The Chiefs have a special place in AFL history. The problem is that their recent history isn’t very special.
And so their Mt. Rushmore is skewed to the past. The Pro Football Talk version has Hank Stram, Len Dawson, and Willie Lanier in three of the spots.
The fourth, for me, came down to linebacker Derrick Thomas and tight end Tony Gonzalez. Both were dominant at their positions, with Hall of Fame credentials. Neither played on teams that enjoyed much success, particularly in the postseason.
Thomas had more playoff success in his time than Gonzalez, and the tragic circumstances of Derrick’s death ended up being the biggest factor for me.
PFT Planet put both on the mountain, omitting Lanier.
The full segment from Monday’s show appears below, with more discussion and debate and the full results of the vote.