How much is too much? If you’re a member of Chiefs Kingdom, you’re just fine with seeing the number of accolades for Kansas City Chiefs center Creed Humphrey continue to roll in throughout the regular season. Given the trajectory of both player and team, we should anticipate plenty more in the weeks and months to come.
We’re pretty sure an offensive lineman will never win Offensive Rookie of the Year in the National Football League, but we’d love to see Humphrey get at least a few votes because he’s been the most consistent first-year performer in the league. While others have had their moments, like wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase of the Cincinnati Bengals or quarterback Mac Jones of the New England Patriots, the truth is that Humphrey has excelled from Week 1 with few mistakes made along the way in each of the Chiefs’ 12 games.
Despite the lack of major hardware likely to come his way, Humphrey is still turning heads at his position. Pro Football Focus has been banging the drum for Humphrey’s excellent work all season long and their latest celebration is by naming him as their starting center on their 2021 All-Pro team built through the third quarter.
The Kansas City Chiefs front office continues to receive pats on the back for their work in bringing in Creed Humphrey.
Humphrey earned the nod over Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, who was named “second team” in this exercise. About Humphrey, PFF’s Sam Monson wrote:
"While Humphrey was the 63rd overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, there arguably hasn’t been a better first-year player at any position so far. He has allowed just nine pressures in 12 games while putting up by far the best PFF run-blocking grade (93.5) of any center — rookie or otherwise. The Chiefs’ offense may not be firing on all cylinders this season, but the unit has a major upgrade at center over a season ago."
The Chiefs grabbed both linebacker Nick Bolton and Creed Humphrey in the second round of the draft, and the pick for the latter was actually grabbed in the trade with the Baltimore Ravens to also nab Orlando Brown Jr. That means the Chiefs grabbed their franchise left tackle and center in exchange for their first-round pick and change.
Together with veteran Joe Thuney and rookie Trey Smith, Humphrey helps form the NFL’s best young interior—a unit that should be around for the next five seasons in Kansas City (or more).