Arrowhead Pride
On Thursday, Kansas City’s veteran safety (and one of his protégés) described their work together over the last three seasons.
When the Kansas City Chiefs play the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX on Sunday, eight members of their acclaimed 2022 draft class are expected to be active. After their first two seasons, the group has never known a playoff defeat, each ending with Kansas City hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.
Five of those players belong to the defensive backs room: cornerbacks Trent McDuffie, Joshua Williams, Jaylen Watson, and Nazeeh Johnson, plus safety Bryan Cook. On Thursday, veteran safety Justin Reid pondered if his younger teammates in the secondary appreciate what they have already accomplished — or the culture they have helped create for the young talent they will welcome to Kansas City over their careers.
“I don’t think that they know what they’ve done all the way,” Reid remarked. “I think that they know they’re part of something special, but it’s truly a story. We called them — at least the DB group — ‘the Fab Five’ coming in. They’ve never known a loss in the playoffs. All they’ve known is excellence, but I think that the foundation that was set for them they’ve not only absorbed, but also now being in their third year, [they] continue to set the precedent for the new guys coming behind them.
“It’s just been tremendous for the organization to just continue to be building and be successful. It’s so incredible what those guys do, and hopefully, they look back on this and truly understand the depth of how cool the things they are doing.”
Watson also spoke on Thursday, making clear that he understands that a yearly Super Bowl appearance is hardly guaranteed.
“It doesn’t feel normal,” said the third-year pro. “Each year, you have a different group, so it has a different level of significance, and it’s a special moment. You never know when you’re not going to make it, so we worked so hard, and we just appreciate the times these weeks. This is what we always dreamed of, so we don’t take it for granted.”
Reid signed with the Chiefs as a free agent early in the 2022 offseason, meaning he also has never known a playoff loss as a Chief. Watson described how he and his fellow rookies were learning defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s playbook alongside the veteran.
“I think Justin Reed is 27,” said Watson, “but he’s got the heart and soul of a 35-year-old. He’s always got great words. He’s such a smart dude, so he knows what to say and when to say it. He leads the group. He’s been in the league as long as everyone. We all came in at the same time, so we were learning the playbook at the same time. He was helping us with that — and picking it up a little faster than we were — but he’s been very instrumental for the group.”
Reid believes that experienced players...
