5 Greatest Players in the History of the Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs history is strong and full of great players who have done amazing stuff on and off the field. These Top 5 players have won super bowls, player of the Year, and many other NFL awards. They have also gone to pro bowls, and MVP winners and become members of the Hall of Fame.

Honorable Mention: Patrick Mahomes (2017-Present)

Patrick Mahomes will be leading this list one day as he is only in his seventh season. He has already led the Chiefs to two super bowl victories and many postseason wins over the years. From the time he stepped into the league, he has been a natural leader and will continue to lead the Chiefs for many more seasons.

Mahomes only played in one game in 2017, where he threw for 284 yards and one interception. The Chiefs went on to win that game but struggled in the playoffs. Since Mahomes has been at the helm they have gone to playoffs every year since and have played in at least two postseason games since.

In 2018 he played in all 16 games and threw for 5,097 yards, 50 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. That year they went on to win the Super Bowl and Mahomes was named NFL MVP. The next season he played in 14 games and threw for 4,031 yards and 26 touchdowns. In 2020 he played in 15 games and threw for 4,740 yards and 38 touchdowns. In 2021 he played in all 17 games and threw for 4,839 yards and 37 touchdowns. The Chiefs went on to have another amazing offseason.

Last season ended with another Super Bowl victory and another MVP award for Mahomes. He played in 17 games and threw for 5,250 yards and 41 touchdowns with a year full of career highs. In the postseason, he threw for 703 yards and seven touchdowns to bring the Chiefs over the Jaguars, Bengals, and Eagles.

Accolades

• 5x Pro Bowler
• 2x First-Team All-Pro
• 2018 NFL MVP
• 2018 OPOY
• 2022 NFL MVP
• 2x Super Bowl Champ

5. Priest Holmes (2001-2007)

Priest Holmes had an amazing career with the Chiefs, but his first three are what landed him on this list. He still is the best running back in Chiefs history and was seeing a hall-of-fame career before injuries derailed his career. In his first season, he led the NFL in rushing with 1,555 yards and ten touchdowns. Year 2 for Holmes he played in 14 games and rushed for 1615 yards and 21 touchdowns. In his third and final historic season, he rushed for 1420 yards and 27 touchdowns.

In the 2004 season, he rushed for 892 yards and 14 touchdowns in eight games. The following season he rushed for 451 yards and six touchdowns in seven games. In 2006 he didn’t play due to a spinal injury. In his final season as a Chief, he played in four games and rushed for 137 yards and zero touchdowns. He still is the best running back in Chiefs history and was seeing a hall-of-fame career before injuries derailed his career.

Accolades

• 3x Pro Bowler
• 3x First-Team All-Pro
• 2002 NFL OPOY
• 2002 NFL MVP Finalist
• 2003 NFL MVP Finalist

4. Johnny Robinson

Johnny Robinson was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019 as a safety, but he began his career as a running back. He led the Chiefs to the team’s first Super Bowl win. Robinson wasn’t just the best safety in Chiefs history, but he was, at that point, the best in NFL History. In his first two seasons as a running back, he rushed for 658 yards and six touchdowns. After his first two years, he made the shift to defense to play safety in 1962. That first season he played in 14 games with four interceptions for 25 yards. The following season he had three interceptions for 41 yards.

In year three as a safety, he played in 10 games and had two interceptions for 17 yards. 1965 he played in 14 games with five interceptions for 99 yards. His next season, he played in 14 games for ten interceptions for 136 yards, and one touchdown. In 1967 he played in 14 games and had five interceptions for 17 yards and one fumble. He finished the following with six interceptions for 40 yards. In 1969 he played in 14 games and had eight interceptions for 158 yards. In his last two seasons, he played in 28 games and had 14 interceptions for 208 yards.

Accolades

• 7x Pro Bowler
• 6x First-Team All-Pro
• Hall of Fame Class 2019
• 1x AFL Champion
• 1x Super Bowl Champ

3. Willie Lanier

Willie Lanier, nicknamed Contact, many call him the most ferocious linebacker in Chiefs history. With it being legal back then he would launch himself headfirst as the opponent. They had to put extra padding on his helmet because of how he tackled which made him the most feared player on the field. He could do more than just knock out opponents he could also pick off opposing quarterbacks after coming out of nowhere.

1967 he played his first Pro season and played in 10 games with one fumble recovery. In 1968 he played in all 14 games and had four interceptions for 120 yards and one touchdown. In his third year in a Chiefs uniform, he played in all 14 games and had four interceptions for 70 yards and one fumble recovery. In 1970 he played in 14 games and two interceptions for two yards and two fumble recoveries.  In his fifth season, he played in 14 games with two interceptions for 38 yards and three fumble recoveries.

1972 he played in 13 games for two interceptions for two yards and two fumble recoveries. In 1973 he played in all 14 games and had three interceptions for 47 yards and three fumble recoveries The next season he played in 14 games and had two interceptions for 28 yards and two fumble recoveries. In 1975 he played in 14 games and had five interceptions for 105 yards. In his final two years, he played in 28 games and had three interceptions for 28 yards.

 

Accolades

• 8x Pro Bowler
• 3x First-Team All-Pro
• Hall of Fame Class 1986

2. Buck Buchanan

Buck Buchanan he was drafted first overall in the 1963 draft. He was the first athlete from a small black college to be picked up in the first round and now he is the best Chiefs defensive lineman of all time. No one knows how many sacks he occurred because they weren’t a stat back then.

In his first five seasons, he played in every game and had 29 sacks. In 1968 he played in 14 games and had one interception for 11 yards and one fumble recovery. In his next two seasons, he played in 28 games and had 13.5 sacks. In 1971 he played in 14 games and had one interception for nine yards and five sacks. The next two seasons, he played in 28 games and had one interception for 17 yards with 14 sacks. In his final two seasons he played in every game and had two fumble recoveries with one sack.

Accolades

• 8x Pro Bowler
• 4x First-Team All-Pro
• 2x AFL Champion
• 1x Super Bowl Champion
• Hall of Fame Class 1990

1.  Tony Gonzalez

Tony Gonzalez was drafted 13th overall and is now the best tight end in Chiefs’ history and in the NFL’s history. The world didn’t see him break out until year three of his career but from there he revolutionized the tight end position to give the quarterback another receiver on the field.

In his first two seasons, he played in 32 games with 989 yards and four touchdowns. In year three, he played in 15 games with 849 and 11 touchdowns. 2000 he played in 16 games with 1203 yards and nine touchdowns. His next season, he played in 16 games and had 917 yards for six touchdowns. In 2002 he played in 16 games with 773 yards and seven touchdowns. 2003 he played in 16 games with 916 yards and 10 touchdowns.

In the 2004 season he played in 16 games and had 1258 yards and seven touchdowns. In 2005 he played in all 16 games for 905 yards and two touchdowns. In his final three years with the Chiefs, he played in every game and had 3,130 yards and 20 touchdowns. He then finished his career with the Falcons.

Accolades

• 14x Pro Bowler
• 6x First-Team All-Pro
• Hall of Fame Class 2019
• 2000s All-Decade Team
• 1997 All-Rookie Team