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No more Shields to protect Chiefs
Cold, Hard Football Facts for April 16, 2007
 When a 12-time Pro Bowler retires from the NFL, it's big news ... unless, of course, the player in question was an offensive lineman.
In that case, it's one line on the scrolling ticker and a brief mention on SportsCenter.
But longtime Kansas City guard Will Shields deserves more love than that, so we're going to give it to him.
If 12 Pro Bowls sounds like a lot, it is. The run-blocker extraordinaire is tied for second all time in Pro Bowl selections, along with Ken Houston, Randall McDaniel, Jim Otto, Jerry Rice and Junior Seau. Only Merlin Olsen (14) got more Pro Bowl nods.
Houston and Otto are in the Hall of Fame, Rice and Seau are locks to follow. McDaniel, who was an all-decade (90s) player for the Vikings on the offensive line, would seem to be a lock as well, but he was not voted in on his first shot this past season.
Shields should be a no-brainer for the selectors at Canton – he played in every game over a 15-year career, failing to start just once back in his rookie season, and was at the peak of his game for over a decade.
Anyone could have had Shields in the 1993 NFL Draft. Despite winning the Outland Trophy as the best college blocker (at Nebraska no less), he wasn't picked until the third round (74th pick overall).
For that low, low price, the Chiefs got a tremendous player – and a great man, to boot. Shields was the NFL's 2003 Man of the Year for his philanthropic pursuits. Read Joe Posnanski's column in the Kansas City star for an idea about what kind of guy Shields was.
Since Shields first made the Pro Bowl in 1995, the Chiefs have been in the top half of the NFL in rushing average per attempt in 10 of 12 seasons, and in the top five on five different occasions.
1995 – 4.38 (5th)
1996 – 4.12 (8th)
1997 – 4.10 (12th)
1998 – 3.58 (26th)
1999 – 4.00 (15th)
2000 – 3.83 (22nd)
2001 – 4.48 (5th)
2002 – 5.15 (2nd)
2003 – 4.33 (11th)
2004 – 4.61 (3rd)
2005 – 4.48 (5th)
2006 – 4.18 (12th)
In total rushing yards, the Chiefs were even more impressive over Shields' Pro Bowl run. They went over 2,000 yards in nine of those 12 seasons, and finished in the top five overall in seven of the nine.
1995 – 2,222 yards (1st)
1996 – 2,009 yards (4th)
1997 – 2,171 yards (5th)
1998 – 1,548 yards (23rd)
1999 – 2,082 yards (4th)
2000 – 1,465 yards (25th)
2001 – 2,008 yards (6th)
2002 – 2,378 yards (3rd)
2003 – 1,929 yards (15th)
2004 – 2,289 yards (5th)
2005 – 2,382 yards (4th)
2006 – 2,143 yards (9th)
Want some more amazing numbers? How about this one: according to Stats, Inc., Shields was whistled for just 20 penalties in his entire Chiefs career – including just two over his last five seasons.
So there you have it: Will Shields, great guy, incredible player, a true loss for the Chiefs and the NFL.
And according to the geniuses and "pundits" in charge of NFL news, barely worthy of mention.
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