Andy Reid Applauds KC Chiefs’ Young Secondary, Brett Veach

Reid tipped his cap to Kansas City's GM for finding great value picks and his players for stepping up in a win-or-go-home game.

The Kansas City Chiefs' offense shouldered most of the burden in Sunday's Divisional Round win over the Buffalo Bills, but Steve Spagnuolo's defense came alive late. That side of the ball slammed the door shut in the fourth quarter, preserving the team's second playoff win in as many weeks.

Multiple members of the defense stepped up, but it was the secondary that chipped in some solid contributions. That's been a theme all season long, although veteran safety Mike Edwards' first-quarter concussion threw a wrench in the team's plans. Despite that, rookie Chamarri Conner replaced him and did an admirable job.

Speaking to the media on Monday afternoon, Reid tipped his cap to Conner for responding to an adverse situation on the road. 

"Chamarri did a heck of a job," Reid said. "He's been working in nickel and dime situations, but to come in and have that extended time in there and make the plays he did — with the exception of just trying to pick the ball up on that scoop-and-score thing. Probably should've just fallen on it when it's all said and done. But he sure did a nice job in there, yeah."  

Conner, a fourth-round pick in last April's NFL Draft, played 76 defensive snaps in his second career playoff game. He totaled 10 tackles and a forced fumble on Sunday, continuing his stretch of solid play since the second half of the season began. As a Day 3 draft pick, the odds of Conner becoming this level of a contributor always remained low. That isn't uncommon for a Chiefs defender, however, and all it takes to see that is a quick look at the rest of the secondary.

At the cornerback spot, specifically, multiple final-day draft investments make up the room. Star L'Jarius Sneed, a fourth-rounder, sits at the top. Behind him, Joshua Williams (fourth round) and Jaylen Watson (seventh round) are among the team's top four corners. Only Trent McDuffie, a first-round pick in 2022, is a premier selection. General manager Brett Veach has quickly built a reputation for finding gems late in the draft, which Reid is clearly a huge proponent of. 

"Yeah, listen, I'm a big Brett Veach fan," Reid said. "He's done a great job. I told him after the game, that's him. This game is him. This is a reflection of all the time and effort he and his guys have put in. That's what it comes down to, they've given us good football players to coach." 

All season long, Spagnuolo's defense has been a well-oiled machine on the back end. Defensive backs coach Dave Merritt is a key component there, as are the players and as is Veach's scouting alongside his peers. The beginning of last season saw some growing pains, which is only to be expected of such a young group. With players like McDuffie, Williams, Watson and even safety Bryan Cook (who's on injured reserve) now in their second seasons, that inexperience is replaced with confidence and aggression. It permeates throughout the defense, with Sneed setting the tone as the veteran of the collective when it comes to experience in the system. 

For first-year contributors like Conner, it allows him to play free and not worry about consequences. Despite Conner's miscue when attempting to pick up the aforementioned fumble, Kansas City's defense did enough to seal the deal anyway. In years past, that mistake may have snowballed into something more serious. The 2023-24 Chiefs defense, a top unit in the sport, is fueled by a next-play mentality and an unrelenting approach. With communication and success going hand-in-hand, this is something that's been brewing for a while. 

According to Reid, there's another challenge looming in the AFC Championship Game but his players are ready to embrace it.

"So last year, they got better every game just with the experience," Reid said. "And then throughout the offseason, working. Throughout this season, they've continued to get better and feel more comfortable challenging in man coverages and tightening up these zones in zone coverage. This coming week will be the biggest test of them all up to this point. They've (Baltimore Ravens) got a great group of wide receivers. I think our guys, once we get through the week here, they look forward to that challenge. They've done a nice job." 

Chiefs Proud of 'Special' Record Set by Mahomes and Kelce