Arrowhead Addict
FanSided

Top 10 Kansas City Chiefs draft busts of all time

By Jordan Mannix

CHICAGO, IL - OCTOBER 31: Pro Football Hall of Fame member Gale Sayers is honored at halftime during the game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on October 31, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - OCTOBER 31: Pro Football Hall of Fame member Gale Sayers is honored at halftime during the game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field on October 31, 2016 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
12 of 13
Next
Draft Busts,
Draft Busts, /

1. Gale Sayers

The Chiefs selected running back Gale Sayers out of Kansas fifth overall in the 1965 AFL Draft. Nicknamed the “Kansas Comet,” Sayers was an extraordinary athlete for his time. One of his most famous quotes was “Give me 18 inches of daylight, that’s all I need,” which essentially meant if the offensive line could give him even a small opening he could and likely would take it the distance. He was an extraordinarily gifted player for his time, and it’s understandable why the Chiefs thought him valuable enough to pick so highly.

In his three years in college playing for the Jayhawks, Sayers played in 30 games, amassed 2,675 yards rushing, 398 yards receiving and 18 total touchdowns. He was number one in rushing yards his final two years in the Big 8, number one in yards per attempt in all three years in the Big 8, and a consensus All-American in his final two years with the team.

What’s unique about Sayers being on this list is that he actually went on to have a Hall of Fame career in the NFL. He was one of the best running backs of his time, and arguably, of all time. In fact, had injuries not derailed him, he may actually be in the conversation for best running back of all time. The problem here is, he never suited up for the Chiefs.

See, Sayers was also drafted by the Chicago Bears in the 1965 NFL Draft. The NFL AFL merger didn’t happen until the next year, 1966. So, in this circumstance, Sayers had a choice to make. The Chiefs offered him a bigger contract to come play in Kansas City, but the Bears were a part of the more established NFL. Since the NFL was more established, whereas the AFL was still an upstart, Sayers went with the established league and chose the Bears.

Based on these factors, here’s how Sayers scored according to my criteria:

Sayers
Sayers /

Was Gale Sayers a bust in the traditional sense? Absolutely not. He went on to have an incredible, albeit short career with the Chicago Bears. He was eventually enshrined in Canton as part of the 1977 Hall of Fame class. He checks in at number one for Chiefs’ draft busts solely because he never played a down for the team. It’s a shame, as he would have been another great name to adorn the Chiefs’ Ring of Honor if he had.

CRITERIA SCORE: -3

*Sayers was drafted fifth overall in a first round with only eight picks

Home/Kansas City Chiefs History