There are plenty of former Kansas City Chiefs who deserve to become enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio. Many remain from the AFL days, but even some who’ve played more recently are deserving too. We still hold out hope that several of these players will one day be recognized.
Here’s a look at some of the best players (and a contributor) who are not yet in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
WR Otis Taylor (1965-1975)
One of the few Super Bowl IV champions yet to be recognized by the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Taylor is perhaps the most deserving of any Chiefs player not yet in it. Selected in the fourth round of the 1965 AFL Draft out of Prairie View A&M, Taylor would go on to become one of the most dominant receivers of his era averaging 17.8 yards per catch during his career.
Here are just a few of Taylor’s accolades:
- 1966 AFL All-Star.
- 1967 AFL receiving touchdown leader (11).
- 1971 NFL receiving yards leader (1,110).
- 1971 Pro Bowl.
- 1971 First-Team All-Pro.
- 1972 Pro Bowl.
- 1972 First-Team All-Pro.
- Super Bowl IV champion.
Taylor ranks fifth in Chiefs franchise history with 410 receptions and second in receiving yards with 7,306, behind only Tony Gonzalez. Receivers from the same era such as Fred Biletnikoff and Bob Hayes are in the Hall of Fame. Taylor’s production throughout his career falls just under both of those players, but his career accolades match or exceed both players.
Contributor Lloyd Wells
Yes, non-players are deserving of Hall of Fame recognition too.
Wells was the first Black scout in professional football and played a huge role in the integration of the NFL. 13 players on the Super Bowl-winning 1969 Chiefs team came from HBCUs, most of whom were scouted and recruited by Wells. Three of the players that he personally recruited, Buck Buchanan (pictured above), Willie Lanier and Emmitt Thomas, are all members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Otis Taylor, who we wrote about on the first page, was signed by Wells. The team was in a bidding war for his services with the Dallas Cowboys.
In the history of the Hall of Fame, not a single Black contributor has been voted in. Many are deserving, but few have had an impact on the game as Wells did.
DE Neil Smith
The Chiefs traded up to draft Smith with the No. 2 overall pick out of Nebraska in 1988. Smith and Derrick Thomas formed the most formidable pass rush duo in franchise history. He left the Chiefs as a free agent following the 1996 season and joined an AFC West rival, the Denver Broncos, where he’d play for three seasons.
Here’s a look at some of his accolades with the Chiefs:
- Five consecutive Pro Bowl seasons from 1991 through 1995.
- Three All-Pro selections (1992,1993,1995).
- 1993 NFL sack leader (15).
Here’s a look at some of his accolades after he joined the Broncos:
- 1997 Pro Bowl.
- 1997 Second-Team All-Pro.
- Super Bowl XXXII champion.
- Super Bowl XXXIII champion.
Smith was also selected to the 1990s All-Decade Team, which is typically a good indicator that a player is worthy of Hall of Fame recognition.
RB Priest Holmes
After playing for four seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, Holmes joined the Kansas City Chiefs as a free agent, signing a minimum contract. After playing the backup role in Baltimore, he would go on to become a starter and one of the most explosive running backs in NFL history.
Accolades with Ravens:
- Super Bowl XXXV champion.
Accolades with the Chiefs:
- Three consecutive Pro Bowl’s (2001-2003).
- Three consecutive First-Team All-Pro’s (2001-2003).
- NFL Offensive Player of the Year (2002).
- 2001 NFL rushing yards leader (1,555).
- 2002 NFL rushing touchdown leader (21).
- 2003 NFL rushing touchdown leader (27).
- Set the NFL record for yards from scrimmage per game in 2002 (163.4).
- 15th in NFL history in rushing touchdowns (86).
The biggest argument against Holmes’ claim to the Pro Football Hall of Fame is longevity. Still, his first three seasons in Kansas City represent perhaps the most dominant stretch by a running back in NFL history. That alone should merit a conversation about Holmes having an opportunity.
WR/RS Dante Hall
A fifth-round draft pick in 2000, Hall is remembered as one of the greatest return specialists to ever play the game. He was nicknamed “The Human Joystick” for his ability to stop on a dime and make opponents miss.
Here’s a look at some of his accolades:
- Pro Bowler (2002 and 2003).
- First-Team All-Pro (2002).
- 2nd NFL player to return both a kick and punt for a touchdown in a single game (2002).
- Second-Team All-Pro (2003).
- Most career kick returns, yardage and kickoffs and punts returned for touchdowns in Chiefs franchise history.
- No. 5 in NFL history in total kick return yardage (10,136).
- NFL 2000s All-Decade Team (Punt and Kick returner).
Return specialists have rarely been recognized by the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Without a dominant career as a receiver, it’ll be difficult for Hall to make it.
K Nick Lowery
Specialists have a hard time when it comes to the Hall of Fame, just ask Morten Andersen. There are tons of candidates deemed deserving but few recognized over the years. Lowery certainly has a case given his longevity and success throughout his career, he was even a nominee in 2007.
Here’s a look at some of his accolades:
- Pro Bowler in 1981, 1990, and 1992.
- First-Team All-Pro in 1985 and 1990.
- No. 16 in NFL history with 1,711 points scored.
- 80% career FG conversion percentage.
- Only 6 missed PAT’s in his entire career.
Lowery might not have a Super Bowl ring to hang his hat on, but he’s certainly one of the greatest kickers in the history of the game.
