3 NFL players who may be more important to the Chiefs than Patrick Mahomes

Kansas City Chiefs history can be separated into two eras informally known as the mediocre "BP era" (Before Patrick) and the illustrious "AP era" (After Patrick).The wearers of the famed arrowhead helmets have enjoyed four years of prosperity since Patrick Mahomes took over the franchise quarterback role in 2018.

Since then, every Chiefs season has ended no earlier than the AFC title game. Two of those campaigns have even gone as far as the Super Bowl, with the Chiefs winning one in the 2020 NFL season. Kansas City had gone nearly five decades without a Super Sunday appearance prior to his drafting out of Texas Tech.

His efforts have since been rewarded with the largest contract in American professional sports history, with its total value coming in at over half a billion dollars.

Yet...is it possible that Mahomes isn't the most vital part of the budding AFC empire that Kansas City has built?

The Chiefs' success goes far beyond merely Mahomes

-WR Tyreek Hill

There may be no individual attribute more valuable in recent NFL history than Hill's speed. After all, you can't possess a nickname like "Cheetah" and fail to develop an ability to earn yards after the catch. Hill has fulfilled that requirement and then some, needing only four seasons to be named to the NFL's 2010s All-Decade squad.

There was no purer display of his Olympic-like speed than during his famous touchdown toward the end of regulation in the classic Divisional Round win over the Buffalo Bills. Burning the Bills secondary, flashing a peace sign to one defender en route to a 64-yard six-pointer. Hill has earned at least 60 yards in each of his last eight postseason contests.

-CB Tyrann Mathieu

Even with impressive offensive exploits week in and week out from superstars such as Mahomes, defense still has a very real place in today's game (a lesson Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills learned the hard way against the Chiefs in overtime of their memorable Divisional match).

One defender who remains a testament to that fact is All-Pro safety Tyrann Mathieu. He has been a stabilizing presence in the Kansas City secondary over the past three seasons, routinely setting his offense up with desirable field position through timely stops and turnovers.

Time will tell if Mathieu sticks arounds he is due to hit free agency this spring. However, Chiefs fans might be pleased to hear that the three-time Pro Bowler recently reiterated his desire to stay in Kansas CIty at the recent NFL Honors in Los Angeles this week.

-OL Joe Thuney

Most teams who are burdened by a floundering franchise quarterback often lean on the excuse that the thrower in question "doesn't have protection." The Chiefs have ensured that's not an issue with the arrival of Joe Thuney. Seeing the final years of Mahomes' rookie contract as an opportunity to lure the two-time Super Bowl champion from New England with an $80 million deal over the next five seasons.

Even if a medical disaster were to befall Mahomes, Thuney (assisted by reliable names like Creed Humphrey and Kyle Long) ensures that the Chiefs' famous offensive production won't endure much of a dropoff.