Ranking the KC Chiefs Pro Football Hall of Fame members
#7 – Will Shields, Offensive Guard – Class of 2015
An absolute stud at the University of Nebraska, the Outland Trophy winner his final season, Will Shields continued his dominance as an interior linemen entering the NFL. A steal in the third round of the 1993 NFL Draft, Will Shields became a stalwart on perhaps the greatest line in Chiefs history.
From the second game of his rookie season on, Shields would incredibly never miss a single start. He ended his career with 223 straight starts at guard, 231 if you also include playoffs, which placed him third all time as an offensive lineman and fifth all time regardless of position.
Shields wasn’t just an NFL ironman, he also produced at an incredibly high level. Beginning in his third season he made every NFL Pro Bowl for the rest of his career, tallying 12 appearances, which currently ties him for second most for an offensive lineman and third most all time regardless of position. He was also named to the All Pro team six times, with two of those being First Team nods.
During the Dick Vermeil era, Shields would help pave the way for the Chiefs unstoppable rushing attack. From 2001 to 2006, Priest Holmes and then Larry Johnson combined for an impressive five 1,000-yard seasons in six years. Holmes had arguably one of the greatest stretches in NFL history for any player from 2001 to 2003, in those three seasons amassing an incredible 6,566 yards and 61 touchdowns.
Though present during the team’s AFC Championship of 1993, Shields never again had the opportunity to compete for a championship while a Chief. Still, he was one of the premier cogs in a one of the greatest offensive lines in recent memory.
“To me, that was the biggest piece; being accountable to the guys you were playing with. You wanted to perform at a high level, and (by playing in every game) you got a chance to do that.” – Will Shields