Marty Schottenheimer Remembered For Hall of Fame Worthy Career, Coaching Tree

Former NFL head coach Marty Schottenheimer died at 77 years old Monday night in Charlotte, North Carolina after a battle with Alzheimer’s. His death was mourned by football fans, players and coaches, who remembered Schottenheimer for an outstanding career that spanned four decades in the league.

As the head coach of the Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers and Washington Football Team, Schottenheimer compiled a 200-126-1 record in the regular season. Schottenheimer is eighth on the all-time wins list, having coached his last game in 2006.

Five coaches who have more wins than Schottenheimer are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Bill Belichick and Andy Reid, who are active and ahead of Schottenheimer, will certainly be enshrined into Canton when their careers are finished.

Schottenheimer was never inducted into the Hall of Fame, though many consider him to be more than deserving. The coach didn’t win any championships, but he had plenty of success with franchises that have never even reached the Super Bowl.

During his stint with Cleveland from 1984-1988, Schottenheimer led the Browns to the playoffs four times to go along with two AFC Championship Game appearances. Since Schottenheimer’s departure, Cleveland has made the postseason only four times total.

From 1989-1998, Schottenheimer had just one losing season as Kansas City’s head coach. He’s a member of the Chiefs Hall of Fame after winning 101 games with the franchise.

“When Marty arrived in 1989, he reinvigorated what was then a struggling franchise and quickly turned the Chiefs into a consistent winner,” Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt said in a statement. “Marty’s teams made Chiefs football a proud part of Kansas City's identity once again, and the team's resurgence forged a powerful bond with a new generation of fans who created the legendary home-field advantage at Arrowhead Stadium.”

Schottenheimer went 8-8 during his only season with Washington in 2001. He was hired by the Chargers for the following season and won 47 games in five years. Schottenheimer fell just short of making the Super Bowl in his final season as Tom Brady and the New England Patriots beat the 14-2 Chargers in the AFC Championship Game.

One of the most impressive parts of Schottenheimer’s career is his coaching tree. Super Bowl-winning head coaches Bill Cowher, Tony Dungy and Mike McCarthy were all members of Schottenheimer’s staff at some point. Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians, who just led the franchise to its first-ever championship, coached under Schottenheimer with Kansas City from 1989-1992.

Former NFL head coach Herman Edwards was a scout and an assistant during Schottenheimer’s time in Kansas City.

Schottenheimer made 13 playoff appearances in his 20 full seasons as a head coach.