The best Kansas City Chiefs to ever wear the uniform: No. 1

In the first of a very long offseason series, we analyze the best players in Kansas City Chiefs history to wear every single uniform number. Here’s No. 1.

It just makes sense on a number of levels.

We have, counting today, 99 days left until the regular season begins. There are also 99 different uniform numbers that players in the National Football League can have on their uniform.

As a way to stir conversation, freshen up on our franchise history and pass some time during the dry spell of the NFL calendar, we thought it would be fun to count down to the regular season opener by looking at the single best Chiefs player to wear each potential uniform number. Some have been retired and come with an obvious answer. Other numbers have major competition for the honors. Other numbers have rarely been worn, so no one really deserves anything at all.

So let’s get to it. In this series, we will name a winner and runner-up for each position while listing out others who merit at least a quick mention. However, let’s be honest for this first number. This is going to be tough.

The Others

More from Arrowhead Addict

The best way to summarize just how shallow this talent pool really is would be to point you to Da’Ron Brown for a second. Do you remember the seventh round draft choice from a few years ago? He was Dorsey’s final pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, lasted one year with the team and never played a single game. He also didn’t have that much worse of a Chiefs career than anyone else on the list. Really, it’s that bad.

A quick sampling of others: Lawrence Tynes, Noland Smith, Warren Moon (all 37 career passing attempts in a Chiefs uniform). We told you it’s bad.

The Runner-up: Mike Adamle

“Here goes Gemini!”

“Nitro with the big hit!”

I really wanted to give the overall winner award to Mike Adamle, but we would already be guilty of bending the rules before we even got started. This series is all about identifying the best Chiefs player to wear the uniform, and we love Adamle for all sorts of reasons that have nothing to do with the Chiefs. So we’ll give him runner-up.

Those quotes above should remind you that Adamle was one of the trusted voices narrating the parade of awesomeness known as American Gladiators back in the ’90s. Adamle did have 346 rushing yards for the Chiefs after the team drafted him in the fifth round in ’71, but he remains a favorite in our hearts for his announcing career—one that went on with ESPN, NBC and WWE long after the Gladiators faded.

The Winner: Bob Grupp

Pro Bowl specialists are a semi-regular thing for longtime Chiefs fans. The team’s history features a nice array of kickers and punters who have counted themselves among the NFL’s best, including Jerrel Wilson and Dustin Colquitt, Jan Stenerud and Nick Lowery. What you might not remember is that Bob Grupp was a Pro Bowler as well.

Grupp was originally drafted by the New York Jets but was cut loose shortly thereafter and the Chiefs struck gold with Grupp as a rookie in 1979. Ray Guy had been the AFC’s punter in the Pro Bowl for six consecutive seasons, but Grupp found instant success in K.C. and led the NFL in gross and net punting averages. Unfortunately the magic lasted a single season.

Grupp’s previous success would help him cling to his role for two more seasons, but he only excelled in one before tendinitis got the best of him. He was out of the NFL by 1982.

Congratulations to Bob Grupp for being the greatest Chiefs player to ever wear the No. 1 on his uniform!

Home/Kansas City Chiefs News