Getty Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie (#22).
The Kansas City Chiefs’ defense wouldn’t be elite this season if there wasn’t improvement from the unit’s young playmakers across the board.
But according to PFF, the player that has shown the most improvement this season on either side of the football in Kansas City is second-year cornerback, Trent McDuffie.
“McDuffie showed plenty of promise during his rookie season but really broke out in 2023,” PFF’s Zoltan Buday wrote on January 26. “He has earned an 83.3 PFF grade, including the playoffs, which ranks fifth among cornerbacks. McDuffie essentially played a different position in 2023, moving from primarily outside to the slot cornerback and rushing the passer 65 times, which was the second most among cornerbacks in 2023.”
McDuffie’s ability to seamlessly slide into the slot has allowed cornerback L’Jarius Sneed to travel with opposing teams’ No. 1 receiver this season. As a result, Sneed has consistently shut down the opposing team’s top receiver, which is part of why Kansas City’s defense is one of the best units in the NFL.
McDuffie was named an AP first team All-Pro for his efforts this season. Sneed was snubbed from the first team and second team All-Pro rosters.
Andy Reid Talks Chiefs’ Elite Defense
Kansas City’s defense continued its dominant stretch of play against the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship.
Against quarterback Lamar Jackson and the Ravens offense, the Chiefs’ defense surrendered just 10 points, sacked Jackson 4 times, forced 3 turnovers (2 fumbles, 1 interception), and held the No. 1 rushing attack in the NFL during the regular season to just 81 yards on the ground.
The Chiefs-Ravens game marked the second time this postseason that Kansas City’s defense has held a team to 10 or fewer points in a game (held the Miami Dolphins to 7 points in the AFC Wild-Card Round).
Speaking to the media on January 29, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid was asked about defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo — whose play-calling has been a key part of the defense’s success — and the importance of him being on the staff.
“I mean that was important. We have a history together, so I knew what to expect and where he (Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo) would go with things,” Reid explained during his press conference. “He had a young bunch and an older group that was tremendous for us, but they kind of aged out, then we had this influx of new young guys that what he did with them was great – of teaching. All of his guys did that, they did a great job of teaching, and the kids were receptive to it, and you’re seeing the rewards of that now.”
Big Red Compares 2023 Defense to Others
Reid was also asked how this season’s Chiefs defense stacks up against some of the other defenses he has had during his coaching career.
“Is it one of the better defenses [I’ve ever had]? Yeah, I’d say it’s one of the better defenses that I’ve been around,” Reid said. “We had some real good ones in Philadelphia and some of the early defenses here, I don’t want to slight those guys, they did a nice job for us. Surely, this is a defense that has helped guide this team along as the offense was growing and now that both are playing well, that’s a tribute to everybody involved. What Steve has done and then what (Offensive Coordinator Matt) Nags has done on the offensive side helping them grow.”