10. Ed Podolak
Former Iowa great Ed Podolak was one of the first standout players at his position in Chiefs franchise history. He played for the team for nine long seasons, totaling 4,451 yards on the ground and reaching the end zone 40 times as well.
Although he never rushed for more than 749 yards in a single season, Podolak will always be known as one of the first Chiefs’ greats and for his incredible performance on Christmas Day 1971 against Miami where he amassed 195 yards from scrimmage, including 110 receiving yards and two TDs to boot.
9. Joe Delaney
Mr. Delaney was a very talented back that got his career cut short in a heroic but also tragic event before his career could really take off. Kansas City’s 2nd round pick in the 1981 draft tried to rescue three boys that were drowning in a pond in Monroe, Louisiana not too long before the 1983 NFL season. Sadly, Delaney didn’t know how to swim and he died trying to save the boys, even though he was still able to save one of them with his efforts. His story was so touching that even the ESPN show 30 for 30 decided to feature Delaney’s story last year.
In his only two seasons in the NFL, the Haughton High (LA) product made one Pro Bowl and rushed for a total of 1,501 yards, added 299 yards receiving and three touchdowns to his name as well. It’s a shame that we will never know how good of a running back he could have been in the long-term, but it’s very clear that during his short life, he left a permanent mark on Chiefs kingdom forever.
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