These Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalists have connections to the Chiefs

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - The Pro Football Hall of Fame announced 60 semifinalists for the Class of 2024.

Among the 60 nominees were six people with ties to the Kansas City Chiefs at some point in their professional football journey.

Two players, Albert Lewis and Otis Taylor, are among those nominated for next year’s class, along with four nominees in the coach/contributor category. Those nominees include Marty Schottenheimer, Carl Peterson, Alex Gibbs and Lloyd Wells.

Otis Taylor, wide receiver (1965-75)

A member of the first Chiefs Super Bowl team in franchise history, Taylor played all 11 seasons of his career in Kansas City. He was a two-time AFL Champion and one-time Super Bowl champion during that span, receiving All-Pro honors in 1966 and 1971, the only two seasons in his career that he sured 1,000 yards receiving.

In total, Taylor tallied 410 receptions and 57 touchdowns in his career.

Taylor entered the Chiefs Ring of Honor in 1982 and died on March 9, 2023, at the age of 80.

Albert Lewis, cornerback (1983-1998)

Lewis was drafted by the Chiefs in the third round -- 61st overall -- of the 1983 NFL Draft, out of Grambling State.

During a 225-game NFL career that spanned 16 seasons, he played for the Chiefs for the first 11 years. In that time, he was a two-time All-Pro and four-time Pro Bowler, securing 42 interceptions throughout his career. The final five seasons of his career were played with the Raiders organization.

Lewis was inducted into the Chiefs Ring of Honor in 2007.

Marty Schottenheimer

Former Kansas City Chiefs head coach Marty Schottenheimer is one of the four coach/contributor nominees for the Class of 2024.

Schottenheimer, who died in February 2021 at the age of 77, was the Chiefs head coach from 1989 until 1998. In that time, he went 101-58-1.

During his 21-year head coaching career, which included five years with the Browns and Chargers and a year with Washington, Schottenheimer led teams went 200-126-1, good for a .613 winning percentage.

If inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Schottenheimer would former Chiefs coaches Hank Stram, Marv Levy and Dick Vermeil. He entered the Chiefs Ring of Honor in 2010.

Carl Peterson

During the 2022 Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony, former Chiefs general manager Carl Peterson presented Dick Vermeil before he was inducted into the Canton museum which holds so much football history. But for his own accord, Peterson put together a largely successful Chiefs tenure.

From 1989-2008, Peterson spent time as the Chiefs’ chief executive officer, president and general manager. In that time, the Chiefs went 176-143-1.

Peterson famously made the trade that brought quarterback Joe Montana to Kansas City, and drafted Chiefs legends Derrick Thomas, Tony Gonzalez, and Will Shields, who have each made the Hall of Fame.

He resigned late in the two-year Herm Edwards era in Kansas City and has not yet been inducted into the Chiefs Ring of Honor despite drafting the Chiefs’ career leaders in rushing yards (Jamaal Charles); receiving yards, receptions and touchdowns (Gonzalez); tackles (Derrick Johnson); top two in sacks (Thomas and Tamba Hali); and games played (Dustin Colquitt).

Lloyd Wells

Football scout Lloyd Wells was instrumental in the Chiefs’ first Super Bowl team. Wells, who began his professional career as a photographer, became the first full-time black scout in the NFL in the 1960s when he was hired by Lamar Hunt and the Kansas City Chiefs.

With great connections to historically black colleges and universities, Wells helped bring in multiple Hall of Famers like Willie Lanier, Buck Buchanan and Emmitt Thomas; as well as Otis Taylor, who is nominated for the Hall of Fame this year.

Alex Gibbs

Former Chiefs offensive line coach Alex Gibbs -- who spent the 1993 and 1994 seasons in Kansas City -- was also nominated for the Hall of Fame as a coach. He coached in the NFL for more than four decades and won Super Bowl 32 and 33 with the Denver Broncos.

For a complete list of the 60 semifinalists, visit here.