NFL All-Decade Team: Which Chiefs made the cut?
The NFL announced its All-Decade Team on Monday, compiling the greatest talents at each position group from the 2010s. Three players who have spent their entire careers in Kansas City made the list, while three other players with Kansas City cameos also earned a spot.
The only full-time Chief to make the list on the offensive side was tight end Travis Kelce, earning a spot alongside former New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski. In the part-time department, running back LeSean McCoy made his appearance in Kansas City in 2019, contributed during the regular season and won a Super Bowl ring as a Chief.
For a team defined by its offense in the Patrick Mahomes era, it's a bit funny to see the majority of the highlighted Chiefs show up on the defensive side of the ball. Former safety Eric Berry headlines the Chiefs' honors alongside Earl Thomas and Eric Weddle. Berry's injury-plagued 2018 season likely left an unfortunately sour taste in the mouths of many Chiefs fans, but when he was on the field, he was one of the best in the sport.
The All-Decade Defense also includes current Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu, who was excellent as a member of the Arizona Cardinals for a half-decade (2013-2017) before spending a year with the Houston Texans and joining the Chiefs last offseason. One of the NFL's most unique and recognizable defenders, Mathieu made the roster in the "defensive backs" section — a rightful landing place for a player too diverse for one position.
While his stop in Kansas City was among the less-celebrated points of his remarkable run, cornerback Darrelle Revis made the All-Decade team after ending his career in Kansas City in the 2017 season. The Chiefs landed one more player on the special teams side: wide receiver (and former return-man) Tyreek Hill.
Hill only has 20 career kickoff returns — with 18 of those coming in his rookie season — but has returned 94 punts, with 92 of those in his first three seasons. His 94 career punt returns resulted in four touchdowns and nearly 12 yards per return.
The All-Decade team also included two head coaches: New England's Bill Belichick and Seattle's Pete Carroll.
Belichick is inarguable, but Andy Reid certainly had a case for the team's second spot. Carroll won a Super Bowl with the Seahawks in 2013 before returning to another in 2014 while going 100-59-1 (.628) in Seattle in his decade with the team. For comparison, counting Reid's last three years in Philadelphia (going 22-26) before his seven years in Kansas City (77-35), Reid went 99-61 (.616) with one Super Bowl victory and an AFC Championship game appearance.
With or without Andy Reid, the Chiefs' official Twitter account tweeted out support of five of their All-Decade Team members. It looks like Revis' time in Kansas City may have been lost on most people.
Who got snubbed? Who would you remove? Let us know in the comments below.
