The 1987Kansas City Chiefsseason was the franchise's 18th season in the
National Football League and the 28th overall.
Under new head coach
Frank Gansz, the Chiefs split their first two games, 1-1. The 1987 NFL season featured games predominantly played by replacement players, as the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) players went on strike from weeks four to six with week three being cancelled across the league. The replacement players went 0–3. After the regulars returned, the Chiefs continued to struggle. They lost their next five games to stand at 1–9 and finished the season with a 4–11 record a year after making the playoffs in 1986.
Offseason
One of the most tumultuous weeks in franchise history took place following the club's playoff loss against the
Jets in the
1986 playoffs. Assistant head coach and special teams coach
Frank Gansz, resigned his position on January 7 in order to pursue opportunities as an NFL offensive coordinator.[1] The following day, the Chiefs announced in an impromptu press conference that
John Mackovic was relieved of his duties as head coach on January 8. A popular figure among Chiefs players, Gansz was reinstated on January 10 and was named the sixth head coach in franchise history.[1]
Former quarterback
Len Dawson became the third Chiefs player inducted into the
Pro Football Hall of Fame on August 8,[1] while injuries forced the retirement of the club's all-time leading tackler
Gary Spani.
A duo of rookies made a splash in a 20–13 win on Opening Day against
San Diego as running back
Paul Palmer returned a kickoff for a TD and
Christian Okoye dashed for 105 yards.[1] A 24-day players strike began on September 22, canceling the club's contest against
Minnesota.[1] Replacement players participated in games for the next three weeks. Much like
Marv Levy five years earlier, Gansz's grip on the club's coaching reins was crippled by the labor unrest.[1]
Kansas City's replacement squad consisted primarily of players cut in training camp. One of the few bright spots among the players was running back Jitter Fields, who remained on the active roster following the strike.[1] The Chiefs strike squad received an ominous welcome in
Los Angeles when in the early morning hours of October 4, the day prior to a contest against the
Raiders, an earthquake rattled Southern
California. The shaken Chiefs lost a 35–17 decision later that day. The low point of the year came the following week at
Miami in the first regular season game played at what then was known as
Joe Robbie Stadium. Chiefs replacement QB
Matt Stevens was injured early in the contest, forcing into duty backup quarterback
Alex Espinoza, who had never taken an NFL snap. The result was a 42–0 Dolphins victory, setting the stage for an 0–3 performance by Kansas City's replacement unit, giving the Chiefs a 1–4 record before the club's regular roster returned at
San Diego on October 25.[1] Five straight losses followed, giving the Chiefs a team-record nine-game losing skid. For the only time in team history, five different players started games at quarterback for the club.[1] Behind Kenney, Kansas City won two of its last three games to conclude the strike-shortened 4–11 campaign.
The 1987Kansas City Chiefsseason was the franchise's 18th season in the
National Football League and the 28th overall.
Under new head coach
Frank Gansz, the Chiefs split their first two games, 1-1. The 1987 NFL season featured games predominantly played by replacement players, as the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) players went on strike from weeks four to six with week three being cancelled across the league. The replacement players went 0–3. After the regulars returned, the Chiefs continued to struggle. They lost their next five games to stand at 1–9 and finished the season with a 4–11 record a year after making the playoffs in 1986.
Offseason
One of the most tumultuous weeks in franchise history took place following the club's playoff loss against the
Jets in the
1986 playoffs. Assistant head coach and special teams coach
Frank Gansz, resigned his position on January 7 in order to pursue opportunities as an NFL offensive coordinator.[1] The following day, the Chiefs announced in an impromptu press conference that
John Mackovic was relieved of his duties as head coach on January 8. A popular figure among Chiefs players, Gansz was reinstated on January 10 and was named the sixth head coach in franchise history.[1]
Former quarterback
Len Dawson became the third Chiefs player inducted into the
Pro Football Hall of Fame on August 8,[1] while injuries forced the retirement of the club's all-time leading tackler
Gary Spani.
A duo of rookies made a splash in a 20–13 win on Opening Day against
San Diego as running back
Paul Palmer returned a kickoff for a TD and
Christian Okoye dashed for 105 yards.[1] A 24-day players strike began on September 22, canceling the club's contest against
Minnesota.[1] Replacement players participated in games for the next three weeks. Much like
Marv Levy five years earlier, Gansz's grip on the club's coaching reins was crippled by the labor unrest.[1]
Kansas City's replacement squad consisted primarily of players cut in training camp. One of the few bright spots among the players was running back Jitter Fields, who remained on the active roster following the strike.[1] The Chiefs strike squad received an ominous welcome in
Los Angeles when in the early morning hours of October 4, the day prior to a contest against the
Raiders, an earthquake rattled Southern
California. The shaken Chiefs lost a 35–17 decision later that day. The low point of the year came the following week at
Miami in the first regular season game played at what then was known as
Joe Robbie Stadium. Chiefs replacement QB
Matt Stevens was injured early in the contest, forcing into duty backup quarterback
Alex Espinoza, who had never taken an NFL snap. The result was a 42–0 Dolphins victory, setting the stage for an 0–3 performance by Kansas City's replacement unit, giving the Chiefs a 1–4 record before the club's regular roster returned at
San Diego on October 25.[1] Five straight losses followed, giving the Chiefs a team-record nine-game losing skid. For the only time in team history, five different players started games at quarterback for the club.[1] Behind Kenney, Kansas City won two of its last three games to conclude the strike-shortened 4–11 campaign.