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| | Tom Hauck /Allsport/Getty |
| | Former Chiefs linebacker Derrick Thomas was voted the franchise's best player. |
Posted by ESPN.com' s Bill Williamson Readers' pick: Derrick Thomas, LB
I was a little surprised by this result. I'm thrilled by it. I had the chance to cover Thomas several times and he was true a pleasure to watch. He was a dominant player who took over games.
He was a powerful personality and his tragic death during his career still haunts Chiefs fans.
This is a wonderful tribute to a genuinely great player. Chiefs fans clearly have never forgotten about Thomas and what he brought to their team. He was the face of Marty Schottenheimer's tough Chiefs. Thomas deserves this honor. Next up for Thomas should be the Pro football Hall of Fame.
Still, I thought Len Dawson would get the nod in this vote. The Super Bowl, the fact that he was a quarterback and because he has remained a presence in Kansas City, long after his career. Yet, Dawson finished third.
The Chiefs are a team with a long history, but it was Thomas and Gonzalez, two modern players, who ran away with the vote.
Williamson joined ESPN.com in 2008 after four seasons covering the Denver Broncos for the Denver Post. He previously covered the Minnesota Vikings, Green Bay Packers and Seattle Seahawks.
