Andy Reid Says Chiefs 'Haven't Given Up' on Nazeeh Johnson Despite Week 13 Benching

It's been a rough few weeks for Nazeeh Johnson but despite him getting benched for Joshua Williams, Andy Reid says the Chiefs aren't throwing in the towel.

Nov 24, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers running back Chuba Hubbard (30) runs as Kansas City Chiefs safety Nazeeh Johnson (13) defends in the third quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

As the Kansas City Chiefs gear up for the final stretch of the 2024-25 season, there are a couple of things that still need sorting out. On the defensive side of the ball, the cornerback rotation behind Trent McDuffie is one of them. Since Jaylen Watson suffered an ankle injury in Week 7, Steve Spagnuolo's defense looks far less like a dominant unit and far more like a middling or even poor one.

A leading factor in those struggles is – or was – the play of Nazeeh Johnson. After being deemed "ready" to replace Watson by his coaching staff, the third-year man made four starts in a row but fell short of expectations in 196 snaps played. He's allowing 15.6 yards per completion and a 106.8 passer rating in coverage this year. In addition to losing deep down the field, some reps saw Johnson adjust by giving too much cushion and surrendering numerous short-range gains.

Week 13's narrow victory over the Las Vegas Raiders seemed to be the last straw. After just 13 snaps, Johnson was pulled from the game and Kansas City went to fellow 2022 draftee Joshua Williams to close things out. Is that a one-time thing, or could it be a sign of things to come?

Speaking to the media this week, head coach Andy Reid didn't fully commit to Johnson but said this isn't the end of the road for him.

"Yeah, listen, I'm glad we have both of them," Reid said. "I think both of them can still work in there and do some things. We haven't given up on Nazeeh or anything of that sort. He's coming off a pretty major knee surgery, so we've kind of kept an eye on him with that. I think as we go forward, we can use both of them, I'm sure."

Reading the tea leaves, it may make some sense if Johnson took more of a secondary role (pun intended) and Williams got a shot. After logging all of six snaps in Weeks 10-12, the former fourth-round pick got 53 on Friday and looked a lot more fluid and comfortable in coverage than his teammate. Advanced stats backed that up, as Williams notched a 79.0 grade from Pro Football Focus for his performance against a division rival.

In year No. 3 with the Chiefs, Williams has turned into a true boom-or-bust player. His coverage numbers – 36.4 completion percentage, 2.9 yards per target, 75.2 passer rating – are terrific, but the caveat is sample size. He's only been targeted 11 times. Additionally, he's prone to missed tackles and has committed several costly penalties on special teams. The highs, though, are up there with just about any non-McDuffie player in the defensive backfield.

How the Chiefs move forward will be worth watching. This situation is at least a bit similar to how Williams and Watson battled it out for snaps in their first year-plus in Kansas City. Spagnuolo and company eventually fine-tuned their splits and picked the right player in time for a playoff push. The war of attrition might just see Williams earn another chance.

After all, that's how Johnson got the first crack at solidifying a banged-up cornerback room. Only time will tell if he keeps the job.

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