With June underway, we’re essentially at the midway point of the NFL offseason. Three months from now, the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s 46-person selection committee will compile a list of preliminary nominees for the 2016 class. Former Chiefs great Will Shields will be enshrined on Saturday, Aug. 8, as part of the annual Hall of Fame preseason kickoff. That got me to thinking about the Kansas City Chiefs’ current roster and which players, if any, have Hall of Fame credentials.
I’m not sure that anyone has a legitimate case-to-date, but today I’d like to take a look at who might eventually make the best argument for Canton.
In the coming years, we can expect a nod for tight end Tony Gonzalez. He retired from the NFL after the 2013 season and will be eligible for the 2019 ballot. Gonzalez revolutionized the tight end position and finished a sterling career with 1,325 career receptions, 15,127 receiving yards, and 111 touchdowns. He’s destined for NFL immortality, but there’s some debate about when he’ll actually be inducted. Shannon Sharpe, the former standard-bearer for tight ends in the annals of NFL history, didn’t make a first-ballot trip. He was twice passed over before finally donning the gold jacket in the fall of 2011.
Before we take a look at my shortlist, let me issue a quick disclaimer: I am not making the claim that any of the players below warrant Hall of Fame consideration today. These players are currently little more than Ring of Honor-qualified at this stage of NFL tenures. What I am hoping to determine is which of them has the shortest path to their own bronze likeness when the curtain is drawn. With that in mind, let’s get started.
Here are the team’s three best candidates, as I see it, in descending order:
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