Storyline: Who’s your favorite all-time player? Derrick Thomas probably tops my list. Written by Brison Smith, Republic, Missouri.
Christian Okoye: Christian Okoye was a great running back for the Kansas City Chiefs. Recruited from his home in Nigeria. Okoye was known for being an unstoppable force. Massive for a running back at 6’1 254 lbs., Okoye was called “The Nigerian Nightmare.” His fantastic career was cut short by a back injury.
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Derrick Thomas: He is the best Chief of all time, embodied in the KC culture. He was the best pass rushers of all time, too, and holds the record for most sacks in a game. Thomas also set team records for sacks, safeties, fumble recoveries, and forced fumbles.
Tamba Hali: Tamba Hali, an outside linebacker, is a true Chief. Loyal to brand, Tamba has taken pay cuts to stay with the team and finish his career in KC. Even when he’s not playing, he helps rookie and future pass rushers learn the game.
Len Dawson: Len Dawson is the only quarterback who won a Super Bowl with the Kansas City Chiefs. When he wasn’t playing, Dawson worked as a Kansas City sportscaster and often did team interviews. In my opinion, Dawson was probably the Chiefs best quarterback of all time. He’s also one of the best quarterbacks ever to play in the AFL and NFL.
Priest Holmes: Priest Holmes was a great running back. An undrafted free agent, Holmes went on to become a three-time Pro Bowl running back. Over his career he rushed for 8000 yards and had an average of 4.9 yards per carry.
Eric Berry: Eric Berry is probably the the best safety in Kansas City Chiefs history. He’s inspirational, too. In 2014 Berry was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma. Although it seemed unlikely he would ever play again, Berry overcame his cancer in just one year and returned to the field. Playing lights out, he was named NFL Comeback Player of the Year.
Will Shields: Will Shields was a very consistent lineman. Voted an “Iron Men” of his time, Will Shields never missed a game in his 14-year career. His elite play and consistency got him voted into the Hall of Fame (2015).
Tony Gonzalez: Tony Gonzalez was not only the best tight end in Kansas City Chiefs history, but arguably the best tight end of all time. Destined to be a basketball player, Kansas City recruited him in the hope that his natural talents would transfer to football. It worked! Gonzalez has a career total (17 years) of 15,000 receiving yards.
Joe Montana: Joe Montana is not known for being a Chief because he won four Super Bowls with the San Francisco 49ers, But Joe played for the Chiefs and did a lot for the franchise. Toward the end of his career Montana made the Chiefs a good team again, following a long drought in KC.
Lamar Hunt: Lamar Hunt, one-time owner of the Kansas City Chiefs, is known as the “Father of the AFC.” Hunt made everything happen. He hired African American players when nobody else would, and he raised money for the team and its players. Lamar Hunt is bedrock of the Kansas City Chiefs.
