In this special offseason series, we analyze the best players in Kansas City Chiefs history to wear every single uniform number. Here’s No. 41.
The other day I wanted to buy a new NES classic, one of those old-school Nintendo devices that have come back around. I told my wife it was for our son to play a video game here or there, but really I wanted to be the original Legend of Zelda again.
Anyway, I stood there waiting at the Target, since the store’s website said they had one in stock. I drove 25 miles to get it because others were sold out. And there I stood. I searched for help. I pressed a “push for service” button. I thought about using the red employee phone. Instead I just stood there. I wanted someone to step in and do something.
That’s how No. 41 feels. As we try to find the best Kansas City Chiefs player to ever wear the number, you just want someone to even put up a few decent seasons together so it doesn’t look like the junkyard of roster failures.
Alas we still have to step up. Let’s do this. Hold your nose.
The Others
Herb Christopher at least started a couple seasons at defensive back for the Chiefs at the turn of the ’80s. Pat Dennis started 13 games in the year 2000. But tell me if you remember any of the following names:
- Woodie Pippens
- Anthony Parker
- Garcia Lane
- Kyle McCarthy
- Keith Crawford
- Doug Dressler
- Darrius Johnson
- Scott Connot
- James Evans
- Keyvan Jenkins
At this point, it sounds like we just a random name generator, but every one of these guys can say they are “former Kansas City Chiefs players.” Weird
The Runner-up: James Winchester
Long snappers be snappin’!
For the last three years, Mr. Winchester has been the Chiefs long snapper and it looks like that will continue unabated for at least another year. Long snappers are unheralded so I’d like to say something more. Then again, I don’t really know anything about long snapping except he snaps longer distances than other snappers.
But here’s to you, James. We appreciate your consistency, ability and the fact that you’re nearly the best player to ever wear this number.
The Winner: Reggie Tongue
This is a hiccup and we need to admit it out front. Reggie Tongue wore No. 41 but he also wore No. 25 and he wore that latter number for longer. However, he didn’t place at No. 25 and as you can see, these are slim pickings. So we’re proud to hoist Reggie up as the winner here knowing that he’s so much better than anyone else at this position.
Tongue was the second round pick of the Chiefs back in the 1996 NFL Draft and took some time to come around, playing in all 16 games his rookie season but starting none behind the safety tandem of Mark Collins and Brian Washington. By the next year, however, he was firmly entrenched as the starter in a new safety tandem with Jerome Woods.
Tongue would start for the next three seasons for the Chiefs before leaving for the Seattle Seahawks in 2000, where he would start for another four years. He started every game for the New York Jets in 2004 and then played his final NFL season for the Oakland Raiders in 2005.
Tongue finished his Chiefs tenure with 266 total tackles, 2 interceptions, 8 forced fumbles and 6.5 sacks.
Next: The Best to Wear It: No. 40
Congratulations to Reggie Tongue for being the greatest Chiefs player to ever wear the No. 41 on his uniform!