Pro Football: That Kansas City Beef

Invitations have not gone out yet; the date has not even been set. But Lamar Hunt, 34, fully expects to be invited. It was seven years ago that Texan Hunt, a onetime third-string end at Southern Methodist, tried to buy a National Foot ball League franchise, got turned down—and decided to start a rival league. The American Football League is now a success, and Hunt needs just one thing to make his revenge complete: to sit with 100,000 other fans in Los Angeles’ Memorial Coliseum sometime next month and watch his Kansas City Chiefs beat the best team in the N.F.L. for the world championship of pro football.

Wishful thinking? Probably. The Chiefs still have to play either the Buffalo Bills or Boston Patriots for the A.F.L. title, and the N.F.L. team that goes to next month’s “Super Bowl”—most likely the Green Bay Packers or Dallas Cowboys—will be favored to win. But one fellow with a double-lens point of view swears that Kansas City, man for man, is “the best team in either league.” That fellow is Weeb Ewbank, former coach of the N.F.L.’s Baltimore Colts and currently of the A.F.L.’s New York Jets—who last week had their own title hopes wrecked by the Chiefs, 32-24.

Broke in 150 Years. If nothing else, the Chiefs are the best that money can buy. At least eight players on the roster reportedly collected six-figure bonuses for signing, and Rookie Halfback Mike Garrett, the 1965 Heisman Trophy winner from Southern California, got $450,000. To Owner Hunt, that is pin money; he is the son of Oilman H. L. Hunt, who is one of the richest men in the U.S. A family friend once telephoned Papa Hunt, so the story goes, to express concern over the money Lamar was pouring into the Chiefs. “How much is he losing?” H. L. asked. “Close to $1,000,000 a year,” said the friend. Sighed Dad: “Well, if he keeps that up, he’ll be broke in 150 years.”

The Chiefs brag that their offensive line is the biggest in either league, averages 253 lbs. from end to end. Kansas City has three of the A.F.L.’s ten top rushers: Halfback Garrett (566 yds.) is No. 5, Halfback Bert Coan (476 yds.) is No. 6, and Fullback Curtis McClinton (408 yds.) is No. 7. Quarterback Len Dawson, a natural rollout passer who could not make it with the N.F.L.’s Pittsburgh Steelers and Cleveland Browns, has come into his own in Coach Hank Stram’s “movable pocket” passing offense; he has hit on 57% of his passes—for 2,285 yds. and 25 touchdowns. Dawson’s favorite target: Flanker Otis Taylor, who has caught 54 passes for 1,194 yds., is the only A.F.L. receiver to top 1,000 yds. so far this season.

The Chiefs’ real strength is their depth. To back up Quarterback Dawson, Kansas City has Pete Beathard, who led Southern Cal to the national college championship in 1962. Last week Dawson injured a hand in the third quarter, and Beathard came in to complete seven out of ten passes. On defense, the Chiefs are so rich that they cannot find a regular slot for their No. 1 draft choice of 1965—Minnesota Lineman Aaron Brown, who signed for a $300,000 bonus. Or maybe they’re taking pity on their opponents. Brown stands 6 ft. 5 in. and weighs 265 Ibs.