The best Kansas City Chiefs to ever wear the uniform: No. 34

In this special offseason series, we analyze the best players in Kansas City Chiefs history to wear every single uniform number. Here’s No. 34.

Bobby Bonilla Day came and went recently.

In case you don’t know, every July 1 for the next millionty years or so, the New York Mets have to pay a wheelbarrow filled with rolls of $100 bills to former outfield Bobby Bonilla (former as in the guy hasn’t played for 50 years). All of these figures are approximate, by the way.

Anyway, every year we have a considerable laugh at the Mets because they’re still paying Bonilla millions long after he has been gone. It’s a sore deal on the part of the Mets, which means baseball fans who hate the Mets truly enjoy this moment. It’s an annual gag gift that never fails to laugh.

It’s hard to find a moment like this but when you get one, you should treasure it, anti-Mets fans. That’s what we plan on doing today with a Bobby Bonilla Day of our own as we rank the best Kansas City Chiefs players who wore the No. 34.

The Others

There’s no real competition for the top two spots here, but some nice enough players have worn the number besides our winner and runner-up. Knile Davis was a back-up running back and kick returner for the Chiefs for a few years during John Dorsey’s era. Mike Cloud was a likable enough running back when Y2K was a thing. Travis Daniels was a nice cornerback option for the Chiefs during the Scott Pioli era and is now a very successful photographer (seriously, look him up).

Currently Leon McQuay is wearing this number and the Chiefs could use a step up from last year’s sixth round pick. If we’re ever talking about McQuay in a space like this for one of the best to wear the number, we will look back at John Dorsey as a true genius.

The Runner-up: Lloyd Burruss

Longevity is very hard to find in the NFL. It is difficult enough for a player to enjoy a career that runs even a half-decade, but when a player plays for a full decade or even more—especially with the same team—that’s worth a special mention. Lloyd Burruss was one such player.

Burruss was the Chiefs third round pick in the ’81 NFL Draft who would eventually start 103 games for the Chiefs at safety until he retired after the 1991 season. In that span, he had 22 interceptions and even enjoyed a Pro Bowl season in ’86—a year in which he returned 3 of his INTs for touchdowns. He was inducted as a member of the Chiefs Hall of Fame in ’99.

The Winner: Dale Carter

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Is Dale Carter the most fulfilling player in Kansas City Chiefs history? I’m only asking because how many players can make a Pro Bowl when they play for your team and then become a huge bust once they sign with a rival. It’s like Dale Carter was the gift that kept giving long after he was gone, a la Bonilla (see above).

Dale Carter was an instant hit in the NFL. After the Chiefs drafted him at No 20 overall in the first round of the 1992 NFL Draft, Carter would intercept 7 passes in only 9 starts during his rookie year—enough to win Defensive Rookie of the Year. The league would make him wait two full years before they’d honor him with a Pro Bowl appearance, but once they did, he went to the game for four years straight.

Carter spent a total of 7 seasons in K.C. and intercepted 21 passes in that span. Carter was also a lockdown corner who often forced teams to avoid him entirely or else pay the price. He was also a decent punt returner who brought back 2 of them for touchdowns during his rookie season.

The cherry on top of all of this is that Carter signed a 4-year deal worth nearly $23 million in 1999 with the Denver Broncos. He was the highest paid defensive back in the NFL at this point, but he only lasts a single season in Denver after playing a forgettable cornerback in a new uniform. From there a drug suspension would take over and force him out of football for the next year. He never played again for the Broncos.

Let’s be clear: Carter was an elite cornerback who completely elevated the Chiefs defense. For several years, Chiefs Kingdom saw those talents up close. However it’s also fun to know that the free agent exit we all took to be a death knell turned into egg on the Broncos face.

Next: The Best to Wear It: No. 33

Congratulations to Dale Carter for being the greatest Chiefs player to ever wear the No. 34 on his uniform!

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