The Kansas City Chiefs have been around since 1963, and during that time, they have faired mostly well during free agency.
Let's break down the five best free-agent signings in Chiefs history.
Honorable Mention – Fred Williamson (Cornerback)
Fred Williamson, who was better known as ‘The Hammer', would have made the cut if he was on the team for longer. Williamson played from 1965-1967 with the Chiefs and was always trying to knock the ball free by flying into the wide receiver or running back. After retiring from the NFL, he appeared in a few movies, including Starsky and Hutch.
5. Tyrann Mathieu (Safety)
Some might believe Tyrann Mathieu being on the list at this point might be a stretch, but he helped the team win a Super Bowl, which makes him deserving of a spot.
Mathieu was often overlooked because the Chiefs defense as a whole wasn't strong, but if he wouldn't have been on the squad, it would have been a disaster. He was in the conversation for the defensive player of the year, and even though he didn't win it, that doesn't take away from his play.
Depending on how long he stays with the Chiefs, maybe he could move up a few spots on this list.
4. Marcus Allen (Running Back)
Marcus Allen wasn't happy with how his time with the Raiders ended, so he signed with the Chiefs to try and stick it to his former team.
Allen played for five years in Kansas City, starting in 1993. During his time with the squad, he rushed for 3.700 yards and 39 rushing touchdowns. He also added another three receiving scores.
Allen signing with the Chiefs made them a contender to win a Super Bowl and really helped improve the running game for the time he was with the team.
3. Emmitt Thomas (Cornerback)
The Chiefs have had a lot of successful secondary members throughout their history, with Emmitt Thomas being one of the best in team history.
Thomas was undrafted out of Bishop College and signed with the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent. He played with the Chiefs from 1966-1978, locking down the back end of the defense. During his time with the team, Thomas was a Pro Bowler five games and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
His number 18 was also retired by the Chiefs, and he finished his career with 58 interceptions and five touchdowns.
2. Priest Holmes (Running Back)
Priest Holmes is still one of the more popular players to ever put on a Chiefs' jersey. Holmes didn't get drafted out of college but started his NFL career with the Baltimore Ravens. Holmes signed with the Chiefs before the 2001 season and the rest is history.
During his time with the Chiefs, he rushed for 6,070 yards, which puts him second on the all-time list. Holmes ended up playing six seasons with the Chiefs, and was the focal point of the offense during most of that time.
For his efforts with the Chiefs, he was put in the team Hall of Fame during the 2014 season.
1. Len Dawson (Quarterback)
Was there really any doubt about who was going to be first on this list? Dawson was a first-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers during the 1957 NFL Draft. Five years later, he signed with the Dallas Texans (which later became the Chiefs.)
He spent 14 years with the Texans and Chiefs, which was enough to set the franchise record for passing yards, a record that he still holds to this day. Len Dawson led the Chiefs to a Super Bowl victory and was named the MVP in that game.
Dawson changed the outlook for the Chiefs franchise forever very early in their existence.
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