A total of 23 semifinalists were named for the Pro Football Hall of Fame coaching/contributor category for the Class of 2023. Among those listed were three former Chiefs: a scout, a coach, and a general manager.
Here is a quick look at the former Chiefs coaches/contributors who made it through the semifinalists round to make the Hall of Fame.
Lloyd Wells – Wells was the first full-time Black scout of the professional football landscape and was responsible for helping the Chiefs find and draft talent at historically Black Colleges and Universities, such as Buck Buchanan, Willie Lanier, Bobby Bell, Frank Pitts, Mike Garrett, and Otis Taylor. Wells played a massive role in Owner Lamar Hunt’s Civil Rights effort to bring African American players onto the scene of pro football and was the reason the Chiefs became the first franchise in NFL history to have over 50% of their starting positions be filled by Black players by 1969.
Carl Peterson – Hired by Owner Lamar Hunt in 1989, Peterson was the General Manager of the Chiefs until 2008 and was responsible for drafting many Chiefs greats, including Derrick Thomas, Dale Carter, Tony Gonzalez, and Will Shields. He hired head coaches Marty Schottenheimer (1989-1998) and Dick Vermeil (2001-2005), acquired veteran players such as Joe Montana, Marcus Allen, Willie Roaf, Priest Holmes, and Trent Green, and made the Chiefs one of the winningest clubs of the 1990s and early 2000s despite constantly falling short during the postseason.
Marty Schottenheimer – Hired by GM Carl Peterson in 1989, Schottenheimer took over a struggling locker room and transformed the Chiefs into a consistent playoff contender and heavy Super Bowl favorite. From 1989 to 1998, Schottenheimer coached the Chiefs to a combined 101-58-1 regular-season record, securing three division championships, seven postseason appearances, and a trip to the AFC title game. However, most of Schottenheimer’s postseason ventures fell short of earning a bid to the Super Bowl. Schottenheimer died at 77 years old in February of 2021 following a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
The 12-member committee of the Pro Football Hall of Fame will meet again on July 27 to choose 12 finalists for the Class of 2023.
