Despite his ferocity on the field, Kansas City guard Brian Waters is an easy man to root for, even if you’re an opponent. This powerful two-time Pro Bowler has outworked and out-hustled colleagues who came into the NFL with much greater fanfare. After entering the league as an un-drafted free agent, Waters has become arguably the best in the league at his position. In 2005 the sixth-year pro earned his second consecutive trip to the Pro Bowl as a key member of a Kansas City offense that ranked second in the NFL. In 2004 Waters became the league’s first offensive lineman to be named AFC Player of the Week. He is a tough and consistent competitor, having started 69 consecutive games for the Chiefs.

The road to the Pro Bowl, including an incredible rise from obscurity in NFL Europe, has granted Brian Waters vast knowledge and sharp perspective on the gridiron. He is a one-man football encyclopedia.  In high school Waters could be found at linebacker, safety, tight end and running back. He went on to play tight end at the University of North Texas, switching to defensive end his senior year. He never played on the offensive line until hitting the pro ranks. Brian’s Pro Bowl status is more impressive when considering just a few years ago he knew little of blocking or reading defenders. “Perseverance” seems a paltry description for this versatile hard worker.

Weighing in with more than 300 pounds of sheer force, Waters is also regarded as the weightlifting dynamo of the Chiefs roster. Kansas City fullback Tony Richardson says “He’s got to be the strongest guy in the locker room. I mean he’s ridiculously strong.” But Brian is just as awe-inspiring off the field. His role as Kansas City’s NFLPA player representative is proof of the respect he garners from teammates. “That’s more important than anything,” says Waters, “to have the respect of your teammates and also to have the respect of the guys in the league, the guys you play against. That says a lot about how hard you work. When your teammates respect you, I think that takes you a long way and that has a lot to do with life outside of football and when football is over.”

And life outside football is important to this Community Service major. In 2004 Brian started “The Brian Waters Foundation” to help inner city youth in both the Kansas City and Dallas areas. In 2005 he hosted his first annual “Dine with a Chief Celebrity Waiters Dinner” to benefit Kansas City children’s charities. He has also served as a mentor to Kansas City’s Central High School football team in conjunction with the “NFL Play It Smart” program. Brian is a volunteer at Genesis School, an alternative school in Kansas City, and he is co-chairman for the “First Downs for Down Syndrome” program which raises funds based on the production of the Chiefs offensive line.

As sports journalist Joe Posnanski writes: “He plays with heart, and after the game, he speaks from the heart, and it’s good to see great athletes who get it.”