Andy Reid Says Chiefs 'Appreciate' Mike Danna's Consistent Approach

With Danna back for his fifth Chiefs training camp, Andy Reid is glad to have a proven veteran leader in the fold.

Dec 25, 2023; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Mike Danna (51) is introduced against the Las Vegas Raiders prior to a game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports / Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

For the past two seasons, the Kansas City Chiefs have leaned heavily on their veteran leaders to guide the way to a Super Bowl title. Back-to-back years saw Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Chris Jones and even Justin Reid step up both on and off the field. Kansas City has plenty of tone-setters who also happen to be quality contributors during practice and in games.

One of the club's more unheralded players in that regard is defensive lineman Mike Danna. Head coach Andy Reid is making sure the fifth-year man gets his credit, though, at 2024 training camp.

Danna's back for another season with the Chiefs, and Reid couldn't be any happier that the franchise retained such a consistent presence.

"Mike, he goes 100 miles per hour [on] every play," Reid said. "He never says a word, he just works. You appreciate that. You hear about bringing your lunch pail and all that, that's him. That's how he goes. Good representative of Michigan football, man."

Danna's NFL success story is a classic example of things working out for both player and team. After popping up on NFL Draft radars with his 2019 efforts at Michigan, Danna was selected in the fifth round of the ensuing NFL Draft. He played a supporting role right out of the gate for Steve Spagnuolo's defense, serving as a quality run defender and ancillary pass-rushing option. Over time, his workload steadily increased until he became a full-time starter last season.

In 16 regular-season games last year, Danna turned in the best campaign of his career. Setting personal highs in tackles (50), tackles for loss (7), quarterback hits (13) and sacks, (6.5), he was on the field for roughly 75% of available snaps on defense. Combine that with a miniscule missed tackle percentage of 3.8 and a healthy 67.0 Pro Football Focus grade, and it's easy to see how impactful Danna truly was en route to Super Bowl LVIII.

Danna cashed in on the good production in a contract year, returning to Kansas City on a three-year pact worth $24 million. It was a rather unprecedented move, which Joshua Brisco of Chiefs on SI wrote about earlier in the offseason, as general manager Brett Veach had never previously signed one of his draft picks to a multi-year deal. Danna's mix of proven steadiness, affordability and leadership broke the mold, much to the pleasure of the entire team.

With Charles Omenihu still rehabbing from a torn ACL and Felix Anudike-Uzomah needing to make considerable progress, the Chiefs' defensive end rotation could look different at the end of the 2024-25 campaign. Alongside George Karlaftis, however, Danna is a stabilizer who can be counted on. The organization is clearly a proponent, as evidenced by the new deal. Kansas City didn't have to re-sign Danna by any means but did so anyway.

Reid likely speaks for everyone when he says he appreciates that.

Read More: Chiefs Reportedly Sign Former Illinois Standout, Waive UDFA LB