Getty Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Willie Gay Jr. and Atlanta Falcons quarterback Desmond Ridder.
The Atlanta Falcons were the first team to take a quarterback on Day 2 of the 2022 NFL Draft. In the third round with the 74th overall pick, Atlanta selected Cincinnati quarterback Desmond Ridder. Ridder would be the second quarterback taken overall in the draft, with University of Pittsburgh’s Kenny Pickett being selected 20th overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Expectations in terms of having an immediate impact in the NFL will be rather low for Ridder, especially since the Falcons also have former first-round pick Marcus Mariota on the roster as well. However, that didn’t stop Ridder from making a bold claim about his plans with Atlanta.
“They’re gonna get a Super Bowl out of me,” Ridder told ABC after being drafted. “A Super Bowl out of me… I’m not leaving until I get a Super Bowl.”
“They’re going to get everything out of me. A Super Bowl out of me… I’m not leaving until I get a Super Bowl” – Desmond Ridder #Falcons
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Willie Gay Jr. Roasts Ridder for Bold Claim
Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Willie Gay Jr. responded to Ridder’s comments, posting a GIF of actor Will Smith that reads, “That’s some funny s#!t”
Other Twitter users reacted to Gay’s Tweet.
“Now willie i was always told if u aint got something nice to say lol,” one Twitter user wrote.
@WillieG___ Now willie i was always told if u aint got something nice to say lol
“Willie, watch out. Travis gonna be after you for dragging his boy from Cincy,” another user wrote about Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, who also attended the University of Cincinnati.
@WillieG___ Willie, watch out. Travis gonna be after you for dragging his boy from Cincy 😂
“Willie you didn’t have to do him like that lmao,” another user wrote.
@WillieG___ Willie you didn’t have to do him like that lmao
Chiefs’ Home Opener Revealed
In other Chiefs-related news, the NFL announced on Day 1 of the NFL draft that Kansas City’s home opener will be against the division-rival Los Angeles Chargers in Week 2 at Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday Night Football on September 15. The game will be aired on Amazon Prime, as well as a local over-the-air affiliate in Kansas City.
Home opener. Thursday Night Football. First game on @NFLonPrime.
This is gonna be fun 🔥 #TNFonPrime
With Kansas City’s first home game revealed, we now must wait until May 12 to find out when they will face the remainder of their opponents. The other home games for the Chiefs next season will be against the Las Vegas Raiders, Denver Broncos, Jacksonville Jaguars, Tennessee Titans, Los Angeles Rams, Seattle Seahawks, and Buffalo Bills.
Kansas City’s 2022 away games will be against the Raiders, Chargers, Broncos, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts, San Francisco 49ers, Arizona Cardinals, Cincinnati Bengals, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Chiefs Re-Hire Former KC Coach, Ex-NFL Player
The Chiefs have brought one of their former coaches back into the fold. The AFC West champions hired Rod Wilson back in March, according to the Chiefs Wire’s Charles Goldman.
Wilson’s NFL journey began as a player. He was a seventh-round draft pick of the Chicago Bears in 2005 and would end his six-year NFL stint having played 51 games with the Bears and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, gathering 47 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 1 forced fumble, per Pro Football Reference. He also played in four playoff games, including 2 NFC Championship appearances in 2006 and 2010 with Chicago.
Once he hung up his cleats, Wilson started his coaching career at Charleston Southern, where he spent four seasons from 2013 to 2016 coaching safeties, inside linebacker, and assisted with special teams, according to the Chiefs website. In 2017, Wilson joined Kansas City’s coaching staff as a special teams assistant under coordinator Dave Toub, who was Wilson’s special teams coordinator during Wilson’s time in Chicago as a player.
Wilson remained in his role with the Chiefs until 2020, which is when he left the program to coach linebackers at South Carolina, his alma mater. During the 2021 season, he coached inside linebackers at Coastal Carolina.
Chiefs 2022 Coaching Staff Changes
Kansas City’s coaching staff has had several changes this offseason. The Chiefs lost quarterbacks coach Mike Kafka, who joined the New York Giants’ coaching staff as an offensive coordinator. He was then replaced by former Kansas City offensive coordinator and Bears head coach Matt Nagy, who re-joined the Chiefs’ staff as a senior assistant/quarterbacks coach in late February.
Defensive line coach Brendan Daley switched to coaching linebackers along with his duties as the run game coordinator after Matt House left to become the defensive coordinator for LSU. To replace Daley, Kansas City hired the Jacksonville Jaguars 2021 defensive coordinator, Joe Cullen, as the defensive line coach.
Cornerbacks/secondary coach Sam Madison joined Miami Dolphins coaching staff as a cornerbacks coach/pass game specialist in February. Madison played for the Dolphins from 1997 to 2005, earning four Pro Bowl nods in that timeframe, per Pro Football Reference.