On September 12, 2019, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced the list of modern-era players up for nomination for the Class of 2020.
The 122-player list includes players whose careers ended less than 25 years ago and the Kansas City Chiefs are well represented with eight players up for nomination.
The listed is comprised of 7 quarterbacks, 19 running backs, 12 wide receivers, 6 tight ends, 19 offensive linemen, 11 defensive linemen, 17 linebackers, 15 defensive backs, 11 kickers/punters and 5 return specialist.
Now, without further adieu, here are the eight former Chiefs who are up for nomination.
Dave Krieg (1992-93)
Chiefs fans may particularly remember Krieg for his days with the Seattle Seahawks and as Derrick Thomas’ unfortunate victim on September 11, 1990, getting sacked an NFL record seven times.
Krieg also played a season in Kansas City following the end to his tenure with the Seahawks in 1991.
In 1992, Krieg led his new Kansas City team to a 10-6 record and its third consecutive trip to the playoffs. He finished the year completing just over 55% of his throws for 3,115 yards and 15 touchdowns to 12 interceptions.
Following the ‘92 season, Krieg stayed in KC for one last season as the backup to the legendary Joe Montana. From 1994-1998, He bounced around the league playing for the Detroit Lions, Arizona Cardinals, Chicago Bears, and the Tennessee Oilers.
In 19 seasons, Krieg was 97-77 as a starter and completed 3,105 of 5,311 attempts for 38,147 yards and 261 touchdowns to 199 interceptions.
He’s been to three pro bowls in ‘84, ‘88, and ‘89 and ranks 25th or better all-time in career statistics for completions (24th), passing attempts (24th), yards (23rd), and touchdowns (18th).
Priest Holmes (2001-07)
Priest Holmes has been and still is, a favorite amongst fans. Even today, you can’t go to Arrowhead Stadium without seeing at least one person with a #31 jersey on.
Holmes was originally drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in 1997 but was particularly a backup to Jamal Lewis. He was eventually traded to Kansas City to play for Head Coach Dick Vermeil in 2001 and the rest is history.
Holmes’ career as a dynamic running back would take off in Vermeil’s high-flying offense that was amongst the NFL’s best through the early 2000s. From 2001 to 2003, no tailback was more dominant with 4,590 yards and 56 touchdowns on the ground in that three-year span. Holmes was also an intricate part in the Chiefs passing game, with 206 receptions for 1,976 and 5 touchdowns in the same three-year window.
Holmes’ career would be riddled with injuries over the next four seasons and he struggled to play a full 16-game season, never playing more than eight games. He put up good numbers in 2004 and 2005 but never broke 1000 yards rushing. He missed the entire 2006 season with a spinal injury and by this point, he’d taken a back seat to Kansas City’s young gun, Larry Johnson.
Holmes’ injury comeback in 2007 became a major storyline on the first edition of HBO’s Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Kansas City Chiefs. However, He only played four games in ’07 before being was placed on injured reserve and announcing his retirement at the end of the season.
In 10 seasons, Holmes won a Lombardi in Super Bowl XXXV with the Baltimore Ravens, his last season with the team. As a Chief, Holmes has been to the Pro Bowl and was a First-Team All-Pro for three consecutive seasons (2001-03), he won NFL AP Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2002 and was inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 2014.
Holmes is second in Chiefs franchise history for most career rushing yards with 6,070 and currently holds the franchise record for most rushing touchdowns in a Chiefs uniform.
Thomas Jones (2010-11)
Jones played his final two seasons in the NFL under Head Coach Todd Haley in Kansas City. The Chiefs were coming off a dreadful 4-12 season in 2009 where they shipped disgruntled tailback Larry Johnson in Cincinnati earlier that year. The move left a hole where the team truly needed veteran leadership to help guide a young Jamaal Charles, who was a complete unknown at the time.
Jones had previously played for the Arizona Cardinals (2000-02), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2003), Chicago Bears (2004-06), and New York Jets (2007-09) before finally arriving in Kansas City where he retired after the 2011 season.
In 12 seasons, Jones is 26th all-time in career rushing yards with 10,591.
Jones went to the Pro Bowl in 2008, was part of the 2006 NFC Champion Chicago Bears and had an appearance in the 2009 AFC Championship game with the Jets.
In two seasons with Kansas City, Jones rushed for 1,374 yards and 6 touchdowns.
Brian Waters (2000 – 2010)
Waters spent the bulk of his career in Kansas City and was apart of one of the greatest offensive lines in NFL history that included Hall of Famers Willie Roaf and Will Shields as well as Casey Wiegmann, and John Tait from 2001-2003.
While his contemporaries eventually retired and/or moved on to play for another team, Waters was the only member that stayed in KC the longest.
Eventually, the Chiefs decided to get younger along the O-line and Waters was released in 2011. He had slight stints in New England and Dallas before ultimately retiring in 2014.
While in Kansas City, Waters was named to the Pro Bowl six times (2004-06, 08, 10, and 11) and was a First-Team All-Pro in 2004 and 2005. He also earned the NFL Walter Peyton Man of the Year Award in 2009 and ranked #67 on the 2011 NFL’s Top 100 Players.
Neil Smith (1988 – 1996)
Neil Smith spent the majority of his career in Kansas City playing for Marty Schottenheimer’s defensive orientated Chiefs teams during the 1990s.
He and Hall of Fame teammate Derrick Thomas were the vocal points that helped make up one of the NFL’s best defenses that excelled at rushing the passer.
In nine seasons with the Chiefs, Smith made 527 combined tackles, 85.5 sacks, forced 28 fumbles with 12 fumble recoveries, and he scored a defensive touchdown.
Smith left a bad taste in the mouth of a lot of Chiefs fans in 1997 by leaving Kansas City for Denver in free agency. On his way to winning back to back Super Bowls in his first two seasons as a Bronco, Smith helped the Denver defense beat Kansas City in the 1997 divisional round 14-10.
After his third season with the Broncos, he spent a year in San Diego before retiring in 2001.
Smith is a six-time pro bowler and a First-Team All-Pro in 1993. He was also inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 2006.
Chester McGlockton (1998 – 2000)
Chester McGlockton played three seasons in Kansas City after he spent his first six as an Oakland Raider. He also spent time with the Denver Broncos and the New York Jets.
The Chiefs were looking for a solid replacement for defensive end Neil Smith, who left via free agency in 1997. That guy would be McGlockton, who had been a thorn in Kansas City’s side for the previous six seasons when they had to play the Raiders twice a year.
Kansas City was hoping McGlockton would bring a certain nastiness back to the defensive line but in three seasons, he clearly lost a step at that point in his career.
His best season with the Chiefs was in 1999, where he made 30 solo tackles and 12 assists.
While he was with Kansas City, McGlockton started every game except one and finished his tenure with 108 combined tackles and 7.0 sacks.
McGlockton finished his 12 seasons in the NFL with 480 tackles, 74 assists, 31 tackles for loss, and 51.0 sacks. He was also voted to the Pro Bowl four times and was a First-Team All-Pro in 1995 during his time with the Raiders.
Albert Lewis (1983 – 1993)
In 16 seasons, cornerback Albert Lewis was known for his knack to block punts on special teams. He was also a heavy-hitting corner with the ability to cover some of the best receivers in the league to offer during the 1980s.
At 6’2’’ and 198lbs, Lewis one of the tallest corners in the NFL at the time and was apart of a defense that was alone bright spot for the Chiefs during the 1980s decade.
In 11 seasons with Kansas City, he totaled 555 tackles, 38 interceptions, 7 forced fumbles, and 12 fumble recoveries.
Lewis was named a First-Team All-Pro in 1989 and 1990 and went to the Pro Bowl four consecutive times in 1987 to 1990. He also spent time with the Oakland Raiders from 1994-1998 and announced his retirement in 1999. He finished his NFL career with 832 combined tackles, 13 forced fumbles, 13 fumble recoveries, and 42 interceptions.
Lewis was inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 2007.
Nick Lowery (1980 – 1993)
Nick Lowry was picked up by Kansas City in 1980 after playing his rookie season with New England in 1978.
Lowery spent the next 14 seasons kicking field goals with the Chiefs.
From 1980 to 1993, Lowry made a combined 329 field goals out of 410 attempts, giving him an 80.2 field goal percentage. Lowry currently holds the Chiefs franchise record for most career points with 1,466.
He finished his NFL career with a three-year stint with the New York Jets.
His career totals include making 383 out of 479 field goals, giving him an 80.0 field goal percentage and making 562 of 568 PAT attempts. He scored 1,711 points in 18 seasons and was inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 2009.
Lowery currently holds the NFL record for most games with 2 or more 50-yard field goals and kicked more than 15 game-winners during his career, including two playoff games against the Oakland Raiders in 1992 and the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1994. He also kicked the game-winning points in all 3 Pro Bowls in 1982, 1991 and 1993.
Lowery also received the NFL Players Association’s Byron ‘Whizzer’ White NFL Man of the Year Award honors in 1993.
What’s Next
That concludes the former Chiefs who are up for nomination for the Class of 2020, what happens next is the Modern-Era players list will be reduced to 25 Semifinalists in November and 15 finalists in early January 2020. The list of finalists will be presented to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee and the Class of 2020 will be announced the day before Super Bowl LIV.
To read more about the selection process and the rest of the players up for nomination, click on the link below.
https://www.profootballhof.com/122-modern-era-nominees-for-the-hall-of-fames-class-of-2020/
