Gold Jacket Spotlight: Will Shields dismissed preconceived notions surrounding his abilities

Despite heading into the 1993 NFL Draft with a hole at guard, the Kansas City Chiefs didn’t have their eyes set on a replacement, let alone a player who would go on to play 14 consecutive seasons and never miss a game in WILL SHIELDS.

Earlier that offseason the Chiefs lost starting right guard Dave Lutz, who had played in Kansas City for 10 years, after he signed with the Detroit Lions.

A standout at the University of Nebraska, Will was selected with Kansas City’s first pick, No. 74, after 11 offensive linemen were selected ahead of him, including six guards.

"We weren't necessarily looking for a guard," former General Manager Carl Peterson said reminiscing on the draft.

The Chiefs entered the 1993 draft with the lowest number of total selections, holding five picks across the 224 slots. No. 74 overall was the club’s first pick after trading their first-rounder in a deal for future Hall of Famer JOE MONTANA. Their second-round pick was forfeited after a selection in the 1992 supplemental draft.

Offensive line coach Alex Gibbs didn’t necessarily see the benefit of adding Will at the time, considering the Chiefs had used several assets to acquire Montana that offseason.

Peterson paraphrased what he remembered Gibbs saying to the media after the draft: “Well, I know that he can run block because he played at Nebraska. But I'm not sure he can pass block because he played at Nebraska.”

Will, who this week steps into the Gold Jacket Spotlight, also remembers what Gibbs said at the time.

“What is this guy? He’s from Nebraska; he’s a run blocker. He has no idea about pass protection.”

This preconceived notion about Nebraska lineman wasn’t news to Will.

“When I came out,” he said, “the knock was that I was a Nebraska lineman, and that’s why I didn’t go in the first two rounds. Because (critics said) all we knew how to do was run block; that we weren’t as good at pass protection and different things.”

Gibbs sat Will for the 1993 season opener, favoring the veteran players at that position. Dave Szott, who had been with the Chiefs since 1990, was named starter at right guard. When Szott went down with an injury, it was Will, then only 22 years old, who filled in — ahead of Reggie McElroy and Danny Villa, both veterans acquired that offseason, and fellow rookie Lindsay Knapp.

Will’s 223 consecutive starts that would follow became the sixth-longest streak in NFL history and a franchise record for Kansas City.

During his 2015 Enshrinement speech, Will recalled his interactions with Gibbs after his playing time had increased.

“To Coach Gibbs, who initially never wanted to draft me, in one year that we were together you created a belief that I could get the job done and do anything,” Will stated. “I thank you for that.”