Twelve players have worn #56 for the Kansas City Chiefs and as you probably guessed, they're almost all linebackers. We've got some famous names in this list and some not so famous games. Many of these guys were special teams only linebackers.
After the jump, we're talking about the greatest Kansas City Chief to wear #56.
LB Arnold Ale (1994)
One season. Three games. No stats. Ale only played two seasons in the NFL, heading to San Diego after his time in KC.
C Charlie Ane (1975-80)
Charlie now goes by Kale Ane and coaches football in Hawaii. He only started three games for the Chiefs in his six year career.
LB/DE Monty Beisel (2001-04, '09)
Monty had two stints with the Chiefs after being drafted in the fourth round of the 2001 NFL draft. Coming out of Kansas St. Beisel's first four seasons with the Chiefs were rather uneventful. He was mainly a special teams guy in addition to some backup linebacker duty. He nabbed 3.5 sacks as a Chief in his first go around in Kansas City. Beisel jumped to the Patriots, then the Cardinals and then back to Kansas City for a brief period. He was signed in the '09 off season and did not survive the final round of cuts before the season started.
LB Lew Bush (2000-02)
Bush was mainly a Charger during his NFL career but had a few solid seasons in KC. He started 24 games for the Chiefs over three seasons, getting one sack and one pick.
LB Phil Cancik (1981)
Two season in the NFL. One with the Chiefs. One start. One fumble recovery. That's it.
LB Walt Corey (1960-66)
An original Dallas Texan, Corey was undrafted out of Miami. He was an AFL All Star in 1963 and spent his post-NFL career in the coaching ranks. He played in Super Bowl I and is now a Chiefs Ambassador.
LB Ernest Dixon (1998)
Dixon played one game for the Chiefs and registered no stats.
LB Tom Graham (1974)
Graham played eight games for the Chiefs in the middle of an NFL career that spanned four teams. He registered no stats.
LB Dino Hackett (1986-92)
A second round pick out of Appalachian State, Hackett was a fan favorite during the 1980s and early 1990s in Kansas City. He was a starter for pretty much is entire KC career. My favorite Dino Hackett story came during the 1987 NFL strike:
Yelling "where's the scabs" and waving shotguns they said were empty, Kanas City Chiefs' linebacker Dino Hackett and tight end Paul Coffman launched the team's picketing Wednesday in what one player described as a "serious" but "light-hearted" vein.
Can you believe that? That would never happen in today's NFL.
LB Louis Haynes (1982-83)
Haynes was a fourth round pick and only played two seasons in the NFL. He played in 11 total games for the Chiefs.
LB Derrick Johnson (2005-11)
We all know about DJ. A first round pick out of Texas in 2005, Derrick Johnson has evolved into a fantastic linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs. He's certainly worthy of consideration for the greatest Chief to wear #56.
LB Wayne Simmons (1997-98)
Simmons is a name you may remember for a couple of reasons. First, after winning a Super Bowl in Green Bay, he came to the Chiefs and was part of the Monday Night Football meltdown with Derrick Thomas. Five personal fouls were called between him and Thomas that game.
And sadly, you may remember Simmons because he was killed in a car accident outside of Independence, MO, in 2002. He was 32-years old.
Read more about who AP has voted the greatest Chiefs:
#1 - QB Warren Moon
#2 - P Dustin Colquitt
#3 - K Jan Stenerud
#4 - P Nick Murphy
#5 - P Louie Aguiar
#6 - RB Warren McVea
#7 - QB Ron Jaworski
#8 - K Nick Lowery
#9 - QB Bill Kenney
#10 - QB Trent Green
#11 - QB Elvis Grbac
#12 - QB Rich Gannon
#13 - QB Steve Bono
#14 - RB Ed Podolak
#16 - QB Len Dawson
#17 - QB Steve Deberg
#18 - CB Emmitt Thomas
#19 - QB Joe Montana
#20 - S Deron Cherry
#21 - S Jerome Woods
#22 - DB Willie Mitchell
#23 - RB Barry Word
#24 - CB Jayice Pearson
#25 - S Greg Wesley
#26 - S Gary Barbaro
#27 - RB Larry Johnson
#28 - RB Abner Haynes
#29 - CB Albert Lewis
#30 - RB Donnell Bennett
#31 - RB Priest Holmes
#32 - RB Marcus Allen
#33 - RB Stone Johnson
#34 - CB Dale Carter
#35 - RB Christian Okoye
#36 - RB Mack Lee Hill
#37 - RB Joe Delaney
#38 - RB Kimble Anders
#39 - RB Bam Morris
#40 - CB James Hasty
#41 - S Reggie Tongue
#42 - S/HB Johnny Robinson
#43 - FB Omar Easy
#44 - P Jerrel Wilson
#45 - RB Robert Holmes
#46 - DB Jim Kearney
#47 - S Jon McGraw
#48 - RB Todd McNair
#49 - FB Tony Richardson
#50 - LB Kawika Mitchell
#51 - LB Jim Lynch
#52 - LB Tracy Rogers
#53 - LB Marvcus Patton
#54 - G Brian Waters
#55 - C/LB E.J. Holub