Kansas City Chiefs Information
The Kansas City Chiefs joined the NFL in 1970 after a ten-year stint in the AFL. In their ten seasons there, they won three league championships, all under coach Hank Stram. Prior to the turn of the century, Stram and former coach Marty Schottenheimer (1989-1998) were the only Chiefs coaches to record a winning percentage of higher then .500 (both had a .615 winning percentage). Schottenheimer led the team to playoff appearances in seven of ten seasons (90-95, 97) and division titles in 1993, 1995, and 1997. Since 2001, Dick Vermeil has been the man in charge of leading the Kansas City Chiefs. Vermeil had success in the 1980s with the Philadelphia Eagles, but he might always be remembered as the head coach of the 1999 St. Louis Rams squad that won the Super Bowl behind Kurt Warner, the shopping clerk turned arena football player turned NFL and Super Bowl MVP. The Chiefs posted fourth place finishes in both of Vermeil’s first two seasons as coach, but in 2003, they turned it around to finish with a 13-3 record and home field in their playoff game. Vermeil is one of the most emotional coaches to ever roam the sidelines of an NFL game, and although it can be troublesome at times, it shows his players how passionate he is about the game, winning, and the team. The players know how he feels, and it makes them want to win the game even more.
The Kansas City Chiefs are known for their high powered offense, and Priest Holmes is the man that makes the machine run on all cylinders. Holmes is arguably the best running back and/or player in the league, and his play over the last few seasons has put his name in discussions along with legends of the game. Holmes carried a huge workload in the 2002 season, and in 2003 the Chiefs made a conscience effort to limit his touches. Holmes still managed to post almost 1,500 rushing yards and 700 receiving yards with 27 touchdowns. Trent Green, the quarterback whose injury allowed Kurt Warner to step into a starter’s role in St. Louis, is the quarterback in Kansas City, and his understanding of Vermeil’s system has allowed the offense to excel. Green threw for more than 4,000 yards last year and posted 24 touchdowns against only 12 interceptions. The impact receiver on the roster isn’t a speedy wide out, but is the best tight end in the game. Tony Gonzalez has put himself in the company of all-time greats at the position with his play over the last few years. He can blow by linebackers off the line, and he’s stronger than any secondary player a defense can throw at him, so he’s almost impossible to plan against.
Kansas City doesn’t boast a Ray Lewis or Derrick Brooks type player on defense, but they are loaded with guys hungry for the ball and willing to do anything to stop the opposition.
The Chiefs defense recorded 25 interceptions last year, ranking them among the top teams in the league. They also forced 11 fumbles, recorded 36 sacks, and made 43 tackles for loss. The unit has been criticized since Vermeil took over for being too soft and not making the big plays, but in 2003, they did all the right things almost all the time, and they were a big reason why this team was so dominant in their run to a 13-3 record. The wild card of the team (or X-factor as he likes to be called) is Dante Hall. Hall is a more than capable third or fourth receiver to a team, but his contribution isn’t measured in his receiving yards, but rather in the return game. Hall has proven to be the best return man in the game, as is evident by his field vision and explosive speed that led to four return scores last season. Hall recorded nearly 2,000 return yards alone last year, and his kickoff and punt return averages were well above the league average.