The 10 most underrated players in Kansas City Chiefs history
By Matt Conner
Most underrated players in Kansas City Chiefs history
8. Jerrel Wilson, punter
Sometimes what will help a player earn more notoriety is when he or she is given a good nickname, so perhaps it’s best to state up front that Jerrel Wilson, a longtime punter for the Chiefs, was called “Thunderfoot” in his playing days. The Chiefs have been fortunate to employ specialists like Wilson or the recently released Dustin Colquitt for very long stretches of time, giving them sustained special teams excellence even as other franchises suffer through significant turnover at the same positions.
Wilson was the first truly great punter for the Chiefs franchise. Over an incredible 15-year run, Wilson led the NFL in average yards/punt five times and was named to the AFL All-Star team and Pro Bowl three times apiece (as a player who played in both leagues). He’s a member of the AFL Hall of Fame’s First Team and the Pro Football Hall of Fame named him Second Team All-1970s team.
Until Colquitt recently broke his streak, he held the Chiefs all-time record by a mile with 1,014 career punts for 44,218 yards including one that went 72 yards his rookie season. In 1988 the Chiefs voted him into their own Hall of Fame. It’s a shame he’s not recognized on a wider scale, but as a specialist, it can be harder to earn accolades on a large scale. Those who know, however, recognize Wilson as a player who not only had tremendous ability but availability to play for such a long time at the highest level.