Some of the most renowned offensive units in NFL history belong to the Kansas City Chiefs, a team with a storied legacy of explosive playmakers. At the heart of this success lies a tradition of excellence in the trenches, where the offensive line has consistently paved the way for the team's dynamic performances.
From mammoth strongmen to expert technicians, the Chiefs have employed some of the best offensive linemen in NFL history—both on the exterior and the interior. That means the Chiefs Kingdom is accustomed to great play along the lines and appreciates it like few other fan bases.
With such a rich history of strong offensive line play, narrowing the list down to only 10 candidates might be challenging. Then again, we love ranking things around here, and a list will help newer Chiefs fans learn the ropes of the greats who came before this present golden era of Chiefs football.
Criteria for Selection
Sifting through the greatest linemen to ever wear red and gold is a bit of a challenge because the metrics for offensive line play are so muddled. It's hard to get a clear read on how one lineman performs because those outside of the team aren't clear on what he's been asked to do on the field. What can look like a missed assignment could actually be a coach's orders and the success of the unit is dependent upon so much more than a single player.
That said, we tried our best here to incorporate several elements into the rankings—from longevity to earned recognitions and team records to offensive success. Because these things are so subjective, opinions will very in response to this list. Thus it should be noted that several players were "close" to making our top 10, including Tim Grunhard, Dave Szott, Casey Wiegmann, Dave Hill, and more.
10. Eric Fisher
Looking back on Eric Fisher's career, he was almost immediately placed under a giant shadow from the moment he was announced as the team's first-round pick (and the first overall selection) in the 2013 NFL Draft. That particular draft might still be termed the worst in top-tier talent in NFL history—certainly the worst since Y2K was a talking point—and the Chiefs "lucked out" with the top pick in that particular draft.
While Fisher was never going to turn into a Willie Roaf (yeah, we'll get to him), few players ever will. The truth is that Fisher was an above-average starter and an Iron Man performer at one of the most important positions in football for nearly a decade. That itself is worthy of consideration for a list like this, but the fact that he kept improving and turned in two late-career Pro Bowl appearances was enough to put him over the top of others aiming for inclusion.
It's incredibly unfortunate that injuries finally began to take a toll late in his Chiefs' tenure because this team was on the verge of its golden era, but one Super Bowl is better than none. This is a close call over other veteran favorites as well, but Fisher deserves to be called one of K.C.'s best ever.
9. Creed Humphrey
For anyone pounding the table for longevity here, we understand. The reflexive response to a "all-time top 10" is to try hard to avoid recency bias and to put extra effort into shining a light backward rather than on the present moment.
Well, sometimes the present is too good to ignore.
Creed Humphrey has quickly emerged as one of the best centers in the NFL since joining the Kansas City Chiefs in 2021. His impressive rookie season earned him league-wide respect, and he has only blossomed since then to be called the best center in the conference. Now with the retirement of Jason Kelce in the NFC, the crown should belong to Humphrey alone.
Humphrey's intelligence, athleticism, instincts, and strength make him a dominant force on the offensive front. His ability to read defenses and make crucial blocks have been invaluable in both pass protection and run blocking.
Consider this: Humphrey finished third in Rookie of the Year voting as a center. From there came two Pro Bowl nods in the last two years, and unless he's injured or falls off a cliff, it feels safe to pencil him in for the next few seasons as well, playing in front of Patrick Mahomes. As he continues to develop and perform at a high level, Humphrey will only move up further and further on this list.
8. John Alt
If you want to know how good John Alt was as an offensive lineman, just know that his bloodlines were a major selling point in making his son a top five pick in this year's NFL Draft (Joe Alt to the Chargers).
John Alt was a mainstay at left tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs, providing consistency and strength to the offensive line for over a decade. During his 13-season career with the Chiefs, Alt earned two Pro Bowl selections and was known for both his exceptional pass-blocking and run-blocking abilities.
Fondly known as the "Monumental Minnesotan," Alt's abilities up front were matched by his availability, an incredible run of 179 total games played. He also helped lead the way for one of the most exciting offensive stretches in team history, including the first year in which the Chiefs led the NFL in rushing ever (in 1995). Rewarded with two Pro Bowl nods, Alt made good on his first-round pedigree and then some.
7. Joe Thuney
Following the meltdown of the offensive front in Super Bowl LV, a loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Chiefs front office vowed to rebuild the next iteration of the line. While that meant the end of an era for the likes of Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz, it also meant the team could wipe the slate clean and build things as they liked with Mahomes under center.
Brett Veach went fishing and came back with a significant prize in former New England Patriots guard Joe Thuney. It was a bit of a switch in mindset to have the team's best performer and highest paid lineman along the interior, but no one in the organization would have any complaints about the returns so far from employing Thuney up front.
Since his arrival, Thuney has been a vital fixture up front for one of the greatest teams in NFL history. That's not a coincidence since his peers have recognized him as one of the very best players in the modern game. Pro Football Focus calls him the best pass blocker in the NFL, and three All-Pro mentions are proof positive of that fact.
6. Jack Rudnay
The Chiefs have a long, long timeline of very good play at the center position, but the franchise's original great at the position was Jack Rudnay.
When the Chiefs selected Rudnay in the fourth round of the 1969 NFL Draft, they knew they were getting a player talented in the trenches—so much so that he played both center and defensive tackle for Northwestern. When tasked with one position alone, however, no one could have predicted he'd take over in the heart of the line and hold onto that role for more than a decade.
Rudnay would go on to become a true iron man for the Chiefs in the middle after missing his first full season in the NFL with a back injury. From 1970 on, Rudnay would start an incredible 171 games for the Chiefs and earn four consecutive Pro Bowl berths in the process. The team inducted him into their Hall of Fame in 1994.
5. Jim Tyrer
Welcome to the most difficult entry to discuss on this top 10 list.
For some long-term fans of the Chiefs, the memories of Jim Tyrer are vivid images of on-field dominance. As the team's long-term starter at left tackle for 13 seasons, he shouldered the load on the team's first championship run. With a 180-game played streak, Tyrer defined reliability for the team's offense and did so with excellence for much longer than most NFL players can dream of playing.
Despite the 9 Pro Bowl/AFL All-Star honors and the fact that he's in the team's Hall of Fame, Chiefs Kingdom also must wrestle with the fact that Tyrer suffered mentally. He ultimately died as a result of a murder-suicide in which he first shot and killed his wife before turning the gun on himself.
Tyrer's complicated life has to be considered as a whole but there's no way to leave him off of a franchise list like this. He was elected to the All-AFL team by the Pro Football Hall of Fame and became the first truly great tackle in Chiefs history.
4. Mitchell Schwartz
Former Chiefs general manager John Dorsey was known for his incredible eye for drafting talent, but he deserves considerable praise for making arguably the greatest free agent signing in franchise history when he convinced Mitchell Schwartz to join the team in 2016 on a five-year, $33 million deal in free agency.
Schwartz was an instant hit for the Cleveland Browns as a premiere pass blocker straight out of Cal as a second-round pick in 2012. He'd play out his rookie deal in the 216 before joining the Chiefs as an overlooked pillar who should have been known as the most dependable player in the game.
Unfortunately for Schwartz, he'll likely go down as a severely underappreciated performer when the lights dim, and that's frustrating for those of us who watched him dominate at right tackle for the Chiefs. Schwartz somehow never once went to a Pro Bowl yet was named to four All-Pro teams (a much more difficult honor to achieve) in that same span of time (from 2016-19).
Schwartz wouldn't miss a game until the seventh week of his ninth NFL season, and that lone back injury suffered in practice the week before would prove to be the end point of his career. The following season, he retired after being unable to return to the game following his release from Kansas City.
3. Ed Budde
Along with Bob Talamini of the Houston Oilers, Ed Budde exemplified the top-tier of guard play in the AFL in its earliest days, as K.C. was just finding its footing as an organization. From 1960-62, the Chiefs played as the Dallas Texans, but shortly before their first season in Kansas City, they selected Ed Budde as their inaugural first-round pick with a new place to call home.
Budde would reward the Chiefs for their faith in him with an eye-popping run of 177 games played and a punishing style that made him an annual AFL All-Star (and Pro Bowler after the league merged with the NFL).
Budde was instrumental in the Chiefs' first Super Bowl title as a dominating force up front who helped to shut down the Purple People Eaters, the nickname given to the Minnesota Vikings defensive front. Consisting of four Pro Bowlers and two future Hall of Famers, the Vikings were used to wrecking one pocket after another, but Budde and company shocked the nation with a strong performance against Alan Page and company and came away with a win in Super Bowl IV.
What makes Budde's connection with the team that much more meaningful is the fact that his son, Brad, also played for the team for several seasons in the 1980s. But it's not as if he needed anything else to add to the resume. If not for two generational talents, Budde would be atop our list.
2. Willie Roaf
How dominant does a player have to be to be selected to the NFL's All-Decade Team for two separate 10-year stretches? If you've ever watched Willie Roaf play, you won't need to discuss things any further.
For those who missed Roaf in both the '90s and '00s, you missed out on arguably the greatest left tackle in NFL history—a man who was already a living legend upon the completion of his tenure with the New Orleans Saints after nine seasons (and 7 Pro Bowls). From there, however, the Chiefs decided to flip a third-round pick to NoLa for Roaf in the hopes he'd recover from a knee injury and the bet paid off in spades.
With the Chiefs, Roaf was a revelation at left tackle, a massive people-mover who steamrolled anyone unlucky enough to draw the assigned spot opposite him. Upon Roaf's arrival, the Chiefs offense found another gear that drew national attention. Get this: in his first two seasons in K.C., the Chiefs led the NFL in scoring. In his final two seasons, they led the league in yardage.
Over four seasons in Kansas City, Roaf earned Pro Bowl nods each year and was named a first-team All-Pro three times. Roaf's ability to neutralize elite pass rushers, young and old, and pave the way for the running game was unparalleled. His presence on the line was also vital to the team's record-setting year during the 2003 season when the offense set a then-franchise record of 484 points.
Most buy-low opportunities like that fail to work out, but the Chiefs' trade for Roaf was a roll of the dice that completely altered the franchise.
1. Will Shields
The dominance of Willie Roaf should have placed him atop almost any list like this, but that tells you everything you also need to know about Will Shields.
Not only is Will Shields the greatest offensive lineman in Chiefs history, but he's also potentially the greatest to ever suit up at guard in NFL history. Arguments can be made for Gene Upshaw, Steve Hutchinson, Alan Faneca, Larry Allen, and Randall McDaniel, but Shields is right there with any of them as the finest technician of all.
Shields was drafted in the third round out of Nebraska by the Chiefs in 1993 and took over the right guard spot in his first NFL game after Dave Szott went down with an injury. From there, he'd start every game until his retirement before the 207 season—an incredible stretch of 223 contests. In that time, he was voted to 12 consecutive Pro Bowls and teamed with Roaf and others to help the Chiefs dominate the league in multiple offensive categories.
Beyond his unmatched performance on the field, Shields was named the Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2003 for his strong civic ties, mostly through his Will To Succeed foundation. Shields' commitment to work with and advocate for at-risk youth and underprivileged families was life-changing for thousands in the Kansas City region.
A superior player. A quiet leader. A selfless neighbor. That makes Will Shields our top lineman in franchise history.