The No. 6 hasn't been the most productive number in Kansas City Chiefs history, but recent years have at least been kinder after decades of either no one wearing the number or the person wearing it providing minimal impact. Currently, Justin Fields is sporting the uniform, so unless Patrick Mahomes is unable to start the '26 season, a new year isn't going to bring much more to the stories told about the number.
The complete history of Chiefs players to wear No. 6
The Best: Bryan Cook
Little did Bryan Cook know that when he was handed the No. 6 just four seasons ago that he would be christened as the best to ever wear the number by the time his rookie deal was up. That's both a testament to Cook's development as one of the NFL's better safeties and a bit of shade for a number that's lacked any real production until recently.
Cook lived up to his billing as the Chiefs' second-round pick in the 2022 draft, joining the likes of George Karlaftis and Jaylen Watson as part of a freshman crop that elevated the defense to championship heights. Cook was a steady force alongside Justin Reid for his first three seasons before becoming the veteran leader in 2026. He leveraged a strong contract-year performance into a big-money deal with the Cincinnati Bengals this spring.
The Irrelevant Runner-Up: Ryan Succop
It's always a bonus when any seventh-round pick finds a way to contribute to the team that drafted him, but former Chiefs GM Scott Pioli found something special when he selected Ryan Succop with the 256th (and final) pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. Succop beat out Connor Barth in training camp and went on to convert 25 of 29 field goal attempts in his first season with the Chiefs.
Succop lasted five seasons in Kansas City before being replaced by Cairo Santos in 2014, but his story continued for longer than anyone could have projected on draft weekend. Succop would go on to spend six seasons with the Tennessee Titans and another three with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With the latter, he was able to flush any remaining bad taste from his mouth by scoring 7 points in a decisive victory over K.C. in Super Bowl LV.
The 'Slasher With Blazing Speed': Warren McVea
Older Chiefs fans will recognize McVea's name from the team's first Super Bowl roster, but the running back's dynamism has been largely lost in history given his limited role on the team. As part of a three-back committee with Mike Garrett and Robert Holmes, McVea was known as the "slasher with blazing speed" by head coach Hank Stram. The Chiefs got him from the Cincinnati Bengals in exchange for a kicker and a draft pick, and McVea responded with explosive plays at pivotal moments in his five years in K.C.
The All-Pro Punter: Jim Arnold
The Chiefs drafted Jim Arnold in the fifth round of the 1983 draft after watching him set SEC records during his career at Vanderbilt. Arnold only lasted three seasons in K.C., but he was a second-team All-Pro in 1984, his second year, after leading the NFL with a 44.9 yards/punt average. He'd go on to make two Pro Bowls with the Detroit Lions in 1987-88 and lasted through the 1994 season with Seattle.
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