KC Chiefs defense has turned it around on all levels

The young linebacker corps is delivering

Similarly, skill position players of the defense have found their rhythm and are playing with fire and intensity. The current linebacker group is the best the Chiefs have had in years. While Anthony Hitchens‘ return has certainly helped, the young duo of Willie Gay Jr. and Nick Bolton has been essential to the overall success of the defense. They have showcased their athleticism at a position that the Chiefs have been lacking for a long time.

Gay has utilized his 4.46 speed to fly all over the field and has been instrumental in both running and passing scenarios. In only his sophomore season, Gay has built upon a solid rookie showing and appears to be developing at an incredible pace. He consistently chooses the right angles and has proven to be more than capable of covering receivers and running backs. His success against the pass has been noticed by his peers, earning him the nickname “Sticky”, a fitting name for a player with that type of closing speed.

Meanwhile, despite being a rookie Bolton has wreaked havoc against opposing running backs and is among the league’s leaders in tackles for loss or no gain. The injury to Hitchens early in the year forced defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo to play Bolton early, and he has made the most of his opportunities. Bolton has proven to be a great tackler and usually brings the opposition down in the backfield. His consistent play earned his the becoming the Defensive Rookie of the Month in October in which he tallied up 32 tackles with 7 being for losses.