Chiefs Franchise Five: Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes still chasing spots on list of Kansas City legends
See who made the list for the Chiefs' most impactful players and coaches in franchise history
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2 min read
Fresh off their Super Bowl LIV victory, the Kansas City Chiefs are the kings of the NFL. But you won't find any of their current players or coaches on this Franchise Five.
If he continues this trajectory, Patrick Mahomes may wind up being the greatest to ever play quarterback. If Andy Reid can double up on his world titles in KC, he'll carve out his space here, too. But for now, it's still too early to put any current Chiefs on this list when the franchise has such a storied history.
CBSSports.com's Franchise Five dives into five most impactful people in each NFL's team history. Our rules here bind us to pick just one quarterback, three non-quarterback players and one head coach.
QB Len Dawson
The greatest Chiefs quarterback of all time still holds every passing record that matters. He captained the team through its move from Dallas to Kansas City and in 14 seasons won an AFL Championship and a Super Bowl. Lawson is responsible for 19% of the wins in franchise history, and his 237 passing touchdowns are more than double second-place Trent Green. Dawson is also the subject of one of the greatest football photos of all time, where during Super Bowl I he was pictured taking a drag of a cigarette during halftime.
TE Tony Gonzalez
Gonzalez revolutionized the tight end position during his 12 years in Kansas City. Arguably the greatest of all time at the position when weighing longevity, Gonzalez had six straight seasons in the mid-2000s with at least 900 receiving yards. A nine-time All Pro with the Chiefs, Gonzalez still holds most of the franchise's receiving records.
LB Derrick Thomas
A six-time All-Pro, Thomas played his entire 11-year career with the Chiefs. Once he sacked the quarterback seven times in a game. Thomas was one of the great pass rushers of the '90s, totaling double-digit sack totals in seven seasons. He remains the Chiefs' defensive leader in forced fumbles, fumble recoveries and, of course, sacks.
LB Bobby Bell
One of the most dominant players in AFL history, Bell continued to wreck shop when the Chiefs merged with the NFL. He was named to the first or second-team All-AFL/Pro every year between 1964 and 1971. His No. 78 is one of 10 retired Chiefs jerseys, and last year he was named to the league's 100th anniversary team.
Coach Hank Stram
Stram won three AFL Championships and made Super Bowl IV the feather in his cap. Stram was the first coach of the Chiefs franchise back when they were the Dallas Texans. In 15 years at the helm, he had just three losing seasons.
