The best Kansas City Chiefs to ever wear the uniform: No. 31

In this special offseason series, we analyze the best players in Kansas City Chiefs history to wear every single uniform number. Here’s No. 31.

Comparing careers doesn’t seem that hard. Typically we will stack the stats up next to each other, declare a quick winner, and then move on to the next bout. But even if they wore the same uniform, in this case the Kansas City Chiefs, it’s not really that easy.

Let’s use an example here: Derrick Johnson versus Marcus Peters. For 99 percent of Chiefs fans, it’s a lock for Johnson. His leadership alone would tilt this contest for many fans who were sick of Peters’ perceived attitude issues or drama. However, DJ was also an incredible linebacker. He’s the all-time franchise leader in tackles. He could stuff the run or drop in coverage. He was the heart of a defense for well over a decade, and his work in the community to encourage literacy for children is the cherry on top.

The knock on Peters is often personal and there’s the issue of longevity—namely that Peters is already off the team after three seasons. But those three seasons were magical. Some will never come around to giving him credit, but for those willing to see the facts for what they are, the stats don’t lie. Marcus Peters was arguably the NFL’s best defensive playmaker over the last three years. He’s created turnovers at a historic pace.

I don’t bring this up to even insinuate that Peters is better than Johnson. I’m saying that sometimes the stats don’t tell the full story—that sometimes a quick burst of production should force us to ask a question about a player’s greatness during that season and how it compares to longer careers.

That’s a bit of the challenge today at No. 31 where two players fight for the honor of best to ever wear the number.

The Others

There are two primary candidates and then a huge drop off from those two.

Marcus Cooper put up some really nice moments for the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent and is still kicking around the NFL, so major credit to him for beating the odds and making good on his talents and opportunities. He’s the best of the rest.

From there it’s forgettable defensive backs like Tysyn Hartman and Maurice Leggett or forgettable running backs like Akeem Hunt, Leroy Thompson, Jewerl Thomas and Jeff Kinney. If you just forgot those whole paragraph already, we understand.

The Runner-up: Kevin Ross

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I’m sorry, Kevin Ross. You deserve to be a winner. At No. 30, we christened Mike Brown just because no one was in line behind him. Yet today one of the best Chiefs cornerbacks of all time is sitting in the runner-up slot.

Ross was not only an incredible player but his story is just as great. A former seventh round choice in the 1984 NFL Draft, Ross ended up starting every single game during his rookie season and had 6 interceptions in the process. From there, he would be a rock in the defensive backfield for the next decade! (Think about how long that career really is. It would be as if Tremon Smith started every single game in 2018 and was also doing the same in 2028).

Ross played 11 seasons in Kansas City total, coming back for a single season after playing with the sliding into a safety spot for the Atlanta Falcons for a few years. Together with Albert Lewis formed one of the NFL’s most feared cornerback duos for years for the Chiefs. Ross ended his K.C. career with 30 interceptions, 12 fumble recoveries in 144 starts.

Ross is also one of three Chiefs who have ever scored a touchdown in four different ways: interception return, blocked punt, blocked field goal, fumble recovery).

The Winner: Priest Holmes

Priest Holmes might just be the single most exciting player to ever suit up for the Chiefs if you allow for any stretch of time to count. It’s painful to not put Ross here, but the reality is that for a four-year stretch, Priest Holmes was the best in the NFL.

Advocates for Ross will point to the Chiefs offensive line during that time and say that many backs could have done what Priest did, but the fact is that other great NFL lines have never put up the sort of gaudy stats that Holmes enjoyed. Check out what Dick Vermeil once told Sports Illustrated:

“How big a component of our success is he? Well, Priest Holmes is the component.”

From 2001 to 2003, Holmes was named an All-Pro and Pro Bowler in each of those three years, largely because he averaged 20 touchdowns per year during that stretch. He also averaged just under 2,200 yards from scrimmage during each of those seasons. For some perspective, Holmes averaged 1,530 rushing yards during that stretch (in only 15 games per year)—203 more yards than Kareem Hunt had last year which led the NFL.

What’s so frustrating is that he was on pace for another incredibly productive season in 2014 when he suffered a season-ending injury. In only 8 games that year, an exact half season, Holmes already had 14 rushing touchdowns and 892 rushing yards (and nearly 1,100 yards from scrimmage in a half season as well).

Remember how truly great Larry Johnson and Jamaal Charles were for similarly short stretches. They both come up short on all-time touchdowns by 19 and 22, respectively, behind Holmes. In other words, as great as even some backs can be, Holmes was that much better for his most productive years.

Next: The Best to Wear It: No. 30

Congratulations to Priest Holmes for being the greatest Chiefs player to ever wear the No. 31 on his uniform!

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