The Kansas City Chiefs are celebrating their second Super Bowl title in franchise history. In 2019, the Chiefs hoisted the Lombardi Trophy led by a quarterback that has a great chance to be at the top of this list one day.
Patrick Mahomes has only been the started in Kansas City for two years, but he has a huge resume already. With Andy Reid on the sidelines and the talent around him, Mahomes could put up historic numbers around the NFL, not just in Kansas City.
While Mahomes might already be a top 10 player in franchise history, it is still too early to bump him up to the top five. Here are the five best players in Chiefs' history.
5. Buck Buchanan
The Chiefs selected Buchanan with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1963 NFL Draft. He was the first African American player to be selected with the first overall pick. And it was a great selection by Kansas City.
Buchanan entered the league as a one of a kind player. He was 6'7 and 270 pounds combined with great strength and speed that was uncommon for players that size. Offensive lineman struggled with his ability and that showed in 1967 when he batted 16 passes down at the line of scrimmage.
The eight-time Pro Bowler was named First Team All-Pro four times. He spent 13 years in Kansas City and was apart of their Super Bowl IV championship team.
4. Bobby Bell
Bell spent the first two years of his career as a defensive end for the Chiefs before moving to linebacker. This move worked extremely well given Bell's ability to rush the passer and drop into coverage.
During his days as a Chief, Bell spent a lot of time in coverage. The nine-time Pro Bowler finished his career with 26 interceptions which are good for 10th in Chiefs history. Bell currently holds the Chiefs' all-time record for interceptions returned for a touchdown with six.
Bell was named First Team All-Pro six times in his career. He is one of the top linebackers in Chiefs' history after spending 12 years with the team.
3. Len Dawson
When Mahomes becomes the best quarterback in franchise history, it will be Dawson that he passes on the list. Dawson was under center for the Chiefs from 1962-1975. During that time, he made a name for himself as a winning quarterback with great accuracy.
Dawson won two AFL Championships and Super Bowl IV with the Chiefs. He was named MVP of Super Bowl IV and the AFL Championship Game in 1962. During his time with the Chiefs, Dawson led the league in passing touchdowns four times. He also led the league in completion percentage eight times and passer rating six times.
The Chiefs passing records are currently dominated by Dawson. He holds the all-time record for passing yards with 28,570. Dawson has thrown the most touchdowns with 237 and won the most games with 93. The seven-time Pro Bowler is a two-time First Team All-Pro member.
Dawson was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1987. He is known to Chiefs’ fans as a winning player that could always make the big play. Even though Mahomes will one day take over Dawson’s passing records, he will still be cherished by this franchise forever as one of the best players in team history.
2. Tony Gonzalez
Tony Gonzalez was drafted in 1997 and completed changed the tight end position. He showed that tight ends can do more than just be used as blockers. Gonzalez was an elite pass catcher and retired as the best tight end in the history of the game.
Gonzalez caught 11 touchdowns in 1999 and this was his first big-time season. The 1999 season marked the first of 10 straight Pro Bowl appearances as a Chief and three straight First Team All-Pro nods. Gonzalez would go on to have over 1,200 yards in 2000. His best season came in 2004 when he led the NFL with 102 catches for 1,258 yards and seven touchdowns.
Gonzalez played five years in Atlanta after leaving the Chiefs in 2008. He was wildly successful as a Falcon as well. He caught 35 touchdowns over those five years and made four Pro Bowl appearances. In total, Gonzalez retired as a 14-time Pro Bowl selection with four First Team All-Pro selections.
The Chiefs receiving records are currently dominated by Gonzalez. He holds the franchise record for receiving yards with 10,940 and receiving touchdowns with 76. Gonzalez has 384 more catches than any other Chief in franchise history. These receiving records are going to be hard to reach.
Kansas City has a pretty good tight end on the roster in Travis Kelce. Even with how good he is, it is amazing to think what Kelce has to accomplish to have the career that Gonzalez did.
1. Derrick Thomas
Thomas burst onto the scene as a rookie for the Chiefs in 1989. After being selected fourth overall, Thomas made the Chiefs look like geniuses. He won Defensive Rookie of the Year after totaling 10 sacks and three forced fumbles.
In 1990, Thomas earned his second Pro Bowl nod and first selection as All-Pro. He led the NFL with 20 sacks and six forced fumbles. He would lead the league in forced fumbles once again in 1992 with eight. Thomas accomplished an incredible feat on November 11, 1990. In a game against the Seattle Seahawks, Thomas racked up seven sacks, which is still an NFL record for a single game.
Thomas currently holds the Chiefs’ all-time record for sacks with 126.5. He is also their leader in safeties with three and forced fumbles with 41. Thomas made a name for himself as a hard-hitting linebacker that knew how to play the game. Thomas was a great player on the field and a great person off of it winning the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award in 1993.
Kansas City has retired his No. 58 jersey, and the team MVP award is also named after him. His dominance on the field was rewarded when he was elected to the Hall of Fame in 2009. Thomas was also a part of the NFL’s 1990’s All-Decade team. He was one of the top linebackers in the game during his era.
Follow Us
Subscribe