Kansas City Chiefs quarterbacks

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The National Football League's Kansas City Chiefs have had a total of twelve starting quarterbacks in their franchise's four-decade long history. ^[1] The team has also had it's own controversial history of backup quarterbacks that have stolen the spotlight from the starters.

[edit] History

The Chiefs have had many notable quarterbacks on their squad at different times. Hall of Famers Len Dawson and Joe Montana led the Chiefs in both of their dominant eras, while notable backup quarterbacks have also donned the red, white and gold jerseys. In the early 2000s, Trent Green led the Chiefs' high powered offense to record-breaking seasons and multiple 4,000 yard passing seasons.

Quarterbacks enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame are in bold.

Len Dawson led the Chiefs to victory in Super Bowl IV after recovering from a serious leg injury early in the 1969 season.

[edit] Backup quarterbacks

Tom Flores led the Oakland Raiders to two Super Bowl victories years after he had been back up to Len Dawson. Dawson's other backup, Mike Livingston led the Chiefs when Dawson suffered a leg injury in their 1969 Championship season on their way to Super Bowl IV.

Todd Blackledge, selected from the infamous Quarterback Class of 1983, did poorly with the Chiefs and is simply remembered by Chiefs fans as being a bust--the Chiefs passed on future greats Dan Marino and Jim Kelly--believing that Blackledge instead would claim the starting job (which he never accomplished).

Rich Gannon, future league MVP with the Raiders, led the Chiefs to the playoffs in the late 1990s in place of the injured starter Elvis Grbac, but a "quarterback controversy" erupted after Grbac retook his starting position and lost in the playoffs against the Denver Broncos. Hall of Famer Warren Moon finished his career in Kansas City as a backup to Grbac and Gannon.

More recently, Damon Huard, whom had previously not played in over five years, helped lead the Chiefs to the verge of the playoffs in the 2006 season. Huard played in 10 games throwing 11 touchdown passes and only 1 interception for a quarterback rating of 98.0. The Chiefs went 5-3 in games with Huard starting, but when Trent Green reclaimed his starting job after a severe concussion, the Chiefs lost to the Indianapolis Colts in the playoffs.

By the beginning of the 2007 Chiefs season, Trent Green was asked to restructure his contract and also offered to other NFL teams in trade negotiations. If Green does not return to the Chiefs, Damon Huard or second-year quarterback Brodie Croyle are expected to take over at the position.

[edit] References

1. ^ Gretz, Bob. Thinking about quarterbacks KCChiefs.com, 12 September 2003; retrieved 7 February 2007.