An anchor of Kansas City's offensive line for 14 seasons, Will Shields was named one of the 15 modern-day finalists for selection to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The 15 modern-era finalists were decided through voting by the Hall's Selection Committee, from a list of 126 nominees that previously was reduced to a list of 25 semifinalists, throughout the year. To be elected, a finalist must receive a minimum positive vote of 80 percent.
Shields played in 224 regular season games (223 starts) during his 14-year career with Kansas City ('93-06). His 224 games played with the Chiefs ranks first in team history, while his 223 starts are also the top mark in franchise annals. His 14 seasons played for the Chiefs tie him for second-most in team history. He originally entered the NFL as a third-round selection (74th overall) of Kansas City in the 1993 NFL Draft out of Nebraska.
During his 14-year career, Shields was elected to 12 consecutive Pro Bowls, earning his first trip to the NFL's annual all-star game following the 1995 season. His 12 career Pro Bowls stand tied for sixth all-time in NFL history for most career Pro Bowl appearances by an NFL player.
In 2003, the entire National Football League community recognized Shields for his extensive work off the field as he was named the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year. At the time, he was the fourth member of the Chiefs to take home the honor, recognizing on-field excellence and off-the-field outreach through the "Will to Succeed Foundation" that he established in 1993. Through his foundation and its various programs, more than 100,000 individuals have been positively impacted.
Shields was honored as the team's Mack Lee Hill Award winner in 1993 as the club's top rookie or first-year player. Shields has also received the Pro Football Weekly Arthur S. Arkush Humanitarian of the Year Award, The Sporting News' NFL Good Guy of the Year Award, the Ed Block Courage Award, the Kansas City Council on Philanthropy's Philanthropist of the Year honor and was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.
Shields was a three-time All-Big Eight choice at Nebraska and was honored as the nation's best interior lineman with the Outland Trophy as a senior in 1992. He was also a finalist for the Lombardi Award that same year. Shields resides in the Kansas City area with his wife, Senia, and their three children.
Already a member of the Chiefs Hall of Fame (2012) and the College Football Hall of Fame, everyone in Chiefs Kingdom is pulling for Shields to get that call from the Pro Football Hall of Fame, on Feb. 1. For more Will Shields photos, click here.
