Latest Chiefs Hall of Famer helped end franchise’s longest playoff drought
After his All-America career as a defensive lineman at the University of Pittsburgh, Bill Maas wasn’t sure where he’d land in the NFL Draft.
If he was selected late in the first round by a contender, Maas knew he’d likely join a playoff contending team.
The Chiefs weren’t that as they made Maas the fifth overall pick.
“I thought if I went early I could help spearhead a turnaround in an organization,” said Maas, named the latest member of the Chiefs Hall of Fame on Friday by the organization.
That’s what happened. Two years after he was drafted, Maas had perhaps his best season and helped the Chiefs end a 15-year playoff drought, the longest in franchise history.
Maas spent nine of his 10 NFL seasons with Kansas City and recorded all 40 of his career sacks with the Chiefs. He made the Pro Bowl in 1986 and 1987 and was second-team All Pro in 1986.
That season, the Chiefs clinched their playoff berth with a victory at Pittsburgh in the season finale and Maas won’t forget the crowd of fans that greeted them when they returned.
“That’s when Chiefs Kingdom started,” Maas said.
Maas, 63, got the news from Chiefs Chairman and CEO Clark Hunt a few days earlier, and recalled another call he received from the Hunt family, this from Chiefs founder and Clark’s father Lamar.
“Let’s just say it was emotional,” Maas said. “I told Clark the two greatest phone calls I got in my life were in 1984 from his father and the one I just got from him.”
Maas is the 54th person and 50th player selected to the Hall. The official enshrinement ceremony will be held during Chiefs Legends Weekend at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium this fall.
“Bill embodied toughness and grit,” Clark Hunt said.
After his career, Maas went to the broadcast booth and served as an analyst for Fox Sports (1995-2007), KCSP 610 Sports in Kansas City (2008-22), Time Warner Cable (2012-17) and WHB 810 Sports since 2023.
He’s been an active member of the Kansas City Chiefs Ambassadors since 1999.
“I moved here in 1984 when I got drafted here to become a Chief and made my home here,” Maas said.
This story was originally published April 25, 2025 at 7:03 PM with the headline "Latest Chiefs Hall of Famer helped end franchise’s longest playoff drought."