Some jersey numbers are remembered for one legendary player; others show themselves to be surprisingly deep over time. When it comes to tracing Kansas City Chiefs history, No. 32 belongs in the latter category. From defensive cornerstones to offensive standouts, it's a jersey mostly worn by some of the finest players to ever take the field at Arrowhead. That makes our job of working through every jersey number in Chiefs history a worthwhile endeavor in order to make sure none of these stories or players are lost in the shuffle.
The complete history of Chiefs players to wear No. 32
The Best: Marcus Allen
Marcus Allen had something to prove. Doing so with a division rival only made it that much more delicious.
By the time Allen signed with the Chiefs in 1993, he'd spent 11 drama-filled seasons with the Los Angeles Raiders. The first half of them were spent building a Canton-worthy resume; the latter half found Allen relegated to part-time work. The reasons have never been fully disclosed, but Allen was clear during those years that longtime Raiders owner Al Davis had it in for him—and Davis never denied it.
“I think (Davis) tried to ruin the latter part of my career, tried to devalue me. He's trying to stop me from going to the Hall of Fame. They don’t want me to play," said Allen in an interview for Monday Night Football in '92. One year later, Allen showed up to K.C. ready to work, and the results were everything the Chiefs could have hoped for.
In his first season, Allen led the NFL with 12 rushing scores and finished sixth in MVP voting. He led the Chiefs in rushing yards in four of his five seasons. His arrival with Joe Montana in the same offseason completely altered the franchise's outlook and gave them national prominence for the first time in a generation. The Chiefs won more games than any other franchise in his five seasons at Arrowhead, and he finished with 4,851 yards from scrimmage and 47 scores.
The Forerunner: Curtis McClinton
The AFL's Rookie of the Year was also its All-Star game MVP as Curtis McClinton began his pro football career with a bang in 1962 (604 rushing yards, 333 receiving yards). As the Texans transferred from Dallas to Kansas City, McClinton provided an offensive dual threat out of the backfield to help the team reach three AFL title games and two Super Bowls. Speaking of such heights, McClinton scored the first touchdown in Chiefs Super Bowl history—a short catch from Len Dawson. He was immortalized in the Chiefs' Hall of Fame in 1995 with 5,069 yards from scrimmage and 38 touchdowns to his credit over eight of the franchise's earliest seasons.
The Honey Badger: Tyrann Mathieu
It's a shame to place Tyrann Mathieu so far down this list, knowing how impactful he was for a completely rebuilt Chiefs defense. Without the Honey Badger, the Chiefs likely don't hoist their first Lombardi in a half-century.
When the Chiefs hired Steve Spagnuolo to replace Bob Sutton as defensive coordinator in 2019, Mathieu was signed to serve as an experienced leader in the secondary. Instead, Mathieu became a pillar for a championship defense with two first-team All-Pro mentions in three seasons overall in K.C. His charisma, intelligence, instincts, and well-rounded skill set allowed Spags to take the lid off his defense in a hurry and the results changed the NFL.
The Enforcer: Nick Bolton
Speaking of players Spags is heavily dependent upon, Bolton feels like next best player to line up after discussing Mathieu, because the linebacker's arrival as an on-field leader for the Chiefs' defense synced perfectly with the safety's departure in free agency. The Chiefs selected Bolton in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft as a pro-ready linebacker known as the best run-stopper in his class. He's turned into an instinctual thumper for the Chiefs who wears the green dot as the team's primary communicator.
The Chiefs were happy to sign Bolton to a three-year extension to keep him after his rookie deal expired, and it feels safe to assume that further agreements will be reached. Having someone so trusted and proven is essential for Spags going forward, so he's likely going to be a fixture even as the rest of the position erodes around him.
The Quietest 1K Rusher: Tony Reed
Even diehard fans might not remember Tony Reed's tenure with the Chiefs back in the late-'70s, but his 1978 season still ranks as one of the most productive years in team history. Reed joined K.C. as a second-round running back prospect out of Colorado in 1977 with 505 rushing yards in his rookie campaign. The next year, he eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark with 1,053 yards and 5 touchdowns on only 206 carries, good for a 5.1 yards/carry average. His 1,536 yards from scrimmage is the 12th most in a single season in Chiefs history. Reed would never again reach the 500 yard mark and was out of the NFL by 1982, but the summit was his in '78. He remains active with the team's Ambassadors.
The Unforeseen Anchor: Spencer Ware
Spencer Ware's total NFL yardage in his first two NFL seasons was 10 (on 3 carries), so it feels safe to say no one foretold his arrival as the unforeseen anchor in the Chiefs' ground game by year four (2016). The former sixth-round pick in 2013 out of LSU failed to stake a spot on Seattle's roster, but he found a fringe spot on the Chiefs' practice squad in 2014 and slowly took over when the team needed him most. He finished out the season as the starter when Jamaal Charles went down in 2015, and he would serve up over 1,300 yards from scrimmage with 5 scores. Ware would suffer his own knee injury the following year but returned to take over for Kareem Hunt after his release in 2018. Ware finished his Chiefs tenure with over 2,300 yards from scrimmage and 13 TDs, mostly when the Chiefs needed someone to step up most.
Et Cetera
- Ethan Horton, RB/TE - Former first-round pick who was a bust until the Raiders called and converted him to tight end. Would go on to make a Pro Bowl in 1991, five years after the Chiefs released him.
- Bo Dickinson, FB - Spent time with four NFL teams and even the Montreal Alouettes. Had 406 rushing yards for the franchise's first two years (1960-61).
- Doug Jones, CB - Former 1973 sixth-round pick who lasted two seasons in K.C.
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