San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Paul Wiggin was named the second head coach in franchise history on January 23.
[1] A former Pro Bowl defensive end for the Cleveland Browns, Wiggin inherited the unenviable task of rebuilding a squad whose pool of talent had been largely depleted due to age and a number of ill-fated trades that had left the club devoid of first-round draft choices in 1973 and 1975.
[1] After an 0–3 start to the season, Wiggin directed the Chiefs to three straight wins, beginning with a convincing 42–10 victory against the Raiders on October 12.
Owning a 5–5 record heading into the homestretch of the season, injuries to a number of key players crippled the team.
The team dropped its final four contests of the year to finish at 5–9 for the second consecutive season.