Regrading the K.C. Chiefs 2014 NFL Draft class
First Round – Pick 23 – Dee Ford, Edge, Auburn
The Chiefs gave up their second round pick as part of the Alex Smith trade in 2013. A clear win for the franchise, but it meant they really needed to hit on their first round pick. Whether or not they did depends almost exclusively on who you ask.
With the 23rd overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs selected Dee Ford, an edge rusher from Auburn. The former Tiger was dynamic in college and had incredible skill coming off the corners when rushing the quarterback. Still, most felt the pick was a bit of a reach, considering Ford had real durability concerns coming into the NFL. Concerns also existed about his ability to play against the run at the NFL level. Both concerns proved to be, sadly, very accurate.
Ford spent five seasons with Kansas City, including three as a starter for the team. Unfortunately, one of those three seasons was just six games long due to injury, and Ford also missed three other games during his tenure.
In his fifth season, Ford finally put it all together and had one of the best pass rushing seasons in team history. Finally healthy for 16 games, Ford had 13 sacks, a league leading seven forced fumbles, and made his first Pro Bowl. And, in the 2019 AFC Championship Game, Ford cemented his place in Chiefs history. Unfortunately, what the former Tiger thought was a game ending pressure (resulting in an interception), was actually a penalty when he was called for lining up offsides. The penalty gave Tom Brady another chance to stay alive, and the rest, as they say, is history.
After that sort of excruciating end of the season, it was quite clear the Chiefs would not be extending Ford long term. There seemed to be no way he could ever be part of the team, or accepted by the fans, ever again, and the Chiefs correctly traded him.
San Francisco gave Ford a mega contract and has essentially regretted it since then. Ford has just two starts in two seasons in the Bay Area, and has been injured/inactive for 20 regular season games. He has just 6.5 sacks as a member of the Niners.