Every number in our 1-to-99 series covering the jersey history of the Kansas City Chiefs has a center of gravity. For No. 12, it's a major miss within the organization to fail to recognize the quarterback when they had him. Then again, No. 12 also represents a fading young tight end, a true undrafted gem, a winless QB, and Super Bowl glory for a reacquired wideout. Let's get to the stories.
The complete history of Chiefs players to wear No. 12
The One That Got Away: Rich Gannon
Rich Gannon signed with the Chiefs in 1995 and spent two years buried behind Steve Bono before the 1997 season opened the door of opportunity—and created a very real quandary for Marty Schottenheimer and company. With Elvis Grbac injured, Gannon led K.C. to a 5-1 record and the players loved him. However, when the playoffs arrived, Schottenheimer handed the reins back to Grbac. The Chiefs would lose 14-10 to Denver in the postseason despite being the heavy favorites.
Gannon and Grbac split reps the following season before ultimately leaving to play for the Raiders, of all teams, and there, he turned into an MVP. Gannon would make four straight Pro Bowls in Oakland, won the 2002 MVP award, and reached Super Bowl 37. The best quarterback to ever wear No. 12 for the Chiefs did his best work with a division rival after they let him walk.
The Undrafted Gem: Albert Wilson
Wilson arrived in 2014 as an undrafted free agent out of Georgia State, where he'd been the most decorated receiver in a program that had only existed since 2010. John Dorsey's staff chased him after the draft, and Wilson rewarded their belief in him. Not only did he make the 53-man roster as a rookie, but he grew into a reliable slot weapon over four seasons. He peaked in a contract year in 2017 with 42 catches for 554 yards and 3 touchdowns, and then parlayed that into a three-year free-agent deal with the Miami Dolphins.
The Early Mention: Mecole Hardman
We'll get to Mecole Hardman later in the series, but here's the thing about the WR and No. 12: he only wore it because everything else was taken. When the Chiefs traded for Hardman in a midseason deal with the Jets in 2023, his old number (No. 17) belonged to Richie James, who was not allowed to switch mid-season while on injured reserve. He also couldn't have his college number (No. 4) with Rashee Rice on the roster. Hardman decided to take on No. 12 instead and then caught the game-winning touchdown in Super Bowl 58 while wearing the number. That's worth a mention here.
The Winless One: Brodie Croyle
If you're looking for the low point for No. 12, it's gotta be Brodie Croyle, a former third-round pick out of Alabama who went 0-10 as a starter for the Chiefs from 2006 to 2010. A career passer rating of 67.8 sums up the story, although the dismal numbers aren't helped by a number of injuries suffered by Croyle over the years. It's a shame because Croyle is, by all accounts, a role model off the field who works hard helping to provide a home and healing for at-risk children at Big Oak Ranch. But 0-10 is 0-10.
The Slim Hope: Jared Wiley
Jared Wiley arrived in Kansas City in the perfect position to grow into a meaningful role with the Chiefs. The former fourth-round pick out of TCU was in line to grow slowly into playing time at tight end behind Travis Kelce and Noah Gray before hopefully being handed the torch. As his third season approaches, Wiley's status is in question with a rookie season lost to injury and a sophomore year that lacked any real impact. The Chiefs haven't made any other moves to bolster the position, so Wiley is being given a chance once again to make some noise, but it's hard to imagine the ride lasting much longer if he can't make his presence felt.
Et Cetera
- Tom Flores, QB - Flores wore No. 12 for a single season as Len Dawson's backup and won a Super Bowl IV ring. One of only two men ever (with Mike Ditka) to win a Super Bowl as player, assistant, and head coach.
- Jimmy Hill, CB - A star cornerback (three Pro Bowls with the Cardinals) who washed up in Kansas City for a three-game cameo in 1966 after Fred Williamson got hurt.
- Gehrig Dieter, WR - Undrafted WR who found a way to stick around on special teams for more seaons than anyone could have expected.
Add us as a preferred source on Google