Kansas City, Mo. ? Trent Green’s 2006 season ended much the way it began, with Kansas City’s aging quarterback lying helpless on the turf.

In between, Larry Johnson carried the ball more times than anybody else in NFL history, Damon Huard proved himself worthy and Lamar Hunt lost his long battle with prostate cancer.

The death of their popular founder, a pivotal figure in the development of the modern NFL, will no doubt prove more far-reaching than anything else in a year of painful transition and personal loss.

Will his gentle hands-off approach to running the team disappear now that son Clark is in charge? And what about Clark’s sister and two brothers, who also each own a quarter of the team?

For two years, Clark has been the Chiefs’ chairman of the board, gradually getting more involved. Will his siblings now join him in running the franchise?

Will they have their father’s patience with a management team in place since 1989 but without a postseason victory in 13 years?

Their streak of 133 consecutive sellouts seems all the more remarkable considering they’re saddled with one of the league’s longest playoff victory droughts.

If attendance begins to flag, so might the Hunt family’s patience.

To prevent that, Herm Edwards probably will need to do better than the checkered 9-8 record his first season as head coach produced.

And it won’t help that the Chiefs and their fans are headed into an offseason stinging from one of the most embarrassing playoff performances in modern times, a game where Indianapolis’ league-worst run defense held KC’s proud run offense to a meager 44 yards.

Green was sacked four times, a victim of an offensive line that figures to have a nearly complete makeover next season.

Probably retired after 12 straight Pro Bowl seasons is right guard Will Shields, who has carefully kept his plans to himself.

Huard was 5-3 in Green’s absence, and Edwards may have made a mistake taking the ball out of his hands and giving it to Green.

What to do with Tony Gonzalez will be another head-scratcher for general manager Carl Peterson. Now 30, Gonzalez is a free agent and probably due for a huge contract if the Chiefs decide to retain him. Peterson said he would franchise Gonzalez a second straight time if he had to.