Arrowhead Pride
Kansas City’s former second-rounder might not have panned out at tackle but appears a good fit for the role he has landed.
A major offseason story surrounding the Kansas City Chiefs is whether they have (finally) found a solution to the all-important left tackle position in first round draft selection Josh Simmons.
The player hyped as the answer last season, however, will also have a say in how far this year’s team can go.
As a rookie in 2024, second-round selection Kingsley Suamataia started the first two games at left tackle before being pulled in Week 2. The BYU product was seldom seen again until resurfacing as the team’s left guard as the starters rested in Week 18 against the Denver Broncos.
Recent media looks at the Chiefs’ organized team activities (OTAs) have all but confirmed Suamataia is penciled in as this year’s starter at left guard following March’s trade of franchise legend Joe Thuney. The second-year pro spoke after Thursday’s OTA session.
“It’s going great,” Suamataia said of the transition. “It’s a new learning step for me and a learning curve for me just to better myself. I just think the more positions I can learn how to play, the better value I am. So, it’s going good.”
He has noticed some advantages of his new position.
“Being aggressive right off the get-go, I love that,” Suamataia explained. “Just being right in contact right away off the ball.”
While the Chiefs had nothing to play for in the regular season finale, the game was very important for the Broncos, who needed a win to secure a playoff berth. Suamataia is particularly proud of how he played against defensive lineman Zach Allen, who finished 2024 with 8.5 sacks and was named a second team All Pro selection.
“I did good,” remarked Suamataia of his first game action on the interior. “I went against one of the best defensive tackles, and I got some good words from him after the game. So, definitely stuff to take in and just to improve on.”
The same offensive line room that lifted him as he was named a starter in training camp supported Suamataia as he had to earn his way back up the depth chart.
“While I was playing,” he recalled, “[I was] just leaning on everybody. That’s where they say training camp that molds us for the Super Bowl. So, just, trusting in the guys next to you. Obviously when things switched and I was out for quite a bit of the season — mentally, that was something in my own head.
“But the same thing on the field and off the field — the guys always got me. So, they always there lifting me up every day at practice. I still give my best for forward and give me 110% for them.”
Suamataia knows he still has work to do for the Chiefs’ comfort in playing him at a new position to protect the face of the league in quarterback Patrick...
