Who are the top five running backs in the Chiefs storied history at the position?
While the Kansas City Chiefs have had a somewhat spotty history with certain positions, including quarterback until recently, a position at which they have a long lineage of great players is running back.
Throughout the years, many Chiefs teams were carried by their running backs. In fact, there are stretches throughout the franchise’s history in which the team’s running back was arguably the only reason people watched. That is in part an indication of how poor the franchise had fared for several years, but also largely due to the fact that the running back in question was so spectacular.
As a result of all this, when it comes to being a Kansas City Chiefs fan the running back position is sacred. As such, there are a number of running backs who might not make this list but who also hold a special place in readers’ hearts.
As is always the case, these lists are subjective. There’s room for discussion near the top of the list and a player here or there that could be swapped out. However, as we move closer to the top of the list agreement should presumably increase.
With all that said, here is the definitive list of the five greatest running backs to ever don the red and gold. I hope for older fans this is a walk down memory lane and for younger fans it’s a history lesson in some of the older days of the Kansas City Chiefs franchise.
More Articles About Chiefs History:
Joe Delaney
I’ve written about Joe Delaney before and had things gone a bit differently, it’s likely he’d have a place much higher on the list of Kansas City Chiefs all-time running backs. Delaney was a very talented running back, rushing for over 1,000 yards in his only full season with the team, but he was an even better person.
The hero but also the tragic victim of the same situation, Delaney is remembered most for his heroic exploits off the field. Yet older fans know, had he a longer career with the team he might be remembered just as much for his heroic exploits on the field.
Marcus Allen
For a running back, especially one playing in the 1980s and 1990s before all of the major advances in athletic training and maintenance, Marcus Allen played a very long time. Truth be told, by the time he signed with the Kansas City Chiefs, his best years were behind him. That said, he still had a bit left in the tank.
During Allen’s five seasons with the Chiefs he eclipsed 1,000 yards from scrimmage every season but the last. He ended his career with the team nearly 5,000 total yards and nearly 50 touchdowns and currently sits at seventh all-time in rushing yards in franchise history.
Ed Podolak
The high school quarterback who helmed his high school team to consecutive conference titles committed to the University of Iowa at the same position to begin his career. It wouldn’t be until his senior season with the team, after starting at quarterback for nearly two-and-a-half seasons, that Ed Podolak moved to the position that would make him famous.
Drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the second round of the 1969 NFL Draft, Podolak’s career lacks the explosive campaigns that might bump him further up this list. That said, his longevity and consistency along with his place as the franchise’s fifth all-time leading rusher are what garner him an honorable mention.
Christian Okoye
Christian Okoye, better known as the “Nigerian Nightmare,” might be one of the biggest fan favorites in Kansas City Chiefs history. Okoye had a very unique story in terms of his pathway to football stardom. Born and raised in Nigeria, he came to Azusa Pacific University at the age of 21 not as a football player but as a track athlete.
After starring for the university in track and field for two years, winning seven national titles in shot put, discus and hammer, Okoye was surprisingly omitted from Nigeria’s 1984 Olympic team. With nothing else to occupy his time, he decided to give football a try. This proved to be a life-changing decision.
At 6’1″ and 260 pounds, with the ability to run a 4.45 second time in the 40-yard dash, Okoye possessed both unique size and speed for the running back position. This drew the attention of the Kansas City Chiefs, who drafted him in the second round of the the 1987 NFL Draft.
He’d go on to have a spectacular career with the team, with the speed to run around would-be tacklers or bulldoze a long line of opponents. From his rookie season on, his legend as the “Nigerian Nightmare” grew.
The best stretch of his career came from 1989 to 1991 at the behest of new coach Marty Schottenheimer and his patented “Marty Ball” philosophy. This philosophy focused heavily on the running game and Okoye was a major benefactor.
During this three-year period Okoye averaged 1,105 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns and became the first Kansas City Chiefs running back to rush for 1,000 yards in more than one season. His best season came in 1989 when he broke the team’s all-time rushing mark for a season with 1,405 yards.
Okoye played seven seasons in total for the Kansas City Chiefs and currently sits at number four in career rushing yards for the franchise with 4,897 yards. He was a two-time Pro Bowler and one-time First Team All Pro, and to this day, he remains one of the more recognizable names in Chiefs History.
Abner Haynes
"“He was a franchise player before they talked about franchise players” – Hank Stram"
The more I learn about Abner Haynes, the more I think he doesn’t quite get the respect that he deserves in Chiefs Kingdom. Haynes grew up in Dallas, playing alongside friend and future college teammate Leon King at Lincoln High School. Together, both became the first African-American football players to suit up for the North Texas State College football team.
Haynes had a productive college career, eclipsing 1,000 yards from scrimmage his senior season and scoring 14 touchdowns. He was drafted in the fifth round of the 1960 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, as well as the first round of the 1960 AFL Draft by the Oakland Raiders. While the NFL was far more prestigious at the time compared to the upstart AFL, Haynes decided instead to play in the AFL and for the Dallas Texans.
"“They said I’d have a lot more prestige. I’d just tell them I wanted to play right away, and that I couldn’t put prestige on my dinner table and eat it.” – Abner Haynes"
Haynes made his own prestige. The small school product hit the ground running in the AFL, leading the league in rushing and capturing both the AFL’s Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year awards. For context, in his rookie season he nearly matched Jim Brown‘s NFL output with 1,451 yards from scrimmage.
Haynes was an absolute star for five seasons with the Texans, and eventually Chiefs. From 1960 to 1964, even with a down year in 1963, he averaged 1,311 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns. In his most impressive season, 1962, he had 1,622 yards from scrimmage and 19 total touchdowns.
Haynes was one of the first superstars in franchise history and the AFL. He was an AFL All Star three times, voted to the All-AFL team three times, and the AFL Player of the Year in 1960. He is still the holder of nine franchise records and was inducted into the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame in 1991.
Larry Johnson
Larry Johnson has a bit of a fractured image within Chiefs Kingdom, for things he said during his time with the franchise and some things he’s said since, but two things can be true at once. Some things should be frowned upon, but his accomplishments on the field were tremendous.
Johnson was an absolute force his senior season at Penn State. After three seasons of less than 100 touches but still healthy averages in yards per carry, Johnson got his opportunity. His senior season he carried the ball 271 times for an impressive 2,087 yards and an incredible 7.7 yards per carry. He added another 349 yards through the air for a total of 2,436 yards and 23 touchdowns. He was a 2002 Consensus All American and the recipient of the 2002 Doak Walker Award, Maxwell Award, and Walter Camp Player of the Year Award.
These exploits lead to Johnson being one of only two running backs to go in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft, in which he went 27th to the Kansas City Chiefs. This came as a surprise to many, as the Chiefs had arguably the league’s best running back in Priest Holmes as their starter. This indeed caused some tension over the years, but Johnson eventually got his chance to shine.
After an incredibly dominant stretch from 2001 to 2003, Holmes began to succumb to regular injuries. With more playing time in 2004, Johnson showed great promise with multiple games rushing over 100 yards. In particular, 2005 and 2006 are the primary reasons Johnson makes this list.
At the time, Johnson became the first and only other running back since Eric Dickerson with back-to-back 1,700 yard rushing seasons. He totaled an impressive 3,539 yards and 37 touchdowns on the ground in both seasons and added another 753 yards and 3 touchdowns through the air. He was the definition of a workhorse running back. Unfortunately, the 416 touches in 2006 would prove too much for his body to recuperate from going forward.
Johnson declined precipitously over the next several seasons due both to injury and a certain level of malcontent, but the fact remains his two-year stretch in 2005 and 2006 was an incredible one. He finished his career with the team with the second highest rushing yards all time, was a two-time Pro Bowler and one-time First Team All Pro.
Priest Holmes
Priest Holmes comes in at number two on our list of Kansas City Chiefs running backs, but there’s an argument to be made he’s actually the most dominant running back in franchise history. Undrafted out of the University of Texas, the running mate to Heisman Trophy winner Ricky Williams, Holmes is the definition of an underdog.
Signed by the Baltimore Ravens in 1997, Holmes burst onto the scene in 1998 rushing for 1,008 yards and seven touchdowns. Unfortunately, his production declined over the next two seasons and he was eventually supplanted as starter by rookie and future All Pro Jamal Lewis. Luckily for Holmes, brighter days laid ahead in Kansas City, Missouri.
During the 2001 offseason, Holmes signed with the Chiefs and the rest is history. In his first season with the team, behind one of the greatest offensive lines of all time, Holmes set the league on fire. He rushed for 1,555 yards and 8 touchdowns, adding another 614 yards and 2 touchdowns through the air. As incredible as this season was, his next two would be even better.
Holmes broke the current touchdown mark for a season in 2003, but 2002 may have been his best and the best for a running back in Chiefs history. In a prior article, I wrote about how Holmes 2002 season was the best individual season a running back has ever had. Had he played all 16 games he’d have the current NFL record for yards from scrimmage in a single season and would still have broken the touchdown record in the same year.
All in all, he produced an incredible 163 yards per game over 14 starts and eclipsed 2,000 total yards for the second of three straight seasons. He’d go on to break the touchdown record in 2003, join Emmitt Smith as the only running backs with two straight seasons of 20 or more touchdowns, and break the Chiefs all-time rushing mark in 2007. He was a three-time Pro Bowler and three-time First Team All Pro.
I’ll be honest, there’s part of me that thinks Priest Holmes deserves to be number one on this list. From a productivity standpoint, his three-year stretch from 2001-2003 might be unmatched in the history of the NFL.
That said, the number one running back on our list outpaced Holmes’ career in several important categories on a far worse team and behind a far worse offensive line. There are few who were more naturally gifted at running the football than the next and final player on this list.
Jamaal Charles
Jamaal Charles holds a very special place in the hearts of fans in Chiefs Kingdom. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft out of the University of Texas. A small prospect from a major program, Charles had overcome much in his life to that point. Yet, his success was just beginning.
Charles first season with the Chiefs was largely one to forget. He was an afterthought in the team’s offensive scheme as a backup to then starter, and number three on our list, Larry Johnson. Even so, he posted some impressive stats with 5.3 yards per carry and 10.1 yards per reception. These were just whispers of what was to come, with Charles becoming arguably the most dynamic running back in the NFL over the next several seasons.
While he struggled with injury for a number of years in his prime, five of his next six seasons were transcendent. Removing his 2011 season, which he missed due to injury, from 2009 to 2014 Charles averaged 280 touches for nearly 1,700 yards from scrimmage and 16 touchdowns. During this stretch he was voted to the Pro Bowl four out of five seasons and named First Team All Pro in 2010 and 2013.
Charles career was unfortunately marred on the front end by below average teams and on the back end by season-ending injuries. Even so, he finished his career with the Chiefs as the all-time leading rusher beating out Priest Holmes by only 11 carries but a whopping 1,190 yards. Maybe more impressive, he is currently first all-time in yards per carry by a running back in the modern era with 5.4 yards per carry.
For many years, Charles was the victim of a bad franchise. He’s number one on this list because even while being the main focus of opposing defenses, with little help around him, he was still nearly unstoppable.
If he had been a bigger benefactor of the Andy Reid era, or if he had run behind the offensive line of our number two running back, I think it’s likely Charles would be regarded as one of the greatest running back in NFL history.