Marty Schottenheimer, NFL coach with 200 wins, dies at 77
Bernie Wilson/AP
16 Nov 1998: Head coach Marty Schottenheimer of the Kansas City Chiefs looks on during the game against the Denver Broncos at the Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. The Broncos defeated the Chiefs 30-7.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Marty Schottenheimer, who won 200 regular-season games with four NFL teams thanks to his “Martyball” brand of smash-mouth football but regularly fell short in the playoffs, has died. He was 77.
Schottenheimer died Monday night at a hospice in Charlotte, North Carolina, his family said through Bob Moore, former Kansas City Chiefs publicist. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2014. He was moved to a hospice on Jan. 30.
Schottenheimer was the eighth-winningest coach in NFL history. He went 200-126-1 in 21 seasons with the Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Redskins and San Diego Chargers.
ORCHARD PARK, NY – DECEMBER 3: Marty Schottenheimer, head coach of the San Diego Chargers watches a play from the sidelines against the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium December 3, 2006 in Orchard Park, New York. San Diego won 24-21. (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images)
10 Nov 1996: Head coach Marty Schottenheimer of the Kansas City Chiefs (left) talks with his linebacker Tracy Simien during a game against the Green Bay Packers at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs won the game 27-20. Mandatory Cred
SAN DIEGO – AUGUST 26: Head coach Marty Schottenheimer of the San Diego Chargers shouts during a game against the Seattle Seahawks on August 26, 2006 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. The Chargers won the game 31-20. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images)
14 Dec 1997: Head coach Marty Schottenheimer of the Kansas City Chiefs yells instructions during the Chiefs” 29-7 win over the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. Mandatory Credit: Jed Jacobsohn/Allsport
9 Sep 2001: Washington Redskins head coach Marty Schottenheimer calls instructions to his team during a game against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. The Chargers win 30-3. DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Gross/ALLSPORT
4 Jan 2001: New head coach Marty Schottenheimer of the Washington Redskins fields questions from the media as team owner Daniel Snyder (left) look on during a press conference to announce the signing of Schottenheimer’s four-year ten million dollar contract at Redskin Park in Ashburn, Virginia. DIGITAL IMAGE Mandatory Credit: Nick Wass/ALLSPORT
SAN DIEGO – DECEMBER 31: Head coach Marty Schottenheimer of the San Diego Chargers looks on against the Arizona Cardinals at Qualcomm Stadium on December 31, 2006 in San Diego, California. The Chargers won 27-20. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
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His success was rooted in “Martyball,” a conservative approach that featured a strong running game and tough defense. He hated the then-Oakland Raiders and loved the mantra, “One play at a time,” which he’d holler at his players in the pre-kickoff huddle.
Winning in the regular season was never a problem. Schottenheimer’s teams won 10 or more games 11 times, including a glistening 14-2 record with the Chargers in 2006 that earned them the AFC’s No. 1 seed in the playoffs.
It’s what happened in January that haunted Schottenheimer, who was just 5-13 in the postseason.
His playoff demons followed him to the end of his career.
In his final game, on Jan. 14, 2007, Schottenheimer’s Chargers, featuring NFL MVP LaDainian Tomlinson and a cast of Pro Bowlers, imploded with mind-numbing mistakes and lost a home divisional round playoff game to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, 24-21.
A month later, owner Dean Spanos stunned the NFL when he fired Schottenheimer, mostly because of a personality clash between the coach and strong-willed general manager A.J. Smith.
Schottenheimer was 44-27 with the Cleveland Browns from 1984-88, 101-58-1 with Kansas City from 1989-98; 8-8 with Washington in 2001 and 47-33 with San Diego from 2002-06.
