Four loud statements made by Kansas City Chiefs on an international stage
By Matt Conner
Trent McDuffie is the next great Chiefs player
The Chiefs have had more than their fair share of truly great players in the last decade under head coach Andy Reid. Travis Kelce is a future first-ballot Hall of Fame player. Tyreek Hill looks like he will join Kelce in Canton as well. Patrick Mahomes is the reigning Most Valuable Player, while Chris Jones is a superstar defensive tackle rated among the NFL's top 10 players by a player vote.
Which player is the next to join them at that level? A great case can be made for cornerback Trent McDuffie.
The Chiefs' defense is emerging as the league's best this season and it's filled with young players at every level, but McDuffie is quickly becoming the true impact player without any real weakness. One of two first-round choices in the 2022 NFL Draft, McDuffie missed the first half of his rookie year with a hamstring injury but quickly settled in as an important and instinctive pass defender in the season's second half.
This year, McDuffie has taken a very clear leap forward with some real experience in his back pocket. He's fluid and mirrors defenders just as quickly as they make their move. While he's not as lengthy as others like L'Jarius Sneed or Joshua Williams, McDuffie has always played much bigger than his actual stature going back to his days at Washington.
On Sunday, he forced a fumble that eventually led to a touchdown for safety Bryan Cook, which pushed the game out of reach from Miami late in the first half. Through the season's first half, he 's already forced four fumbles on the year and has deflected another 4 passes even as QBs try to avoid him in coverage.
McDuffie is a true lockdown corner who will undoubtedly make his first Pro Bowl this season and should soon enter the list of truly great players on the Chiefs.