SUPER BOWL LV 2021
Kansas City Chiefs roster: who are their historical players and legends?
The Chiefs from Kansas City are readying themselves for their Super Bowl defence, with some of their star players already etching their name into the history books.
The big day is inching ever closer. Super Bowl LV may be played amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic - with a number of protocols in place to minimise further covid-19 problems - but the excitement is undiluted. The Chiefs will turn up in the backyard of the Bucs looking to retain their title, and a number of those in the roster hoping to add to their status in the team, and NFL history.
The greatest Chiefs
Having started out as the Texans of Dallas in 1960, the Chiefs moved to Kansas three years later and had some early success thanks to a superb group of players that were brought together. AFL championship wins in 1962, 1966 and 1969 were followed by a Super Bowl IV victory in 1970 where the Chiefs chopped down the Minnesota Vikings with relative ease after the likes of Buck Buchanan, Otis Taylor and Abner Haynes, not forgetting legendary quarterback Len Dawson, laid the foundations for arguably the greatest side this franchise has ever had. But that early joy would not continue indefinitely.
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Fans of the Chiefs had to wait until the end of the 1980s before they could fully enjoy their team near the top of the game again, under Marty Schottenheimer, a time when they would be introduced to a player who lays claim to being a true great in their history. The drafting of linebacker Derrick Thomas in 1989 - which followed on perfectly from the arrival of Neil Smith a year earlier - was a masterstroke and was a key factor in six consecutive seasons in the postseason. As the team impressed we got to enjoy the precision kicking of Nick Lowery, the offensive plays of Steve DeBerg and Stephone Paige, and the defensive strengths of Deron Cherry and and Albert Lewis, among several others. There was even time to add former Super Bowl MVPs Joe Montana and Marcus Allen.
Despite the team’s relative lack of success there were often stand out performers including running back Priest Holmes taking in the touchdown record for a single regular season in 2003, and Larry Johnson setting an NFL record of 416 carries in the 2006.
After another very disappointing spell, the Chiefs have become a real force once again and some of the players in the team are likely to take their own place in the hall of fame. Patrick Mahomes is seen as having the potential to become the greatest ever quarterback as he comes up against many people’s all-time number one in Tom Brady on 7 February. What a chance for Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Damien Williams and the rest to write a new chapter for themselves and the club.
Kansas City Chiefs: current roster
Check out the full updated roster of the Chiefs at the official site.