On this Mt. Rushmore of special teams coaches, KC Chiefs’ Dave Toub is the ‘first face’
The Chiefs’ Dave Toub has long been regarded among the game’s best special teams coaches. There’s even a ranking to support this notion.
Rick Gosselin, a reporter who has covered the NFL for more than four decades, ranks specials teams annually. The coach who has overseen the most successful units over his career: Toub.
On his new website, www.rickgosselin.com, Gosselin — who at one time covered the Kansas City Chiefs and NFL for The Star — ranks the success of the NFL’s kicking and coverage units. Toub’s teams have finished in the top five on nine occasions and the top 10 in 16 years.
Toub is entering his 19th season as a special teams coordinator, his first nine with the Chicago Bears. There, he coached return specialist Devin Hester, among others.
In Kansas City, players like Tyreek Hill as a return specialist and kicker Harrison Butker have helped Toub’s teams maintain their ranking.
This season the Chiefs are looking to replace such special teams regulars as Marcus Kemp, Dorian O’Daniel, Ben Niemann and Daniel Sorensen. On Tuesday, Toub praised the training camp performances of current Chiefs special-teamers Justin Watson, Noah Gray, Bryan Cook, Deon Bush, Elijah Lee and Daurice Fountain.
Gosselin selected two Mt. Rushmores for special teams coaches: one for historical significance and the other for performance. Toub is the “first face” on the performance Mt. Rushmore.
Frank Gansz, who once led the Chiefs’ special teams and then became their head coach, is cited for his historical contributions.
This story was originally published August 3, 2022 at 9:27 AM.