Pro Football Reference is an excellent resource that, like Football Outsiders, provides a bounty of untraditional statistics intended to accurately identify trends throughout NFL history.
This particular chart was created from the Approximate Value method. The idea behind it is to determine the best all-time players for each club. The folks over at PFR can explain it better than my 5AM, caffeine-less mind can right now so head on over there and check it out.
Halfbacks and fullbacks were lumped into one category along with tight ends and receivers.
Today we'll look at the offense and soon enough I'll post the defense.
| QB | Len Dawson | 98 |
| RB | Priest Holmes | 69 |
| RB | Ed Podolak | 54 |
| RC | Tony Gonzalez | 94 |
| RC | Fred Arbanas | 66 |
| RC | Otis Taylor | 65 |
| RC | Henry Marshall | 53 |
| T | Jim Tyrer | 95 |
| T | John Alt | 68 |
| G | Will Shields | 95 |
| G | Ed Budde | 77 |
| C | Jack Rudnay | 62 |
In an ideal situation, I'd like to see Dwayne Bowe and Brandon Albert up on that list someday. Other than that, I don't think we have any offensive players on the current team that will warrant consideration.
What other current players have a shot to replace one of the all-time greats on there?
0 recs | 23 comments
Larry Johnson?
gowildcats - September 26, 2008
What?
You’re joking right? LJ can run the ball like very few people ever could, but by no means is he one of the best backs of all time (or even in Chiefs’ history). A truly great RB can not only run the ball, he can catch it and can through a solid block. LJ has never been able to either of the last two things. We still take him off the field in passing situations. Heck, we trust our rookies and second year RBs more than LJ on passing downs. No way he could ever be considered one of the best RBs, but maybe one of the better runners.
Chiefs4Life - September 26, 2008
Spelling
My bad; I wrote ‘through’ instead of ‘throw’. Just because this is a comment section few people read does not excuse poor grammar. More to the point, it doesn’t change the fact that LJ is NOT a GREAT running back. I’d much rather have a healthy Holmes or Marcus Allen than LJ. Heck, Christian Okoye might rank above LJ on my list for all-time great Chiefs RBs. And I know it would be difficult but I wish they didn’t lump certain categories together. Very few TEs or FBs would show up on a list like this. That seems a disservice to great players like Tony Richardson.
Chiefs4Life - September 26, 2008
I think it's the best part
Frankly, the comment section is more entertaining than the posts some of the time. I think it’s what makes people coming back :)
Joel Thorman - September 26, 2008
Hell Yeah
It’s fun to spar with other readers :)
UCrawford - September 26, 2008
He has been compared to Jim Brown,
although not playing like it recently…..all I want to know is where is Willie Roaf?
Shawn - September 26, 2008
Probably
Not enough seasons with the Chiefs.
Joel Thorman - September 26, 2008
Ah good point
Shawn - September 26, 2008
I wanted to throw this in the mix of past Chief offensive players
“Everyone knew Delaney was a great player. But that was only a small part of what made him so special to us. As a young rookie, he played with cracked ribs, a broken wrist and a sprained knee. Then he had the courage to come back in his second year with detached retinas in both eyes, knowing that there was a chance he would lose his sight. When those little kids needed help, he gave up his life trying to save them. He wasn’t a swimmer…the man had a tremendous heart, he was special.” Tom Condon, former Chiefs offensive lineman.
In this day and time when we see the talk about football injuries, we tend to forget that in the past it may have not been the wisest idea, but the old shake it off and get back in there was the true measure of a man.
This information came form a very good source on Chiefs History.
Kansas City Chiefs Encyclopedia by Mark Stallard, second edition
Lanier63 - September 26, 2008
Budde's Name Is Misspelled
No “H”
UCrawford - September 26, 2008
Got it
Thanks
Joel Thorman - September 26, 2008
Met His Son
When he played at KU while I was there. Fred Arbanas’ son also played TE for the Jayhawks, he was friends with my brother, ran into him at my brother’s house parties…nice guy and had some talent but the offensive coordinator for the Hawks at the time (Pat Golden Ruhle) didn’t like the kid.
UCrawford - September 26, 2008
I figured
You would blame the AD and not the OC :)
Joel Thorman - September 27, 2008
The Reason I Blame The OC
Was that when I went to an alumni function for KU with my uncle where Ruehl was speaking regarding the KU offense for the upcoming season (1995 I think it was) I got to talk to Ruehl after his speech and when I brought up that I knew Arbanas Ruehl went right into ripping on the guy. From the way he talked it sounded like an extremely personal animosity.
UCrawford - September 27, 2008
Plus
Pat Ruehl was a terrible offensive coordinator. His ineptitude was covered by the fact that Mason was an outstanding recruiter, but he and Mason always had questionable strategies on offense. In big games they’d usually blow at least one or two critical moments with a mind-bogglingly unwise play or two. So I wasn’t inclined to give Ruehl the benefit of the doubt :)
UCrawford - September 27, 2008
I Was Digging Around For Information On Metrics For Football The Other Day
Missed this, though. Good find, Primetime.
UCrawford - September 26, 2008
Check out
The PFR blog. Pretty good.
Joel Thorman - September 26, 2008
Here
Here it is. And if you catch it in time the top article concerns a QB whom folks around here have suggested that we pick up.
Joel Thorman - September 27, 2008
No Jan Stenerud
Pretty sure he should be on that list.
IISaiNtII - September 26, 2008
Unless this isn't to include ST
then my mistake. Just caught that.
IISaiNtII - September 26, 2008
Brad Cottam and Larry Johnson.
CBaller13 - September 26, 2008
Juries out on LJ....
If you are measuring one or two seasons then Barry Word or as mentioned above, Okoye would be on there. LJ has the talent certainly, but if you don’t have the heart, then what good are you?
Honestly I can think of a lot of Chiefs from the last twenty years that stick out, but any teams before that, I am going to have to depend on the more “senior” people.
Offensively – While the ydon’t warrant being “the man” on this list – Honorable mentions certainly have to go to Kimble Anders, Tony Richardson, Willie Roaf, Marcus Allen and for ST Nick Lowery. I do agree that Stenarud definitely belongs there. And Marcus Allen went in the HoF as a Chief so he should get some consideration. Probably a better overall back than Priest, but Priest holds the records…
And on any defensive list you would have to list at least half the players on the teams of the 90’s. With Dan Saleamua in the middle of the Neil Smith/DThomas lines you knew we had a chance to win every single week.
My most memorable seasons were the Steve DeBerg/Joe Montana years, or the QB geriatric age for the Chiefs.
KCAl - September 26, 2008
Grunny!
Should he be on the list, had some pretty good running teams with him as center. Speaking of him, at this point I would like to see either him or Will Shields as the Chiefs next o-line coach.
Eric Allen - September 27, 2008
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