All-Time Chiefs QBs Ranked: Mahomes #1, Dawson #2

Mike Livingston

#10 · Kansas City Chiefs
Retired 12 Years In The NFL
🏆 Super Bowl champion (IV)
Mike's
HAIR
15.0
HeyTC AI Rating

Questions about Mike Livingston or the Chiefs?

Mike Livingston Legacy

HEYTC AI
Mike Livingston was the Dallas kid who stepped into the Kansas City Chiefs' huddle as Len Dawson's understudy, then seized the reins to deliver the franchise's lone Super Bowl glory in IV—a gritty upset over the Vikings that cemented his place in Arrowhead lore. Tall, cannon-armed, and unflappable, he embodied the AFL's wild transition to NFL, starting 75 games over a dozen Chiefs seasons before brief stints in Minnesota and USFL Oakland. Not a stats monster, but his poise in Hank Stram's revolutionary offense, blending runs and bombs, made him the bridge from glory days to lean years—forever a Chiefs lifer with a ring that shines brighter than the numbers.

Mike Livingston Rating Breakdown

Season
Subpar
Fantasy
Subpar
Playoffs
Non-Factor
Overall
NPC
12 years with the Chiefs

Mike Livingston Career Stats via Wikipedia

11,295 Pass Yards
56 Touchdowns
83 INTs
0.0% Comp %
15.0 HAIR

Frequently Asked Questions About Mike Livingston

How does Patrick Mahomes compare to Mike Livingston?

Patrick Mahomes towers over Mike Livingston like a Ferrari next to a reliable pickup—Mahomes has three Super Bowls and 30,000+ yards already, while Livingston's 11,295 yards and one ring as Dawson's fill-in feel like a gritty footnote in Chiefs lore. Livingston went 6-0 starting in '69, but Mahomes is rewriting the position nightly.

Is Mike Livingston in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

Nope, Mike Livingston never made it to Canton, despite that Pro Bowl nod in '71 and stepping up big for the Chiefs' Super Bowl IV run. He's the ultimate understudy—solid 11,295 yards over 12 seasons, but Hall voters chase flashier resumes, leaving him parked outside pro football's gold jacket club.

How would Mike Livingston perform in today's NFL?

Livingston's gunslinger arm from SMU would feast under today's pass-happy rules—no more bump-and-run corners or 6-second rushes cramping his 54.8% completion style. Picture him airing it out like a proto-Trubisky, maybe cracking 20,000 yards with better protection, though those 87 picks scream turnover roulette in our analytics era.

How does Mike Livingston compare to Len Dawson?

Len Dawson lapped Mike Livingston in the Chiefs QB race—Dawson's 51.37 rating dances circles around Livingston's 14.97 over 12 overlapping seasons, with Len's AFL wizardry and Super Bowl IV MVP sealing the deal. Mike was the tough backup who went 6-0 in '69, but Dawson was the maestro.