Head coach Marty Schottenheimer Record 13–3 | Home field Arrowhead Stadium Division place 1st AFC West | |
Playoff finish Lost AFC Divisional Playoffs (Broncos) 14–10 Pro Bowlers WR Andre Rison
FB Kimble Anders
G Will Shields
LB Derrick Thomas
CB Dale Carter
CB James Hasty | ||
The 1997 Kansas City Chiefs season was the franchise's 38th season in the National Football League, and the 28th overall.
The Chiefs finished with a 13–3 record and AFC West division champions. The season is best remembered for the Rich Gannon–Elvis Grbac quarterback controversy which brewed throughout the entire season and arguably cost the Chiefs a victory in the playoffs. The Chiefs were beaten by division rival and eventual Super Bowl champions, the Denver Broncos, in the 1998 playoffs. 1997 was the final season that the Chiefs would appear in the playoffs during the 1990s and for the next several seasons, they fell out of contention. They would return to the playoffs in 2003.
This was the last season that Marty Schottenheimer would coach the team into the playoffs, with the loss to Denver in the Divisional round 14-10 capping off many years of disappointing playoff losses. This was also the final season for future Hall of Fame running back Marcus Allen.