After Willie Lanier........

[penchief]

After Willie Lanier, was Dino Hackett the second best middle linebacker in Chiefs history?

Maybe I'm just having a brain-fart but I can't remember anyone else sticking out.

[Rain Man]

Most would say Spani.

Or was Holub a MLB? I'm embarrassed to say I don't know.

[ptlyon]

Most would say Spani.


Holy crap. Totally forgot about him.

[Braincase]

Most would say Spani.

Or was Holub a MLB? I'm embarrassed to say I don't know.

Spani would get my vote.

[penchief]

Holy crap. Totally forgot about him.

I liked both Spani and Hackett but I'd have to cast my vote for Dino. It is interesting that the debate has come down to those two. Hackett might have made the pro-bowl a couple of times but I can't remember if Spani ever did. Not that the Pro-Bowl is a true measure of skill but I can't remember Spani ever making it.

[Rain Man]

I could be wrong, but I don't think either of them ever made a pro bowl. I'm too lazy/busy to look it up at the moment, though.

[Chief Faithful]

IMO Spani would be second, but I give Hackett and Simien consideration.

[tomahawk kid]

Most would say Spani.

Or was Holub a MLB? I'm embarrassed to say I don't know.

To my knowledge, EJ was a MLB.

[Brock]

Was Jack Del Rio a MLB? I thought he sucked anyway.

[Chief Faithful]

To my knowledge, EJ was a MLB.

Yes EJ was an MLB, but he was a better Center.

[J Diddy]

Mike Mazslowski.

The animal himself.

[DanT]

Here are Sherril Headrick's and Gary Spani's profiles from the Chiefs War Path site:
http://www.chiefswarpath.com/teamhistory/profiles.htm

Sherrill Headrick
Linebacker, 1960-67
Inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 1993... Hard-nosed, all-giving linebacker whose teammates called him "Psycho" for his rambunctious nature and style of play... Named to five AFL All-Star games as one of the league's best middle linebackers... Played one season at offensive guard, center and linebacker in Canada ('59) before joining the Texans as a free agent... Had 14 interceptions during his eight-year Texans/Chiefs career, returning three for touchdowns... Played in '62 and '66 AFL title game wins and Super Bowl I... Was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the '68 AFL Expansion Draft and played with that club for one season... Born March 13, 1937 in Waco, Texas.

Gary Spani
Linebacker, 1978-86
Inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 2003... The all-time leading tackler in Chiefs history with 999 career stops... Played his inside linebacker post with tenacity and toughness for nine stellar seasons... Led the club in tackles for four straight years ('78-81) and posted five 100-tackle campaigns... His single-season record of 157 tackles in '79 stood until 2002... Played in 124 regular season contests (108 starts), averaging an impressive 8.1 tackles per game... Accumulated 9.5 sacks, nine fumble recoveries and scored two TDs... Was voted the Miller/NFL "Man of the Year" in '83 and O'Grady's "Crunchman of the Year" in '84... Helped guide the club to its first playoff berth in 15 years in '86... Joined the Chiefs as a third-round draft choice in '78... Was the first-ever consensus All-America performer at Kansas State and is enshrined in the College Football Hall of Fame... Wore number 59... Born January 9, 1956 in Satanta, Kansas, making him the only native-born Kansas in the Chiefs Hall of Fame... Has served as a member of the Chiefs front office since '89.

They also have an entry on E.J. Holub, but given his overlap with Headrick, I'd guess that Holub was not the middle linebacker:


E. J. Holub
Center/Linebacker, 1961-70
Inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 1976... One of the most fiery competitors in franchise history... Distinguished himself as both a linebacker ('61-67) and center ('68-70)... Named to five AFL All-Star affairs as a linebacker, following the '61-62 and '64-66 seasons... Given name was Emil Joe, but was known simply as E. J. or as the Chiefs "Holler Guy"... Was a starter at center on Kansas City's Super Bowl IV title team... Played in 127 games after joining the Chiefs as a first-round draft pick of the Texans in '61... Made nine career interceptions... Is one of the best players to ever come out of Texas Tech, where his career earned him a place in the College Football Hall of Fame in '86... Born January 5, 1938 in Schulenburg, Texas.

The above profiles look like they were copied from the Chiefs Official Hall-of-Fame pages:

http://www.kcchiefs.com/hall_of_fame/

[Rain Man]

Well, bend my facemask. I didn't realize that Headrick was an MLB. I thought he was outside.

[DanT]

Here's a cool page:

http://www.conigliofamily.com/TexansChiefs.htm