Former Chiefs Tremendous Bowl Champion Warren McVea Dies

[ad_1] Earlier than they had been an everyday participant within the Tremendous Bowl — even earlier than Patrick Mahomes was born — the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs' first championship group was an underdog.

Not favored to win the American Soccer League championship recreation towards the Oakland Raiders, not to mention the Tremendous Bowl towards the Minnesota Vikings, the Chiefs' first title in 1970 was a shock.

Warren McVea led all gamers with 12 dashing makes an attempt in Kansas Metropolis's upset win in Tremendous Bowl IV. The top of McVea's profession as knowledgeable proved to be his solely championship in six seasons with the Chiefs (1969-73) and Cincinnati Bengals (1968).

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But it surely was hardly essentially the most notable accomplishment of McVea's life — on or off the sphere. McVea, who died Sunday at 79, was the primary Black participant to obtain a school soccer scholarship to a significant Texas college.

<img id="10903800" alt="Warren McVea Chiefs" caption="NEW ORLEANS, LA - JANUARY 11: Len Dawson #16 of the Kansas City Chiefs pitches the ball to Warren McVea #6 against the Minnesota Vikings during Super Bowl IV on January 11, 1970 at Tulane Stadium in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Chiefs won the Super Bowl 23-7." src="Focus on Sport/Getty Images" sourcealt="" sources="[]" fetchpriority="auto" loading="lazy" width="2425" height="1496" decoding="async" data-nimg="1" style="color:transparent;aspect-ratio:inherit;object-fit:cover" sizes="(min-width: 1200px) 1536px, (min-width: 768px) 1024px, 100vw" srcset="https://assets.newsweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/GettyImages-494066613.jpg?w=640&quality=75&webp=1 640w, https://assets.newsweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/GettyImages-494066613.jpg?w=750&quality=75&webp=1 750w, https://assets.newsweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/GettyImages-494066613.jpg?w=1000&quality=75&webp=1 1000w, https://assets.newsweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/GettyImages-494066613.jpg?w=1200&quality=75&webp=1 1200w, https://assets.newsweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/GettyImages-494066613.jpg?w=1360&quality=75&webp=1 1360w, https://assets.newsweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/GettyImages-494066613.jpg?w=1600&quality=75&webp=1 1600w" bad-src="https://assets.newsweek.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/GettyImages-494066613.jpg?w=1600&quality=75&webp=1"/> A local of San Antonio, McVea parlayed an impressive profession at Brackenridge Excessive Faculty right into a scholarship to the College of Houston in 1964.

McVea broke the colour barrier with the Cougars, then proceeded to vogue an impressive profession. He rushed for 1,461 yards, 841 receiving yards and 17 whole touchdowns in faculty earlier than taking his abilities to the professionals.

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Drafted within the fourth spherical (109th total) of the 1968 Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals (then of the AFL), McVea caught two landing passes and ran for one more as a rookie within the Bengals' backfield.

Regardless of his early promise, McVea was traded by the Bengals to the Chiefs for kicker Horst Muhlmann and a draft alternative on Sept. 8, 1969.

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The Chiefs made it again to the playoffs in 1971, however McVea didn't seem of their season-ending double-overtime loss to the Miami Dolphins.

A knee harm stored McVea off the sphere for the whole lot of the 1972 season. In 1973, he appeared in solely seven video games and carried the ball 4 occasions for 5 yards. That proved to be the tip of McVea's NFL profession.

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McVea reportedly misplaced his Tremendous Bowl ring, his spouse, his home, and two vehicles when he was sentenced to 5 years in jail for arson in 1989. He was beforehand convicted of cocaine possession.

McVea was inducted into the San Antonio Sports activities Corridor of Fame (2003) and the College of Houston Athletics Corridor of Honor (Class of 2004).