For a while, Rutgers was a feeder system for the New England Patriots — or at least it felt that way because Bill Belichick liked every defensive back who went to New Jersey State University. Some general managers and coaches like to use specific schools as feeder systems because they feel comfortable. The Chiefs kind of used a feeder system from 1988 up until Patrick Mahomes graced the sideline at Arrowhead Stadium. That feeder system was the San Francisco 49ers.
Steve DeBerg quarterbacked the Chiefs from 1988 to 1991. He was drafted by the Niners in 1977 and played there until 1980. He started full-time in 1979. DeBerg had a few stops before he ended up in Kansas City.
It’s funny because Joe Montana took over for DeBerg in San Francisco in 1980. We don’t need to go over Montana’s great Niners career because it’s well known, but Montana did end up in Kansas City in 1993. There was only one season between the DeBerg era and the Montana era for the Chiefs. Montana stayed in Kansas City for two years. He was replaced in 1995 by Steve Bono.
Guess where Steve Bono played from 1989-1993 . . . yup, it was San Francisco. Bono only held on with the Chiefs for two years before they went to Rich Gannon and Elvis Grbac. Grbac was drafted by the Niners and backed up Steve Young until he went and signed with the Chiefs. That’s essentially four Niners quarterbacks in a row for Kansas City. Grbac stayed with the Chiefs until 1999.
Finally, the Chiefs took a little break from former San Francisco quarterbacks. They went with Trent Green who did know play with the Niners at any point in his career. That was followed by Brodie Croyle and Matt Cassel, but after that, it was time for the Chiefs to return to their roots. Those old 49ers’ quarterback roots.
Enter Alex Smith. Smith was extremely serviceable and led the Chiefs to multiple playoffs berths, but at this point, it had to be getting weird. Quarterbacks who had been drafted or played with the Niners had more playoff wins than quarterbacks who were drafted by the Chiefs. In fact, Mahomes is the first quarterback drafted by the Chiefs to win a playoff game in ages.
Now Kansas City probably doesn’t have to worry about getting a quarterback from San Francisco. That’s a good thing because Mahomes isn’t going anywhere and neither is Jimmy Garoppolo.