Nearly every one of the hundreds of prospects coming into the National Football League on an annual basis have one single thing on their mind as they labor before and after the draft toward their goal: making an active roster. The game of musical chairs that happens every year is a stressful one, and the acronym of NFL is referenced as meaning "Not For Long" for good reason.
Given the push to try to make it onto a roster, it's likely difficult to find a player who is focused on long-term record setting or establishing himself as some sort of franchise pillar—that is unless that player is already a well-established contributor. But if someone did want to make their mark over the long-term for a franchise, as it turns out, the best approach might be to major in special teams.
When it comes to the Kansas City Chiefs, the players who were able to participate in the most games are largely specialists. In fact, three of the top six players in franchise history in terms of games played were all specialists who found long-term success with the team. It makes sense for a few reasons including the fact that such players are on the field far less than most, which results in lower chances of injury, and the price tag on punters and kickers aren't exactly exorbitant. If you have a good one, why not keep him around?
But here we are already playing spoiler. Without further ado, let's break into the Chiefs franchise record books to see the players who hold the marks for most games played in franchise history (as of the summer of 2023).
Dustin Colquitt, punter
There was a time toward the end of his career when Dustin Colquitt was even getting older than a lot of the coaches on the Chiefs sidelines. That's how long Colquitt was able to stick around and it's a testament to his work ethic, talent, consistency, and competitive drive.
While it was weird for the Chiefs to ever make Colquitt a third-round pick back in the 2005 NFL Draft at No. 99 overall (can you imagine the Chiefs making that sort of pick today?), the good news for Carl Peterson is that Colquitt's career validates the pick in hindsight—or at least makes things look a lot better.
Colquitt instantly won the starting punter job for the Chiefs in 2005 and finally relinquished those responsibilities in 2019. He played in an incredible 238 regular season games for the Chiefs over the course of a full decade-and-a-half at Arrowhead Stadium. Given another 12 postseason games, Colquitt's mark of 250 is an incredible total for any player at any position.
With two Pro Bowls to his name in 2012 and 2016, Colquitt showed he could remain an exemplary performer even toward the end of his career. What makes this total even more incredible is that he played another 17 NFL games after the Chiefs released him, earning chances to play with four other franchises over the course of the 2020-21 seasons.
More Articles About Chiefs History: