretch includes some of the team’s most painful playoff losses ever. His 3-7 record in the postseason speaks for itself at the number of lost chances, including some of the Chiefs’ best chances in franchise history—at least up until the present.
Despite the inability to make or win a Super Bowl, Schottenheimer’s teams were always incredibly fun to watch and were a tough challenge against any opponent. The Chiefs won at least 10 games in six of his first nine seasons with the team, which established them as an AFC power for the better part of a decade.
Schottenheimer’s years with the Chiefs reached their fever pitch when future Hall of Famers Joe Montana and Marcus Allen suited up at Arrowhead to join an already talented roster and a new generation of Chiefs fans joined the family.
What’s so amazing about Schottenheimer’s career is just one of multiple successful stops for the head coach around the NFL. He had another 99 wins away from the Chiefs with meaningful stints as a head coach for the Cleveland Browns, Washington Redskins, and San Diego Chargers. His career record 200-126 is a testament to his leadership.
The Schottenheimer family made no secret of Marty’s battle with Alzheimer’s in recent years, and earlier this month he was placed in hospice care. He will forever be remembered as a Chiefs legend and one of the truly great head coaches in NFL history.