Arrowhead Pride
Identifying three secret superstars who can help Kansas City bounce back from its Super Bowl embarrassment.
The first time a defense bollixed up the Kansas City Chiefs in a championship game, it was in Super Bowl LV after the 2020 season, when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers set head coach Andy Reid’s high-flying offense on its ear in a 31-9 cakewalk.
After that, Kansas City’s reaction was swift and severe. The team completely re-tooled its offensive line with five new starters, setting a course for the future with a younger, more dynamic defense.
As we know, it’s worked out pretty well. What happened in Super Bowl LIX against the Philadelphia Eagles was a severe statistical oddity (it’s exceedingly rare to get that much pressure on a quarterback without blitzing even once), but the sting of that 40-22 loss wasn’t exactly minimized by its outlier status.
This time around, the post-loss reformations were more subtle. They had to be. The Chiefs weren’t armed with a boatload of cap space, and the free-agent acquisitions were mostly second-tier players — important people when you’re stacking your roster, but not necessarily field-tilters.
Not that the Chiefs needed to go whole-hog like they did a few years ago. The defense is far more consistent and established than it was back then — and with the addition of first-round pick Josh Simmons, the franchise may well have its left tackle of the future. Were it not for the torn patellar tendon he suffered last October, there was no way Simmons would have been available with the 32nd overall pick. In a class full of tackles whose NFL futures were less than certain, Simmons had the fewest question marks.
Meanwhile, Kansas City defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo should have lots of fun with second-round pick Omarr Norman-Lott, because the Tennessee defensive lineman is a pure bully. He should do well as he replaces the departed Tershawn Wharton.
Are there short-term questions about the Chiefs’ ability to get beyond their lost three-peat? Sure. But there’s a reason this franchise was on the precipice of three straight NFL championships. Staying on top for that long is damn near impossible. Dynasties must be able to wait out an occasional stumble.
The team has made a good start. The 2025 draft class looks very strong, with a group of players who could fit in right away on both sides of the ball.
But the 2025 Chiefs could come all the way back from that fall down the mountain. They have three hidden gems who could help them do it: an underrated veteran, a free-agent signing and a draft pick.
Before the 2024 draft, my scouting report on this Washington State safety specified that Hicks was at his best as a box/slot enforcer. After selecting him with the 133rd overall pick of the fourth round, the Chiefs played him all over the place in training camp and the preseason. But Spagnuolo (and defensive backs coach Dave Merritt) eventually...
