Former Chiefs WR Gloster Richardson Dies at Age 77

Former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Gloster Richardson died at 77 years old on Thursday, Feb. 27, the Kansas City Star's Sam McDowell reported on Monday afternoon. 

Richardson's celebration of life will be held Saturday in Chicago.

A cause of death was not disclosed.

Richardson played for the Chiefs from 1967 to 1970 before finishing his NFL career with the Dallas Cowboys (1971) and Cleveland Browns (1972-74). The seventh-round pick in the 1965 AFL draft is best known for his role in late Kansas City head coach Hank Stram's iconic 65 Toss Power Trap play call.

The play happened during Super Bowl IV, which the Chiefs won 23-7 over the Minnesota Vikings on Jan. 11, 1970. Stram was mic'd up and can be heard sending Richardson to the huddle with 65 Toss Power Trap. "65 Toss Power Trap," the Hall of Fame coach said. "That might pop right open."

Quarterback Len Dawson then handed the ball to Mike Garrett, who ran it in for the score to put Kansas City up 16-0.

It would mark Richardson's first Super Bowl ring. His second came by winning Super Bowl VI with the Cowboys to cap off the 1971 campaign.

Richardson posted 1,976 yards and 18 touchdowns across 92 career games (38 starts).

After his playing days, Richardson served as wide receivers coach at Mississippi Valley State from 1983 to 1984, when NFL Hall of Fame receiver Jerry Rice was at the university.

Richardson lived to witness the Chiefs win Super Bowl LIV 31-20 over the San Francisco 49ers on Feb. 2—50 years after he had helped the franchise win its first championship.