The 9 most overlooked Kansas City Chiefs players
By Matt Conner
Frank Zombo, linebacker
When Frank Zombo arrived in Kansas City back in 2013, he was immediately labeled as one of “Dorsey’s guys.” Coming over from the Green Bay Packers, Zombo was a known quantity for a general manager just getting to know the Chiefs roster. Dorsey clearly was impressed by Zombo’s talent, demeanor and work ethic, and those sorts of players often help fill in the gaps for a new GM as they remake the roster. Their shelf life is also typically quite short.
Five years later, Zombo looks like he’s set to make the Chiefs roster once again. Despite the arrival of several younger players who were brought in to upgrade the talent at outside linebacker, Zombo remains a go-to for the Chiefs coaching staff on special teams and defense. In fact, Zombo only started 7 total games over his first three years with the team compared to 20 starts over the last two seasons. Even as Dorsey (and Brett Veach) acquired more/new talent, Zombo is actually getting more playing time or taking on more importance.
Last season, Zombo played in all 16 games and made 9 starts. He had 1.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 2 passes defended and 39 total tackles on the year. It’s easy to hype up the latest rookies, but the reality is that Zombo has been an important piece of the puzzle for the Chiefs in recent years. He’s stepped right into starting roles vacated by injuries, and he’s willing to help in any fashion when asked.
This year, he faces competition from more players than ever, but Zombo has taught us to never count him out. In fact, the Chiefs have counted on him more than ever over the last 12-24 months. Maybe he will be around again in 2018.