KC Chiefs: Ten Worst Starters In Past Ten Years

Rudy Niswanger #64 of the Kansas City Chiefs prepares to snap the ball (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

KC Chiefs fans were spoiled in the early 2000s. With Casey Wiegmann (quite possibly the best center in Chiefs history) at the center position, we didn’t know what it was like to have a bad center along the offensive line. It was a simpler time filled with ponies and stickers.

There was one particular game in 2009 where Niswanger snapped the ball clear over Matt Cassel’s head and it ended up as a return for the other team.

Alas… Rudy Niswanger came along and reminded fans that it was entirely possible for the Chiefs to have a bad center on the team.

Niswanger went undrafted in 2006, but Kansas City signed him to a deal shortly after the draft wrapped up. In his first season, he rotated between the two guard spots and also played on special teams in four total games. 2007 saw Niswanger playing in 12 games at the guard position (zero starts), but his season was cut short due to a knee injury.

CAN’T MISS: Five Most Disliked Chiefs Players

2008 was where the fun started. Niswanger was named the starting center, and boy was that a mistake for the Chiefs. Throughout the next two seasons, he started 31 games as the starting center. There was one particular game in 2009 where Niswanger snapped the ball clear over Matt Cassel’s head and it ended up as a return for the other team.

Casey Wiegmann returned to Kansas City in 2010, which sent Niswanger to the bench where he belonged. He went on to appear in 10 games that season, but did not start a single one. After the 2010 season, Niswanger’s days were numbered in Kansas City. He went on to sign with the Lions in 2011, but did not make the final roster.

With Rodney Hudson gone this season, I’m really hoping that Eric Kush or Mitch Morse don’t turn into another Rudy Niswanger/Mike Goff debacle. I have confidence in Kush and Morse, but it sure is a similar situation. Eerily similar.

I’m not sure, however, if it’s possible to be as bad as Rudy Niswanger, and that’s why he made this list.

Next: One of the worst Chiefs receivers ever