In this special offseason series, we analyze the best players in Kansas City Chiefs history to wear every single uniform number. Here’s No. 9.
There’s a stretch in my life of a couple years where I lived in a total rathole. They were college years, which most people will give you a simple pass for, but all the same, it was disgusting. I killed more mice in those two years than the rest of my life combined. We had ant issues. We used couches that were used on porches for years on the inside. The whole place should have been condemned.
The thing is, we didn’t realize it at the time.
We knew it was structurally odd and that we had a deadbeat landlord. We knew a deep cleaning would help considerably, yet even then, the film that covered nearly everything would likely remain in place. We knew it was adjacent to other literal houses scheduled for demolition. Still we were clueless.
Sometimes there are seasons when you don’t realize just how bad things have gotten, when you live in a house that would make others turn and run at the thought of entering.
That’s the best way I know to describe the Chiefs quarterback play for such long stretches at a time.
Looking back at the players who have worn No. 9 for the Chiefs reveals stretches where the house, so to speak, at quarterback was falling apart, wretched and needed to be razed. Instead, the Chiefs sat in their house as if they were completely unaware.
The Others
Two quarterbacks who wore No. 9 for the Chiefs embody this “living in a condemned house” vibe. One of them is the “winner” here. Yep.
The other quarterback is Brady Quinn, who statistically is far, far worse than I ever remember him being. He went 1-7 as a starter for the Chiefs in 2012 with only 2 passing touchdowns in 8 games (and he threw both of those in the same game). Can you imagine any quarterback going seven games without a touchdown pass? Well the Chiefs can because it happened and it wasn’t that long ago.
As for others who’ve worn this number, let’s just say that the Chiefs need to hoist this puppy on someone promising. Punter Jason Baker and kicker Nick Novak also wore it for brief stretches, and even the specialists weren’t so special while wearing the number (Novak made only 60% of his field goals in K.C.).
But nothing shows the misery of the history of this number like the actual winner and runner-up.
The Runner-up: Tyler Bray
Kudos to Tyler Bray.
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Bray served as the No. 3 quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs for five consecutive seasons. Even when his rookie contract ran out, he still held on. Even when the Chiefs drafted Aaron Murray, he still held on. Even when Kevin Hogan joined Murray as draftees, Bray still held on. Even when the Chiefs added Mahomes, somehow Bray remained in the mix.
Even now, Bray is continuing to surprise with each year he remains in the league. There’s literally zero game tape at the pro level to show what he can do or to even hint that he could help in a pinch after a half decade out of college. Yet now he’s been signed by the Chicago Bears to join new head coach Matt Nagy to help bring the Bears offense up to par. That’ll be six years as clipboard holder and promising (?) quarterback.
The fact that Bray has a single incomplete pass to his name and is still runner-up here shows just how pitiful the history of this number has been. But an undrafted kid who holds on to a QB job when the odds are stacked against him year after year has some sort of moxie and brings something to the table even if we cannot see it.
That variable in all of its mystery is enough to make him No. 2 on this depth chart.
The Winner: Bill Kenney
If I typed “mediocrity” into my laptop and started up my 3-D printer, it would slowly create a working model of Bill Kenney, Chiefs quarterback.
The ’80s were supposed to belong to Todd Blackledge. The Chiefs invested a first round pick to take Blackledge at No. 7 overall in a round when Jim Kelly and Dan Marino were both selected. Hell, even Ken O’Brien would have been a better selection, but the Chiefs were sold on Blackledge and the ’80s were set from that point forward.
Blackledge was so good that he allowed Bill Kenney to occupy the starting spot until 1988 when Steve DeBerg finally stopped the bleeding.
Kenney’s final totals are astounding for their mediocrity. He started 77 games for the Chiefs over 9 seasons as Blackledge dealt with injuries and, well, the fact that he was no good. Kenney gave the Chiefs 105 passing touchdowns and 85 interceptions. He won 34 games and lost 43. His career completion percentage is 54% and the QB rating is 77.
Literally Bill Kenney was league average. Good enough for the Chiefs.
Next: The Best to Wear It: No. 8
Congratulations to Bill Kenney for being the greatest Chiefs player to ever wear the No. 9 on his uniform!