Kansas City Chiefs
Greatest Player: Tony Gonzalez
There’s only one Tony Gonzalez, whom many would argue as being the greatest tight end of all time. The 13th overall pick of the 1997 NFL Draft accomplished things that few pass catchers, at any position, were able to do in NFL history.
Somehow, Gonzalez kept his body in shape long enough to play 17 seasons, missing just two games during that time. In those 17 years, he was selected to 14 Pro Bowls, which is tied for the most all-time. More importantly, Gonzalez owns almost every other NFL record among tight ends, including receptions and yards.
Kansas City Chiefs
Runner Up: Derrick Thomas
One of the greatest pass rushers of all time, edge rusher extraordinaire Derrick Thomas still holds the NFL record for most sacks in a game, when he recorded seven sacks in a 1990 game against the Seattle Seahawks. The 4th overall pick in the 1989 NFL Draft, Thomas had double-digit sacks with the Kansas City Chiefs in five of his first six seasons in the NFL, including an NFL-high 20 sacks in 1990.
Thomas made the Pro Bowl nine times between 1998 and 1997, and was named to the All-Pro team six times in that same span. But in January of 2000, Thomas’ was involved in a Carr accident in which he and another passenger were not wearing seatbelts, and were launched from the car as a result. Just over two weeks later, after suffering paralysis from the injury, Thomas eventually was no more.
Kansas City Chiefs
Challenger: Patrick Mahomes
The best way to describe Patrick Mahomes is to compare him to Neo in “The Matrix.” Other quarterbacks know how to maximize their abilities within the construct of reality, whereas Mahomes goes out and does things that most of us barely believe was humanly possible.
After just his third season in the NFL, he may already be the best quarterback in the history of the Chiefs franchise, having thrown for 76 touchdowns before his 25th birthday. Just imagine what numbers he’ll have accumulated by the time he’s 35 years old.