The best Kansas City Chiefs to ever wear the uniform: No. 18
By Matt Conner
In this special offseason series, we analyze the best players in Kansas City Chiefs history to wear every single uniform number. Here’s No. 18.
My favorite part of this entire “best to wear the uniform” exercise is the lessons learned about Chiefs history.
I didn’t become a fan of the Chiefs until 1987. I was 10-years-old and decided there and then that I loved sports of all kinds. I saw Christian Okoye run with the football and I was immediately hooked. He was badass, even though I couldn’t use that word then, and I’ve been a superfan ever since.
That means there are entire decades of Chiefs players who would have been incredible to watch long before I showed up. You hear about some names, of course, even in the present, but many have been forgotten over time. So this is a nice history lesson in many ways.
Today is definitely one such day for those who aren’t familiar with Emmitt Thomas’s playing career and only know Emmitt Thomas, DB coach.
The Others
Technically Elvis Grbac could be included here because he wore a couple numbers in his time with the Chiefs, but we’ve already included him here and I’m not double-dipping even though it’d make this easier (and I remain fond of Grbac).
A couple other players have worn this number, but if I mentioned them here, you wouldn’t recognize them. In fact, I could make up names and they’d sound more familiar than the names on the official list. Trust me.
(Don Flynn? See I told you.)
The Runner-up: Samie Parker
The downside to having one great player who forced the Chiefs to retire a number is that the other contestants can look horrible. In this instance, it feels weird to award Samie Parker anything.
I’m not trying to take anything from Parker. As a former fourth round pick in 2004, Parker had a decent four-season run in K.C., during which he started 31 games and caught 110 passes for 1,529 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns. Not bad.
In fact, the closer I look, the more I can appreciate the subtle performer that he was. Consider this: Albert Wilson over 4 years in K.C. had 26 starts, 124 catches, 1,544 yards and 7 touchdowns. What’s weird is not that Samie Parker is basically Albert Wilson but that a team just gave Samie Parker’s twin a deal averaging $8 million/year in free agency this year (Miami Dolphins).
The Winner: Emmitt Thomas
If you were paying attention and not falling for talking points or memes, you were an appreciator of Marcus Peters (sorry but I speak the truth). If you’re old enough to remember previous incarnations of great Chiefs cornerbacks, then you’ll remember Dale Carter and maybe even Albert Lewis.
Before all of those men came Emmitt Thomas.
Thomas is the Chiefs all-time leader in interceptions with 58. Fifty eight. That’s an incredible number of turnovers which showcases a rare ability to make plays on the ball over a prolonged period of time. In Thomas’s case, he played 13 seasons in the NFL, all with the Chiefs, and he remained a starter until he was 35-years-old.
Thomas twice led the entire NFL in interceptions and is ranked No. 12 on the NFL’s career interceptions list. He was elected to the Hall of Fame a decade ago in 2008, and the Chiefs have retired this number, so Thomas isn’t going anywhere.
The best part is that Thomas remains in K.C. as the team’s defensive backs coach, handing down his wisdom to the Chiefs young corners even today.
Next: The Best to Wear It: No. 17
Congratulations to Emmitt Thomas for being the greatest Chiefs player to ever wear the No. 18 on his uniform!