Ranking the top 5 Kansas City Chiefs wide receivers of all time

1. Otis Taylor

"“The first time I saw Jerry Rice, I thought of Otis Taylor.” – Don Klosterman, Chiefs Scout"

Otis Taylor is the only receiver that could conceivably top this list, at least before Tyreek Hill’s career is complete. One of the most decorated players in franchise history, Taylor was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the fourth round of the 1965 AFL Draft. He was also drafted in the 15th round of the 1965 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles, but luckily for Chiefs Kingdom he chose to make his fortunes wearing the red and gold in the upstart AFL.

Like many players back in those days, Taylor had what would now be viewed as an incredibly inauspicious start to his football career, playing two seasons for the Prairie View A&M Panthers. While the Panthers were the runner up in the 1963 N.A.I.A championship, few would have guessed they’d produce the greatest wide receiver in Kansas City Chiefs history.

Taylor was a different breed of receiver for the Chiefs, his size and speed unique for the 1960s. Hank Stram likened the transition of the Chiefs offense with Taylor to that of a bus driver transitioning to flying a jet. In just Taylor’s second season he exploded for 1,297 yards at an incredible 22.4 yards per reception and eight touchdowns. Back in the 1960s, teams only played in 14 games, but if you extrapolate his yards from that season an extra two games, he’d still hold the franchise’s single-season mark for receiving yards at 1,482.

As great as his career was, Taylor’s signature moment came in Super Bowl IV when the heavily favored Minnesota Vikings cut the Chiefs lead from 16 to 9 points. On the second play of the following drive, Len Dawson hit Taylor in the flat, who broke two tackles en route to a 46-yard game sealing touchdown. This score unleashed euphoria on the Chiefs sideline, with the AFL’s second Super Bowl victory all but wrapped up.

During his career with the Chiefs, Taylor amassed the fifth-most receptions, the second-most receiving yards, and the second-most touchdowns of any Chiefs player to this day. He was a three-time Pro Bowler, the equivalent of a two-time First Team All Pro, a two-time AFL Champion and a one-time Super Bowl champion. Tyreek Hill is nipping at his heels for the title of the franchise’s best wide receiver, but for the time being he still maintains the top spot.