Some numbers feel unfair for the number of stories they hold that deserve some attention. No. 20 is a fine example in Kansas City Chiefs history, especially since so many significant defensive backs have worn the jersey over the last several decades. From turnover machines to underappreciated contributors, the Chiefs have done well at No. 20 and it's our next stop in our journey to tell the best stories from 1 to 99.
The complete history of Chiefs players to wear No. 20
The Best: Deron Cherry
One of the greatest safeties in Chiefs history arrived in Kansas City as a punter who was not even good enough to make the team. Scouts weren't sure about Deron Cherry's ability to play safety at the next level, so he went undrafted in 1981. However, his former coach at Rutgers, Ted Cottrell, joined the Chiefs staff at the right time under head coach Marv Levy and talked the team into offering a camp invite. Cherry failed to beat out incumbent punter Bob Grupp, but he insisted he could help and found his way back onto the Chiefs even after they'd drafted three safeties that offseason.
One month into his rookie year, Cherry intercepted his first pass in a clash against the Raiders. What followed was a decade of dominance, including six consecutive Pro Bowls from 1983 to 1988. He would intercept 49 more passes and led the Chiefs in the category for six seasons. He tied an NFL record with four INTs in a single game against the Seahawks in 1985. The five-time All-Pro was inducted into the Chiefs Ring of Honor in 1996.
The AFL Ballhawk: Bobby Hunt
Before Cherry arrived, the standard-bearer at No. 20 for the Chiefs was Bobby Hunt, perhaps the AFL's best ball-hawking safety. An 11th-round pick of the Dallas Texans in 1962, Hunt started all 14 games in his first season and led the Chiefs with 8 INTs, a mark that stood as the franchise rookie record until Marcus Peters tied it in 2015. Hunt was named first-team All-AFL and was one vote shy of AFL Rookie of the Year. The interceptions never stopped coming for Hunt. He added 6 more in '63, 7 more in '64, and an astounding 10 picks in '66. He finished his career with 42 interceptions and a spot in the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.
The Super Safety/Kicker: Justin Reid
It was always fun to document Justin Reid's kicking prowess during his three-year tenure with the Chiefs' Super Bowl run from 2022-24 but the anecdote can also overshadow his true impact. Yes, he could fill in for Harrison Butker in an emergency, but Reid was most impactful as a leader in the secondary for a unit that could have faced a steep drop after Tyrann Mathieu left in free agency following the '21 campaign. The Honey Badger was a catalytic presence on and off the field for Steve Spagnuolo's defense, but Reid accepted the torch and rose to the occasion with stronger play in his prime. And if anyone doubted Reid's impact, a look at how things began to fall apart in his absence, when the Chiefs finally went without a veteran import at safety in 2025, says everything about what he provided.
The Ohio State Legend: Mike Sensibaugh
The Chiefs have employed more than a few turnover machines in the secondary over the years, but few came into the league with the level of collegiate impact as Mike Sensibaugh. The Chiefs landed Sensibaugh in the 8th round of the 1971 NFL Draft out of Ohio State after watching him rack up a school record 22 picks for the Buckeyes. He would go on to intercept another 20 for the Chiefs in his five seasons with the team. He would finish his career across the state with the St. Louis Rams after another three seasons before retiring to start his own pool company.
The Late-Career Returnee: Steven Nelson
Steven Nelson's fate mirrors that of so many other cornerbacks since Andy Reid arrived, a familiar arc that starts with steady play as a rookie, crescendoes to a career year, and then fades as they follow the money elsewhere. Nelson was a third-round pick in 2015 (No. 98 overall) who turned into a full-time starter in Year 2 and intercepted all four of his passes (at least in K.C.) in his fourth and final year with the team. The Steelers would offer a lucrative deal in free agency, and yet the Chiefs went on to win their first championship in 50 years without him. Nelson deserves plenty of credit for a 9-year career that featured further stops with the Eagles and Texans before retiring after the 2023 season. But interestingly, Nelson returned to K.C. as an emergency measure on the practice squad when the Chiefs were bleeding out at corner due to injuries late in 2024.
The Current Hope: Nohl Williams
A few defensive backs have made the No. 20 special over the years, and Chiefs Kingdom is hoping Nohl Williams can do the same. The second-year corner is penciled into a starting boundary spot after losing the team's two best corners this spring. Williams led the FBS in interceptions in his final season at Cal, and he proved himself to be a physical force in his rookie season. The Chiefs are hoping his disruptive tendencies allow for a seamless takeover for Jaylen Watson's role.
Et Cetera
- Thomas Jones, RB - Crossed the 10,000-yard rushing threshold in a Chiefs uniform, against the Rams in 2010, while working alongside Jamaal Charles for two seasons.
- Morris Claiborne, CB - The former No. 6 overall pick spent 2019 as a depth corner for the Chiefs after opening the year suspended for 4 games. Was a healthy scratch in Super Bowl LIV.
- Antonio Hamilton, CB - Special teams mercenary who was a Dave Toub fave in 2020 before finding real reps at corner with the Cardinals in 2021 and beyond.
- Horace Perkins, DB - Started 16 games for the Chiefs in 1979 with a post-NFL cocaine problem.
- Donald Washington, CB - The Ohio State corner had legendary pre-draft workouts (a 45-inch vertical leap) but his athleticism never translated for the Chiefs after investing a 2009 fourth-round pick.
- Benny Sapp, DB - A former undrafted signing out of Northern Iowa who caught on for four seasons as special teams help. His son, Benny Sapp III, entered professional football the exact same way.
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