Why do KC Chiefs continue to snub Carl Peterson for their Hall of Fame? | Commentary

The Chiefs’ annual snub of former club president/general manager Carl Peterson continues to mystify me.

When Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt on Saturday announced fullback Kimble Anders, a fine player but certainly no superstar, would become the 51st inductee into the team’s Hall of Fame, it extended their inexplicable failure to duly recognize the individual who revived Lamar Hunt’s franchise and transformed a team from the doldrums to dominant force on and off the field.

The case for Peterson, who served as the club’s chief executive officer, president and general manager from 1989-2008, is so obvious.

At the time he was hired, Chiefs fans were apathetic and absent. Season-ticket sales were barely 20,000 in 78,000-seat Arrowhead Stadium, and the club made one playoff appearance in 17 years.

Peterson changed everything. He hired Marty Schottenheimer as head coach, and the Chiefs went to the playoffs seven times in their first nine seasons. The on-field success and Peterson’s marketing acumen created the mystique and aura of Arrowhead Stadium, highlighted by the tailgating, game-day atmosphere and decibel-splitting noise that makes attending a game there such a one-of-a-kind experience.

Every time current Chiefs coach Andy Reid refers to the best fans in football, he should thank Peterson and Schottenheimer, who was deservedly inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 2010, for creating the fervor.

When Peterson and Schottenheimer were hired, the Chiefs were coming off desultory 4-11 and 4-11-1 seasons. A tie in their first season kept the 8-7-1 Chiefs out of the playoffs in 1989.

From there, they were the AFC’s best team of the 1990s, finishing first or second in the AFC West nine times and making the playoffs seven times, advancing to one AFC Championship Game. During the decade of the 1990s, the Chiefs’ 102-58 record (.638) was bettered by only San Francisco’s 113-47 (.706) and Buffalo’s 103-57 (.644).

It is true that the Chiefs under Peterson and Schottenheimer failed to reach a Super Bowl. They had some terrible luck (need we say Lin Elliott?) and experienced tragedy (the death of Derrick Thomas), and the ball didn’t bounce their way a few times.

Both Peterson and Schottenheimer shared a blind spot at developing a homegrown quarterback. In an era when most quarterbacks took a few years to develop, the Chiefs’ brass felt so close to handing the Lamar Hunt Trophy to their beloved owner that they chose seasoned veterans such as Steve DeBerg, Dave Krieg, Steve Bono, Elvis Grbac, Trent Green — and, shall we not forget, Joe Montana — to lead the team.

Peterson’s 1993 trade for Montana and signing of running back Marcus Allen in the first year of unfettered free agency were extraordinary acquisitions that made Kansas City relevant in the NFL and stirred the fan base to the extent it experiences now with Patrick Mahomes.

Peterson took most pride in his role of acquiring talent, and just look at the personnel he brought to Kansas City. He drafted three Pro Football Hall of Famers in Thomas, Tony Gonzalez and Will Shields, plus multi-time Hall finalist Jared Allen, a likely eventual inductee. Peterson traded for Hall of Fame tackle Willie Roaf as part of assembling one of pro football’s greatest offensive lines, a front that included guards Shields and Brian Waters, free agent center Casey Wiegmann and tackle John Tait, a first-round pick.

Peterson also signed some high-level free agents, such as Chiefs Hall of Famers Priest Holmes, Tony Richardson, Waters and Anders.

Peterson drafted 2021 Chiefs Hall of Fame inductee Tim Grunhard, as well as surefire future Chiefs Hall of Famers Tamba Hali, Derrick Johnson, Jamaal Charles and Dustin Colquitt, and possible eventual selection Dante Hall.

In fact, the Chiefs’ career leaders in rushing yards, (Charles); receiving yards, catches and touchdowns (Gonzalez); tackles, (Johnson); top two in sacks (Thomas, Hali); punting yards and games played (Colquitt); and most career combined yards and kick-return touchdowns (Hall) were all drafted by Peterson.

The end of Peterson’s tenure, of course, went sour. After 20 years, things turned stale, and he and coach Herm Edwards got caught in a youth movement that led to 4-12 and 2-14 seasons ... and Peterson’s late-season resignation and Edwards’ dismissal in 2008.

I don’t know if there was friction between Peterson and Clark Hunt at the end, but I’ve never received a satisfactory answer from Hunt when I broach the subject of why Peterson has not been inducted into the Ring of Honor. Hunt would nod and say something polite, but each year would pass without Peterson’s selection.

While some slam-dunks like Gonzalez or Waters would be inducted, in other years, the player selection could be up for debate.

But now, there’s no debate. And with so many impending inductions of players that Peterson brought into Arrowhead, it’s time his name goes on the Ring of Honor alongside their names, and Schottenheimer’s.

Randy Covitz covered the Chiefs for The Star from 1986 to 2015 and formerly served on the Board of Selectors for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

This story was originally published May 3, 2022 at 5:00 AM.