Four of the Kansas City Chiefs’ most legendary players and administrators — Albert Lewis, Otis Taylor, Lloyd Wells, and Marty Schottenheimer — advanced their bids for election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
News of their achievement broke on Thursday afternoon following the Hall of Fame’s announcement of semifinalists.
Former #Chiefs Albert Lewis, Otis Taylor and Scout Lloyd Wells move another step closer toward potentially getting elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. pic.twitter.com/nuksP1KpL4
— Harold R. Kuntz (@HaroldRKuntz3) July 27, 2023
Each of these outstanding Chiefs left an indelible mark on Kansas City’s beloved football franchise, and their accomplishments merit further consideration by the organization’s selection committee.
Take a look at the case for each of these legends as they advance within the selection’s semi-finals:
CB Albert Lewis
Lewis is a member of the Kansas City Chiefs Hall of Fame and was a two-time first-team All-Pro selection in consecutive seasons from 1989 to 1990. He was selected for the Pro Bowl for four-consecutive seasons from 1987 through 1990 before ending his career with the Los Angeles and Oakland Raiders in the mid-90s.
𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐎𝐟 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒
A four-time Pro Bowl cornerback, Albert Lewis is already a member of the @Chiefs Hall of Fame. pic.twitter.com/z5pxISX45Q
— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) July 27, 2023
His candidacy hinges on these accolades and the impressive production that he achieved in his prime. Lewis tallied 38 of his 42 career interceptions in a Chiefs uniform and turned into a remarkably good pass rusher late in his career, notching sacks in each of his last five seasons.
WR Otis Taylor
Otis Taylor has everything that a selection committee could want from a Hall of Fame player. He won three league championships — two in the AFL, and one Super Bowl — was picked as a first-team All-Pro in his 29 and 30-year-old seasons, and is also a member of the Chiefs Hall of Fame.
𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐎𝐟 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒
Otis Taylor won two AFL Championships and a Super Bowl during his 11 seasons with the @Chiefs. pic.twitter.com/yEXLtM4vOV
— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) July 27, 2023
Add to that his production as a receiver in a league dominated by the running game, and Taylor turns into a player who should be considered among the best at his position in the pre-modern era. He co-led the AFL in receiving touchdowns in 1967 and led the NFL in receiving yardage in 1971.
Scout Lloyd Wells
The above picture is of Chiefs Hall of Fame defensive lineman Buck Buchanan, who was recruited to Kansas City by legendary scout and social trailblazer Lloyd Wells. A champion of the Civil Rights Movement, Wells played an integral part in the Chiefs’ early NFL success after the league merger in the late-60s.
In a time when African Americans were faced with discrimination when trying to get jobs in front offices, Wells persevered, eventually becoming the first full-time black scout and one of the most valuable assets that the franchise ever had.
𝐂𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡/𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐎𝐟 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒
During his time with the @Chiefs, scout and civil rights activist Lloyd Wells was integral for increasing the opportunities for African Americans in the NFL. pic.twitter.com/cvnMpuyaYG
— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) July 27, 2023
Outside his role as an icon during the Civil Rights Movement, Lloyd recruited legendary talent that altered the Chiefs’ trajectory for all time. Over the years, he managed to obtain the services of the aforementioned Taylor and Buchanan, as well as Chiefs Hall of Famers Willie Lanier, and Emmitt Thomas. Without his help and the social change he worked to create in Kansas City, the Chiefs would have been severely less successful in their NFL infancy.
Head coach Marty Schottenheimer
Schottenheimer defined what being a successful head coach meant to Chiefs fans before the arrival of Andy Reid in 2013. His gritty win-at-all-costs mentality was emblematic of Kansas City’s blue-collar identity, and his gruff demeanor and no-nonsense coaching style were iconic pieces of a bygone era of football.
𝐂𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡/𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐮𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐅𝐨𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐎𝐟 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒
Eighth in career wins at 205 and seventh in regular season wins at 200, Marty Schottenheimer. pic.twitter.com/eSAMdvhdy8
— Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) July 27, 2023
Schottenheimer’s record in Kansas City ended at 101-58, which is all the more impressive given that he managed to win 99 more games elsewhere during stints in Cleveland, Washington, and San Diego. The Hall’s voters would be remiss to not elect Schottenheimer, given the outsized role he played in more than 20 years of NFL history.
