Christopher William Burford, III (born January 31, 1938) is a former American football

American football

American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...

 wide receiver

Wide receiver

A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...

. Burford was a master of sideline

Sidelines

The "sidelines" is a term commonly used to define the white or colored lines which mark the outer boundaries of a sports field. American football sidelines, for example, mark the edge of the field. Should a player pass through the sidelines, he is considered out of bounds...

 receptions

Reception (American football)

In American football, a reception is part of a play in which a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is received by a player in bounds, who, after the catch, proceeds to either score a touchdown or be downed. Yards gained from the receiving play are credited to the player as receiving...

 for the Dallas Texans

History of the Kansas City Chiefs

The following is a detailed history of the Kansas City Chiefs, a professional American football franchise that began play in 1960 as the Dallas Texans...

 and the Kansas City Chiefs

Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a...

. What he lacked in great speed or physical presence, he made up for by running perfectly choreographed pass

Forward pass

In several forms of football a forward pass is when the ball is thrown in the direction that the offensive team is trying to move, towards the defensive team's goal line...

 routes

Route (football)

A route is a path or pattern that a receiver in American football runs to get open for a forward pass.-List of common routes:*Curl route*Drag route, also called an "In route"*Corner route, also called a "Flag route"...

 that outsmarted most American Football League

American Football League

The American Football League was a major American Professional Football league that operated from 1960 until 1969, when the established National Football League merged with it. The upstart AFL operated in direct competition with the more established NFL throughout its existence...

 defensive back

Defensive back

In American football and Canadian football, defensive backs are the players on the defensive team who take positions somewhat back from the line of scrimmage; they are distinguished from the defensive line players and linebackers, who take positions directly behind or close to the line of...

s. An AFL All-Star

American Football League All-Star games

-All-League Teams:The Sporting News published American Football League All-League Teams for each season played by the American Football League, 1960 through 1969...

 in 1961, he followed that performance with 12 receptions for touchdown

Touchdown

A touchdown is a means of scoring in American and Canadian football. Whether running, passing, returning a kickoff or punt, or recovering a turnover, a team scores a touchdown by advancing the ball into the opponent's end zone.-Description:...

s in 1962. By the end of his career he was the Chiefs all-time reception leader (391) with 5,505 yards and 55 touchdowns.

Teaming with Hall of Famer

Pro Football Hall of Fame

The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...

 Len Dawson

Len Dawson

Leonard Ray "Len" "Lenny" Dawson is a former American collegiate and Professional Football quarterback who attended Purdue University and went on to play for three professional teams, most notably the Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs...

, Burford was a clutch receiver when the game was on the line and the ball had to be moved forward for a needed first down or for field goal

Field goal (football)

A field goal in American football and Canadian football is a goal that may be scored during general play . Field goals may be scored by a placekick or the now practically extinct drop kick.The drop kick fell out of favor in 1934 when the shape of the ball was changed...

 position. For most of his AFL career, Burford was in the top ten in receiving catches, yards, and touchdowns. Burford is a 1975 inductee of the Chiefs' Hall of Fame. In 2010 he was inducted into the African-American Ethnic Sports Hall of Fame

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