The Kansas City Chiefs made Eric Fisher the First Overall Pick in the 2013 Draft, and the Offensive Lineman made history as the first player from the Mid-American Conference to earn that honor.

Fisher was inserted as the starting Left Tackle, and while he did not achieve the heights that would be expected from a player of that draft stock, the Chiefs did not have to worry about his position for years.  Aiding the Chiefs in their Super Bowl LIV win, Fisher went to two Pro Bowls (2018 & 2020) and started all but four of his 117 Games with Kansas City.

Before we tell the story of Patrick Mahomes, let’s set the stage as to why he is number one.

This is the multi-time MVP Quarterback (the most important position in football) who won the Super Bowl three times and was the MVP in all three.

When the Kansas City Chiefs traded up to pick Mahomes tenth overall from Texas Tech in 2017, everyone knew Andy Reid was acquiring a strong-armed quarterback. However, no one expected that sitting him behind Alex Smith for a full redshirt year would activate what is arguably the most talented quarterback in football history, immediately changing the course of modern professional football.

Taking the starting reins in 2018, Mahomes delivered a jaw-dropping debut that shattered conventional standards for young quarterbacks. He unleashed a dizzying array of sidearm slants, no-look passes, and off-platform lasers, putting together a legendary campaign with 5,097 passing yards and 50 touchdown passes. Joining Peyton Manning as the only players to reach those dual milestones in a single year, Mahomes walked away with NFL MVP honors and turned Arrowhead Stadium into the league's undeniable epicenter.

What sets Mahomes apart from every passer before him is a blend of supreme improvisation and lethal situational awareness. Operating behind an offensive line built for his style, he treats third-and-long like a routine walk in the park, systematically dismantling zone coverages before extending plays beyond the pocket. Defensive coordinators quickly learned that bringing pressure only fuels his genius, as his uncanny field vision turns broken plays into long-distance highlight-reel damage.

The individual statistical dominance translated directly into postseason hardware in short order. In 2019, Mahomes engineered three consecutive double-digit comeback victories in the playoffs, culminating in a fourth-quarter rally over San Francisco to secure Super Bowl LIV—Kansas City's first world title in 50 long years. He proved that the championship standard was no transient flash, returning to the big game the following season to cement the AFC's dominant hierarchy.

His second MVP campaign arrived in 2022, when he led the league with 5,250 passing yards and 41 touchdowns despite losing elite weapon Tyreek Hill in a high-profile offseason trade. Mahomes completely re-engineered his approach, picking defenses apart underneath with surgical precision, then gutted out a legendary performance despite a high-ankle sprain in Super Bowl LVII to capture his second ring and second Super Bowl MVP trophy.

In 2023, back-to-back titles became a reality as Mahomes led a resilient, defense-focused Chiefs team to the top again. Despite midseason offensive slumps, he relied on playoff experience and a strong connection with Travis Kelce, guiding Kansas City through tough road games in Buffalo and Baltimore. The journey culminated in Las Vegas, where he threw the game-winning touchdown in overtime against San Francisco during Super Bowl LVIII, earning the franchise’s third championship in five seasons and solidifying their dynasty.

Entering the 2024 campaign with historic three-peat ambitions, Mahomes again delivered clutch moments at critical times. Despite injuries testing the receiving corps, his unwavering leadership, quick decision-making, and late-game heroics led Kansas City to another impressive January run, demonstrating veteran maturity that kept the Chiefs firmly at the top of the NFL.

The 2025 season brought a rare taste of adversity and a stark reminder that even elite quarterbacks aren't immune to structural shifts. Battling offensive line reconfigurations and key injuries, Mahomes posted his first sub-.500 record as a starting quarterback. While he still generated over 3,500 passing yards and flashed moments of signature brilliance, the team struggled to find its usual rhythm, missing the postseason for the first time in his tenure.

Now heading into the 2026 NFL season at 30 years old, Mahomes faces a new kind of challenge: proving he can reset the standard and steer Kansas City back to the top of the AFC. Yet even with bumps in the road, his overall resume remains extraordinary. With two NFL MVPs, three Super Bowl rings, three Super Bowl MVP awards, and a mountain of franchise passing records, his place in gridiron royalty is already well secured.

With his prime years still stretching out ahead of him, Kansas City enters 2026 eager to see how Number 15 responds to his first true professional setback. If history is any indicator, betting against Mahomes to recalibrate Andy Reid's offense and launch a fierce bounce-back effort would be a mistake.

It won’t matter if he never catches the lead spot in Pro Bowls and All-Pros over some of the others.  Refer to the first two sentences.  This is the top dog on this team.

It was announced that former Kansas City Chief, Fred Arbanas, passed away at the age of 82.

Like many in the early '60s, Fred Arbanas was drafted by both the NFL and the AFL, but usually, those who chose the AFL were drafted higher by the new organization.  This wasn't the case with Arbanas, who was a 7^th Round Selection by the Dallas Texans, where the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2^nd Round.

No matter, as Arbanas would go on to the All-AFL Team at Tight End.  He was an AFL All-Star as a rookie, and with the Texans, he would help them win the Championship, but the organization would relocate to Kansas City, where they were rechristened as the Chiefs.  Arbanas would continue his elite status at TE, where he would have another four AFL All-Star appearances and had First Team All-Pro honors three times (1963, 1964 & 1966).  He would aid Kansas City in winning the AFL title in 1966 and 1969, the latter where he would win his only Super Bowl Ring (IV).

Arbanas retired after 1970, recording 3,101 Yards and 34 Touchdowns, both high numbers for someone who played his position in the 1960s.

In our latest Notinhalloffame.com list of those to consider for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Arbanas was ranked #254.  Arbanas was inducted into the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame in 1973.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to extend our condolences to the friends, fans and family of Fred Arbanas.

Eric Berry played his college ball at Tennessee, where he was one of the most prolific Defensive Backs in school history.  With the Volunteers, Berry was a two-time Consensus All-American and was the SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 2008, so it was little wonder that Berry was the first Defensive Back taken in the 2010 Draft.

Derrick Johnson played all but his last season of his career with the Kansas City Chiefs and the former 1^stRound Pick from Texas would slowly work his way to the upper echelon of NFL Linebackers and he would be named to four Pro Bowls out of five from 2011 to 2015.  Johnson, who was also named a First Team All-Pro in 2011 would have five years where he had more than 105 Combined Tackles and retired with 1,168 overall with 27.5 Quarterback Sacks and 14 Interceptions.

2025 Pre-Season Rank #4, 2024 Pre-Season Rank #2, 2023 Pre-Season Rank #10, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #21, 2021 Pre-Season Rank #31, 2020 Pre-Season Rank #47.  Peak Period 2018-22.

Aaron Rodgers might rank higher than Patrick Mahomes among quarterbacks, but when pundits discuss the GOAT at the position, far more speculate that Mahomes has a shot to pass Brady.

What Mahomes has already accomplished is phenomenal.  With three Super Bowl wins (winning the MVP in all three), five AFC Conference wins, and two MVPs, he already has a Hall of Fame career that is the envy of most Quarterbacks, and he is only 31.

Here is how good Mahomes is: 

In 2025, for the first time in his career, Mahomes has a losing record, though many of the factors around him, which included copious injuries, a tired roster, and a ton of distractions.  Even then, he was still regarded as one of the best Quarterbacks in football. 

Last year may have been down, but there is a lot left in Patrick Mahomes. 

Given his current standing, it's not a stretch to say that Mahomes is a Pro Football Hall of Famer if he never throws another football. The real question is, what will his all-time Quarterback rank be?

For our purposes, it is a first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee.

Playing his college ball at TCU, Sherrill Headrick was not drafted by either the National Football League or the American Football League in 1960, who was beginning their operation.  Headrick was eventually signed by the Dallas Texans, where in the first three seasons he was a First Team All-Pro and was a significant force on the Texans' 1962 AFL Championship.

Like many in the early '60s, Fred Arbanas was drafted by both the NFL and the AFL, but usually, those who chose the AFL were drafted higher by the new organization.  This wasn't the case with Arbanas, who was a 7^th Round Selection by the Dallas Texans, where the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2^nd Round.

Albert Lewis came to the Kansas City Chiefs as a 3^rd Round Pick from Grambling State in 1983.  Playing at Cornerback, Lewis took over the left side in his second season as a pro, and in the last half of the 80's he would emerge as one of the top Defensive Backs in the National Football League. 

E.J. Holub was an All-American at Texas Tech, where he was such a great player that the Red Raiders would later retire his number.  Drafted 6^th Overall by the Dallas Texans in 1961, Holub played at Linebacker, and in the first five of his six years, he was an AFL All-Star and was named a First Team All-Pro in both 1962 and 1963.  In those two seasons, he finished sixth and third respectively, in Approximate Value, a testament to his skill.

Playing his college ball at the University of North Texas, Abner Haynes elected to stay in his home state, and he would sign with the Dallas Texans of the AFL as opposed to the Pittsburgh Steelers who chose him in the 5^th Round in 1960.  Haynes was the first breakout star of the new league winning their inaugural Rushing Title while being named the AP and UPI MVP.  Haynes, who would also lead the league in Rushing Touchdowns, would do so again in the next two seasons and would accrue over 1,700 All-Purpose Yards in all of his first three seasons, the last of which was an AFL Championship.

Priest Holmes may have played for the high-profile Texas Longhorns in college, but that did not result in a draft selection.  Undrafted in 1997, Holmes would sign with the Baltimore Ravens.  The Running Back would see no action as a rookie but would rush for 1,008 Yards in 1998 and did well until Jamal Lewis supplanted him as the lead Back for Baltimore.  Holmes would gain a Super Bowl Ring out of it, but he sought work as a starter, and he would sign with the Kansas City Chiefs where he would get that opportunity.

From the football factory of SMU, Jerry Mays elected to stay in his home state with the Dallas Texans, who drafted him in the 5^th Round of the 1961 Draft.  The Minnesota Vikings of the NFL chose him in the 11^th Round.

2025 Pre-Season Rank #4, 2024 Pre-Season Rank #5, 2023 Pre-Season Rank #7, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #12, 2021 Pre-Season Rank: #20, 2020 Pre-Season Rank #37.  Peak Period: 2018-22

There have been a lot of phenomenal Tight Ends before Travis Kelce, but let’s be realistic; there may never be a more recognized Tight End in football than Travis Kelce.

Being married to Taylor Swift will help with that.

Before he became a Swifty, Kelce was already the most known man at his position, and from 2016 to 2022 had at least 1,000 Yards and a version of the AP All-Pro (four First Team and three Second Team).  His level of production had no positional peer, and he was not just a participant in Kansas City’s three Super Bowl wins, but a vital cog who owns the all-time playoff record in receptions (178), with 2,078 Yards and 20 Touchdowns.  Think of that for a second!  His overall playoff numbers are the envy of most NFL Tight Ends’ regular-season careers!

It was expected by many that Kelce would not return this year, but here he is, with just over 13,000 career Yards and a first-ballot ticket to Canton.

Notably, 898 Yards this year will bring him to 13th all-time.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  We have a new one to unveil today, that of the Kansas City Chiefs who first came into the existence as the Dallas Texans as an original AFL Team.  They would win it all in 1962, but relocated to Kansas City where they would win the title again in 1966.  The Chiefs would later win Super Bowl IV, but while they have one of the most fervent fan bases, they have not won since.

As for all of our top 50 players in football we look at the following: 

1. Advanced Statistics.

2. Traditional statistics and how they finished in the NFL.

3. Playoff accomplishments.

4. Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

Remember, this is ONLY based on what a player does on that particular team and not what he accomplished elsewhere and also note that we have placed an increased importance on the first two categories.

This list is updated up until the end of the 2018 Season.

The complete list can be found here,but as always we announce our top five in this article.  They are:

1. Will Shields

2. Len Dawson

3. Derrick Thomas

4. Tony Gonzalez

5. Bobby Bell

We will continue our adjustments on our existing lists and will continue developing our new lists.  Look for the Top 50 Atlanta Braves next.

As always we thank you for your support.

A Super Bowl Champion in his rookie season (although he did not do that much), Ed Podolak would work his way to become a dependable cog of the Kansas City offense.  Podolak was a dual-threat Running Back who would rush for 4,451 Yards and catch another 288 passes for 2,456 Yards contributing 40 Touchdowns in total in his career, which were all spent in Kansas City.  When he wasn’t on offense he was used on Special Teams where he would use his athleticism to become an adept returner who in 1970 was the league leader in All-Purpose Yards.

If our list of Top 50 Kansas City Chiefs were to be based on the excitement they brought onto the field then Dwayne Bowe would be in the top five, but as such, this is a pretty solid ranking for the dynamic Wide Receiver.

Playing his first eight seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, Justin Houston was an upper-echelon Outside Linebacker for a four-year stretch (2012-15).

Kevin Ross was not tall (5’ 9”) and it could be argued that the Kansas City Chiefs took a chance on him even though it was a late round pick.  Ross would make the team and while the Cornerback struggled early in his career he would improve and by the 1989 Season he was named to the Pro Bowl, a feat he would repeat in 1990.  A Chief for 11 of his 14 NFL seasons, Ross would pick off Quarterbacks 30 times with two of them going back for a Touchdown.  He would have another Defensive Touchdown and two more on Special Teams over his Kansas City career.  The Chiefs inducted Ross in their Hall of Fame in 2011.

Dale Carter was a First Round Draft Pick (20^th Overall) out of the University of Tennessee and it did not take long for the young Cornerback to prove himself as one of the better players at his position.  Named the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 1992, from 1994 to 1997 he was a Pro Bowl Selection and was also rewarded with a pair of Second Team All-Pro Selections (1995 & 1996).  Carter would pick off Quarterbacks 21 times as a Chief.