Everitt Walls

Kansas City · 1989–1996

Everitt became Kansas City’s starting quarterback in 1989 and started every regular-season game for eight seasons. The Chiefs went 8–7–1 in his first year, then made six consecutive postseason appearances from 1990 through 1995. His passing production rose from 3,018 yards and nineteen touchdowns in 1989 to 4,284 yards and thirty-three touchdowns in 1995.

His pocket passing relied on arm strength, command and determination under pressure. His rushing production came from scrambles, short-yardage plays and occasional designed situations. He earned Pro Bowl selections in 1993, 1994 and 1995.

Kansas City was the defining football chapter of his career. When he left after the 1996 season, he valued the teammates, friendships and years he had spent there. He regarded Arizona as another chapter of his life.

The first playoff years

In the 1990 Wild Card game, Everitt completed 21 of 31 passes for 269 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. A late drive set up a potential winning field goal, but Nick Lowery’s kick fell short. Miami won 17–16.

His first playoff victory came against his older brother Thomas’s Los Angeles Raiders in 1991. Kansas City won 10–6. Buffalo then overwhelmed the Chiefs 37–14; Everitt threw two touchdowns and no interceptions.

Against San Diego in the 1992 Wild Card Round, an early interception hurt Kansas City. Everitt later led a tying touchdown drive, finishing with 289 passing yards and two touchdowns. The Chargers won 20–17.

The 1993 AFC Championship run

Everitt defeated Jay Harris’s Steelers 27–24 in overtime in the Wild Card Round. He passed for 319 yards and three touchdowns without an interception, delivered a late fourth-and-goal touchdown in regulation and moved Kansas City into field-goal range in overtime.

At Houston in the Divisional Round, he recovered from an early interception to throw for 328 yards and three touchdowns in a 28–20 victory. It sent Kansas City to the AFC Championship against Tyrese Holloway’s Bengals.

With 1:31 remaining in the conference championship, Everitt threw the go-ahead touchdown for a 31–27 lead. Holloway answered with a touchdown drive, giving Cincinnati a 34–31 victory. Everitt finished with 347 passing yards and three touchdowns. The Bengals went on to win Super Bowl XXVIII.

1994 and the 1995 peak

Miami defeated Kansas City 27–17 in the 1994 Wild Card Round. Everitt passed for 318 yards and two touchdowns, but a costly fourth-quarter interception contributed to the defeat.

In 1995, he completed 340 of 532 passes for 4,284 yards, thirty-three touchdowns and eleven interceptions. Kansas City finished 13–3. His 101.0 passer rating, third consecutive Pro Bowl selection and sixth-place MVP finish marked his regular-season peak. He never finished in the top five of NFL MVP voting.

Thomas Smith and the black eye

On November 23, 1995, Buffalo visited Kansas City in Week 13. Everitt exchanged trash talk throughout the game with Bills cornerback Thomas Smith, number 28. Kansas City won 23–7. After the final whistle, Smith initiated a physical altercation; Everitt fought back and finished it with a severe black eye. The two later went their separate ways.

Ten days later, on December 3, Kansas City visited Oakland. Everitt played with one eye nearly swollen shut. He completed twenty of twenty-four passes for 311 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions, producing a perfect 158.3 passer rating.

The game was tied 23–23 late in the fourth quarter when Everitt launched a no-look Hail Mary. Willie Davis, number 84, caught the winning touchdown. Kansas City won 29–23. The touchdown ended regulation, and no extra point was attempted.

Indianapolis and the end of the Chiefs years

Kansas City entered the 1995 postseason at 13–3 with home-field advantage. Everitt completed 25 of 36 passes for 296 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions against Indianapolis. Three missed field goals by Lin Elliott contributed to a 10–7 Divisional defeat. The loss remained one of Everitt’s greatest career disappointments.

The Chiefs finished 9–7 and missed the playoffs in 1996. Everitt’s Kansas City totals were 28,716 passing yards, 198 touchdowns and ninety-five interceptions.

Arizona · 1997–2000

Everitt joined Arizona in 1997 and wore number 14. The Cardinals had retired number 8 for Larry Wilson. Everitt remained their starter for four seasons, continuing his streak of consecutive starts through the end of 2000.

Arizona went 9–7 in 1998. Everitt passed for 3,742 yards and twenty-five touchdowns, then helped beat Dallas 20–7 in the Wild Card Round with 258 passing yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. It was his final playoff victory.

In the Divisional Round he again faced Thomas, now Minnesota’s quarterback. Arizona erased a fourteen-point halftime deficit and tied the game 31–31 before Minnesota pulled away to win 41–31. Everitt passed for 358 yards and three touchdowns. The brothers finished 1–1 in their two postseason meetings.

Everitt retired following Arizona’s 3–13 season in 2000, aged thirty-eight. His final postseason record was 4–7, with 3,256 passing yards, twenty-three touchdowns and five interceptions.

Deadpan humor and long answers

Everitt often delivered outrageous remarks with a straight face. Roughly half the time he eventually explained the joke or laughed; the other half he maintained the delivery and let people decide whether he was serious. His wit and sarcasm came naturally.

He enjoyed talking and could turn a thirty-second interview answer into a ten-minute monologue. He was generally friendly with reporters. Jaxson inherited his tendency to keep talking, though Everitt often spoke for the pleasure of conversation while Jaxson wanted to win an argument.

The demanding teammate

Everitt confronted teammates directly after serious mistakes. He explained what had gone wrong, why it mattered and what needed practice. He expected improvement and could turn a two-minute correction into a fifteen-minute lecture. Teammates who were already embarrassed or understood the problem sometimes found the prolonged explanation worse.

When challenged, he might say, “I’m just saying,” “I’m sorry,” or “If you already knew, why did it happen?” Sometimes he apologized; sometimes he defended himself. After an apology, he generally considered the matter settled and moved on. He could miss that the other person still felt hurt.

Judgment, authority and accountability

Everitt acknowledged bad throws and decisions he knew were his own mistakes. When he believed a decision was right, he could be extremely difficult to persuade otherwise. He generally trusted his coaches until a strong disagreement developed.

On occasion he ran his own play instead of the one demanded by his coach. Heated sideline arguments followed, with coaches angry at the disregard for their authority. Everitt argued back and continued defending his judgment afterward. Fans generally remained fond of him. He kept the private details of those disputes out of press conferences.

Temper and the injured hand

After one game-losing pick-six, Everitt threw his helmet, screamed “Fuck!” and punched a wall. His hand was bleeding. Realizing what he had done, he said, “Why the fuck did I do that?” He subsequently played with the injured hand and later considered the incident stupid. Its date, opponent and medical details are not documented.

He disliked missing games and repeatedly argued with medical staff or coaches who advised him to sit. Sometimes he accepted their decision while continuing to complain. His willingness to play through pain could become reckless.

Losses and confidence

Everitt hated losing. He reviewed mistakes, thought through defeats and tried to improve. Some painful losses stayed with him. He retained confidence in his ability and remained comfortable with the career he had built.

He took particular pride in his 192 consecutive regular-season starts, valuing both toughness and dependability for his teammates. He wanted a championship as a starter and occasionally envied those who experienced one. He still regarded his sixteen-season career as successful.

Honesty, trust and listening

Honesty was his most important interpersonal value. He confronted deliberate lies and followed a personal three-strikes principle: after three serious betrayals, he stopped relying on the person. He could remain cordial while withholding trust. He readily told friends and relatives when he thought they were wrong.

Everitt listened closely but could struggle to show that he had understood. When somebody wanted comfort, he sometimes offered practical solutions; at other times he understood the problem but could not find useful words. Experience gradually improved his response to other people’s emotions.

Arthur and Thomas

Everitt admired Arthur and wanted to make him proud. He accepted the course of his own career after entering the league in the seventh round. Comparisons with Arthur’s thirteen championships occasionally brought pressure but did not become Everitt’s central ambition.

Everitt and Thomas usually reconnected at family gatherings. They enjoyed teasing each other about their two rings. Everitt would say, “We have the same amount of rings.” Thomas answered, “How many were you actually starting on?” Everitt knew the distinction and enjoyed making the comparison. Their two playoff meetings added a friendly football connection.

Raising Jaxson

Everitt and Monica’s son Jaxson was born in Phoenix on August 27, 1996. Everitt let him develop his own interests and offered football guidance when Jaxson wanted it. Once his son became serious about the sport, Everitt participated on those terms and attended many of his games.

Everitt enjoyed Jaxson’s confidence and sometimes described him as a little out there. He frequently criticized the endless arguments and saw no need to make every disagreement a crusade. He acknowledged that Jaxson’s conduct contributed to his public reputation while considering much of the hostility exaggerated.

Following Jaxson’s three-peat, Everitt considered him the greatest quarterback in NFL history. His personal top three were Jaxson Walls, Cody Harrison and Mac Walls.

Drew’s ability and first retirement

Everitt believed Drew had always been an elite quarterback. Drew’s retirement in 2033 confused him. Comfortable with his own career, Everitt struggled to understand Drew’s negative view of an excellent professional résumé. He tried to help, but repeated reassurance about talent did little to address his son’s self-doubt.

Jaxson’s challenge to Drew’s concern with other people’s opinions proved more useful. Drew returned in 2037 and won Super Bowls after the 2039 and 2043 seasons. Everitt celebrated those accomplishments with pride in the ability he had long seen.

Everitt openly admitted mild jealousy of his sons’ championships. At one point he spoke of Jaxson’s eight rings and Drew’s two and wished he had known a championship as a starter. The comparison became another subject for his humor.

Bountygate and public accusations

Before Camden Ryder’s confession, Everitt knew what the public knew about Bountygate. He objected to people treating Jaxson’s notoriety, association with the Rams and public unpopularity as evidence that he had organized the operation. He considered that guilt by association unfair.

On August 12, 2048, Ryder publicly admitted creating and directing the bounty system. Everitt felt vindicated in challenging the assumption that Jaxson was its mastermind. The confession also established that Jaxson had learned about the program and protected Ryder through silence.

Everitt confronted his son and asked why. Jaxson struggled to give an answer that satisfied him. Everitt thought the decision was stupid and questioned what made Ryder worth that protection. He criticized Jaxson’s knowing silence. Their disagreement left their relationship intact.