Former Kansas City Chiefs safety Quintin Demps recently opened up about how he drove Andy Reid crazy in his early days.
Quintin Demps has enjoyed a longer career than the average NFL player. Perhaps a bit of that is a testament to the fact that the veteran safety says he’s continued to learn and adapt in the league over time. Early on, however, Demps says he was harder to handle and that a heralded head coach like Andy Reid didn’t appreciate his attitude.
Demps entered the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played in 25 games in two years with the Eagles before he was waived, perhaps because Reid was ready to just rid himself of his arrogant young safety.
“I was so cocky,” Demps said. “I had some turbulence in my career because of my cockiness. I was talking to the media crazy like I had done something and all this kind of stuff. [Then-Eagles coach] Andy Reid hated that. I didn’t stand a chance being that cocky.”
Fortunately for Demps, he caught on with the Houston Texans for the next three seasons and learned to grow in the process. Demps has become a real playmaker in the secondary in recent years, with 15 interceptions over the last four seasons. He had four interceptions for the Kansas City Chiefs when he played with them in 2013, where he once again played for Reid. Last season, he had 6 interceptions in another season with the Texans.
This offseason, he signed a new three-year contract with the Chicago Bears, bringing a nose for the ball to a secondary that needs that sort of impact player.