KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- For the first time in five years, halfback Ted McKnight of the Kansas City Chiefs is able to enjoy a summer of pro football.
McKnight still must endure the drudgery of training camp but he is able to do it for the first time in his pro career in a relaxed and almost pressureless atmosphere.
As a second-round draft pick in 1977, McKnight had the pressure of trying to earn a spot on the Super Bowl champion Oakland Raiders. He failed ... being the final player cut in training camp. But he was claimed by Kansas City just before the start of the season and went on to rush for a modest 74 yards that year.
In 1978 the Chiefs hired a new coach and Marv Levy spent the summer implementing a new offense -- the wing-T. McKnight was installed as the wingback, which was basically the non-running back, but he still managed to gain 624 yards that season and lead the NFL with an average of 6.0 yards per carry.
In 1979 the Chiefs scrapped the wing-T and listed McKnight as the second-string halfback in their pro-set behind Tony Reed, who had rushed for 1,000 yards the previous year. A knee injury to Reed, however, enabled McKnight to step in and he finished with a career-best 755 yards and eight touchdowns.
In 1980 McKnight held out from training camp for more than a week in an attempt to get his contract renegotiated. When he finally reported, Levy shifted the 210-pound McKnight to fullback in order to get both he and Reed into the same backfield. He ended up taking a physical pounding with his inside running but recorded a credible 693 yards despite playing out of position.
Now it is 1981 and Reed has since been traded to Denver. McKnight has been returned to halfback in an offense that delights a halfback - the I-formation. And it is clear the success of Kansas City's ground game this season rests solely on his shoulders, even though McKnight will be joined in the starting backfield by second-year fullback James Hadnot, who 'is a more confident player this year,' according to Levy.
'I'm capable of rushing for 1,000 yards every season,' said McKnight. 'But that's if everything falls into place -- I stay healthy and the team does well. It's that simple. This year should be my best chance so far of gaining 1,000 yards, though.
'I feel comfortable. I'm more at ease knowing that I'm won't always be going up the middle. I was giving away 40 and 50 pounds to defensive linemen last year. I knew I was just a heavy halfback trying to play fullback. Believe me, I've got a better chance taking on the cornerbacks than the linemen -- running sweeps instead of up the middle. There's a little more work at halfback but a lot more room.'
McKnight has had two 100-yard games in his career and holds the club record for the longest rushing touchdown ever, 84 yards against Seattle in 1979. His 2,149 career rushing yards are only 411 shy of the No. 5 spot (Wendell Hayes) on the club's all-time list and 975 short of the No. 4 spot (Curtis McClinton).
And after a 4-year courtship, McKnight feels he is ready for a trip down the aisle with NFL stardom.
'I started out as a dasher,' said McKnight. 'I ran track in college and I just tried to outrun everybody with the football. Then I became a finesse back. I wouldn't try to take you on. I was a slasher. I'd try to cut by people. Then last year I put the dashing and the slashing aside and I took everybody's shots at fullback.
'I've benefited from all those styles. This year, I plan to be dasher, slasher, bruiser, cruiser. I'll do whatever I have to do to get the job done. I'll do whatever the situation calls for.'
