In this special offseason series, we analyze the best players in Kansas City Chiefs history to wear every single uniform number. Here’s No. 6.
It’s easy to get carried away.
Every year, the Kansas City Chiefs sign several undrafted free agents and bring in dozens more on a tryout basis. Despite the fact that every one of those players were passed over for seven straight rounds by every single NFL team (including K.C.), every year I become enamored with at least one player and buy into his ceiling while ignoring his floor.
The recent history of the No. 6 reads like a Who’s Who of players I’ve been smitten with in recent years. Ashton Lampkin is the current wearer of No. 6, and I remember the high hopes I had for him as an undrafted cornerback who I believed would be a special teams ace out of the gate and an eventual gift at corner. It could still happen, but Lampkin missed last season with a torn ACL and is now playing against a whole new crop of incoming players.
Before Lampkin, it was a wide receiver named Seantavius Jones, who spent two years with the New Orleans Saints and another season with the Philadelphia Eagles before landing with the Chiefs. Whatever went wrong in those previous cities seemed to turn around in K.C. as Jones earned starters reps in offseason work just last year.
This year, I’m enamored with Robert McCray and Arrion Springs, so I need to apologize to both in advance. It’s not you, it’s me.
With that out of the way, let’s see who has actually done well wearing the No. 6 jersey.
The Others
We’ve already covered some of the others, but we’d be dishonest if we didn’t pay at least passing tribute to entirely forgettable specialists like Jim Arnold, Dave Rayner and Steve Weatherford.
The Runner-up: Ryan Succop
Every year, the NFL provides a brief celebration for Mr. Irrelevant, the last choice in the NFL Draft, and Ryan Succop was once that man. The parade and ensuing pomp and circumstance is all a bit of silliness, a Razzies sort of award, and the label of M.I. is usually the most memorable thing about that player when looking back years later.
This certainly is not the case for Succop. This offseason, Succop signed another extension for 5 years and $20 million with the Tennessee Titans and has earned approximately $15-plus million to date in his career with K.C. and Tennessee. It’s a testament to his consistency that Succop has earned as much as he has.
That consistency began with the Chiefs, after Scott Pioli took Succop in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft. In five seasons with the Chiefs, Succop made 119 of 144 field goal attempts in the regular season and a perfect 3 for 3 in the playoffs. While he’s never made the Pro Bowl, Succop is still a very steady kicker who should continue to enjoy a long career in the pros.
The Winner: Warren McVea
“Wondrous” Warren McVea is such an interesting story (and dynamic player), not only in Chiefs history but in football history in general. McVea is still a Texas football legend as one of the most gifted running backs ever to come out of the loaded state, earning an incredible 73 scholarships after averaging over 10 yards/carry during his senior year of high school (yes, a first down for every run)!
McVea ended up as the first African-American player to ever suit up for the Houston Cougars. He would go on to be named an All-American in two of his three seasons on campus, and the Cincinnati Bengals rewarded him with a fourth round choice in the 1968 NFL Draft.
The Bengals soon traded McVea to the Chiefs in 1969, providing them with a well-rounded offensive threat who could rush the ball, catch out of the backfield on occasion and return kicks as well. McVea would be a key offensive piece for the Chiefs Super Bowl run that year, with 106 carries for 500 rushing yards and 7 touchdowns—good for a 4.7 yards/carry average. McVea also averaged 24.5 yards/return that season.
McVea’s career would unfortunately not last much longer. He spent 3 more seasons in K.C. but injuries took their toll on his smaller frame (5’9, 180 lbs.) and Ed Podolak emerged as a new star at running back. For a few years, however, McVea was the right man for the job and helped deliver K.C. their one and only championship. That’s good enough to be the best to ever wear the number for us.
Congratulations to Warren McVea for being the greatest Chiefs player to ever wear the No. 6 on his uniform!