Kansas City acquired running back and returner Bill Thomas…
Kansas City acquired running back and returner Bill Thomas from Houston for the 1975 seventh-round pick that became Mike Biehle. Thomas played all 14 games for the Chiefs in 1974 and handled 25 kickoff returns for 571 yards, giving Kansas City a full season of special-teams value. Biehle, selected No. 162 by Houston, never appeared in an NFL regular-season game.
Kansas City Chiefs Received
- player Bill Thomas
Tennessee Titans Received
- pick 1975 7th round pick (162nd overall, Mike Biehle)
Trade Analysis
The Trade
On August 16, 1974, Houston sent Bill Thomas to Kansas City for a future seventh-round draft choice. That selection became No. 162 in the 1975 draft, and the Oilers used it on tackle Mike Biehle of Miami of Ohio. The transaction was modest in cost and expectations, but the actual outcomes create a clear edge.
Thomas in Kansas City
Thomas was used primarily as a return specialist rather than a featured runner. He appeared in all 14 games for the Chiefs in 1974. NFL statistics credit him with 25 kickoff returns for 571 yards, a 22.8-yard average, while his offensive role amounted to only three rushing attempts. For a player acquired late in the preseason, a full season of availability and regular special-teams work represented useful depth.
Houston's Draft Choice
The Oilers exercised the acquired seventh-round pick on Biehle at No. 162 overall. Draft records consistently trace that selection from Kansas City to Houston. The problem for the Oilers is the outcome: Biehle has no NFL regular-season games in the historical record. The pick therefore produced no realized game-day value for Houston.
How the Returns Compare
Neither side landed a franchise-changing asset. Kansas City's benefit was concentrated in one season of kickoff returns, while Houston held the longer-term lottery ticket. Once Biehle failed to reach an NFL regular-season game, however, the balance shifted toward the team that received actual production.
Final Verdict
Kansas City Chiefs Win. Kansas City earns a C-plus because Thomas provided a full season and meaningful kickoff-return work at a low acquisition cost. Houston earns a D because the acquired seventh-round selection produced no NFL regular-season contribution.
Bill Thomas at least delivered a full Kansas City season and 571 kickoff-return yards, while Houston's seventh-round choice Mike Biehle never appeared in an NFL regular-season game overall.