The more passionate (and older) members of Chiefs Kingdom might read this entry and wonder about a certain missing name. We've arrived at No. 18 overall, and the list of players to ever wear the uniform isn't lengthy, which makes it easier to notice that we've not included former Kansas City quarterback Elvis Grbac this time around. But Grbac wore No. 11 when he first arrived, and we've got to draw the line somewhere on these exercises.
Even without Grbac, this is still a worthy list because it features the story arc of one of the most important persons in Chiefs history. There's also the Delaware State coach who once played for two football franchises in Kansas City and the wideout who quit football before arriving at Arrowhead. Here's a look at No. 18 in our series of the best stories at each jersey number, from 1 to 99.
The complete history of Chiefs players to wear No. 18
The Best: Emmitt Thomas
Tom Bettis deserves a lot of credit here. The longtime defensive backs coach is the one who asked Chiefs head coach Hank Stram if he could work with a lengthy wide receiver on defense. Thomas was called in for a meeting, told he was moving to defense, and became a legend in the secondary and on the sidelines.
Thomas would warrant tremendous praise in this space if all he'd done is turn into a Hall of Fame defensive back who captained the Chiefs' defensive backfield for 12 seasons. He led the entire NFL in interceptions twice and had three picks in the team's first-ever Super Bowl run in 1969. A four-time Pro Bowler, he was No. 4 in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 1974 after grabbing 12 interceptions.
But Thomas wasn't done building a legacy in Kansas City. In 2010, he returned as the team's defensive backs coach and was one of the few survivors of the Scott Pioli meltdown, with such a respected approach that Andy Reid asked him to stay on when installing his new staff in 2013. Thomas stayed on through the 2018 season.
The Chiefs ultimately retired Thomas's number in 2009, shortly after Thomas was also inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, which is why no one has worn it since. It was a fitting way to honor the franchise's all-time leader in interceptions and perhaps the smartest defender to ever wear the jersey.
The Speedy Journeyman: Samie Parker
Samie Parker was a good bet in the moment. With Eddie Kennison and Tony Gonzalez as reliable intermediate targets, Dick Vermeil needed someone to take the top off of defenses, which is why the Chiefs selected Parker in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft. Unfortunately, his elite speed as an All-American sprinter could only produce so much at the next level, so he left Kansas City with 1,529 yards on 110 catches in 47 career games.
The most interesting thing about Parker is that his journeyman career would bring him back to Kansas City but not with the Chiefs. Instead, Parker was a member of the Kansas City Command in the Arena Football League (a franchise that had former Chiefs lineman Neil Smith as part-owner). Parker would find offseason homes with a handful of other NFL teams but would never play another snap. After trying to further his career in other leagues—from the UFL to the CFL—Parker turned to coaching and is currently the WR coach for Delaware State.
The Scottish MVP: Sean LaChapelle
In 1993, Sean LaChapelle was a fifth-round pick out of UCLA for the L.A. Rams who had a hard time finding playing time in his rookie campaign. But after being cut before the '94 season, LaChapelle woudn't resurface for quite some time—until early in 1996 when he suited up for the Scottish Claymores in the World League of American Football (WLAF). With 47 catches for 1,023 yards, and 7 touchdowns, LaChapelle earned Offensive MVP honors and the Chiefs had an answer for Lake Dawson's injury. LaChapelle stepped into a starting spot fairly quickly and had 27 catches for 422 yards and 2 scores before fading out of view once again.
Et Cetera
- Don Flynn, DB - Had five interceptions for the Chiefs, er, Dallas Texans in the franchise's first two years of existence.
Add us as a preferred source on Google