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Kansas City Chiefs DE Breeland Speaks has a whole new mindset going into the 2020 NFL season.
Last time we saw Speaks, he was thriving during training camp and preseason in Steve Spagnuolo’s defense, which better fit his skillset. In Week 2 of the preseason against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Speaks suffered a knee injury, which included a sprained MCL and a meniscus tear. The injury ended his season. It was his first major injury, not just in his professional career either. The injury and the burden that came with it provided a new lease on life, motivating him to change his habits.
“This was actually my first major injury ever,” Speaks told reporters on Sunday. “I just learned a lot about myself. Of course, guys go through different things. It was just a constant deal of wanting to get back. It was my first time being hurt so of course it hurt not being out there with the guys, not being in the locker room with them, and not being able to chop it up with everyone. That’s motivated me to want to work harder and get back. This offseason, I basically went back to doing what I used to do. I got back with my old trainer from seventh grade and we hit it like we used to back then. I wound up losing a lot of weight from it. So, I’d say I had a pretty good offseason.”
Speaks is hoping that getting back out there will be just like riding a bicycle. He’s still working out the timing of his pass rushes and building a plan. He’s been out of the game for a long time, nearly a year now. Because of that, he’s focusing on the details so that he can best match expectations in his third year.
“I’m feeling pretty good out here,” Speaks said. “I’m just trying to get adjusted back into the game. I was away for about a year now, so I’m just trying to get reacclimated to all of the things. Get those small things down. I’m just trying to be a better player right now. I want to make sure everything is being done the right way.”
It’s not just the injury that motivates Speaks for the 2020 NFL season. He’ll receive a Super Bowl ring from the Chiefs’ victory in Super Bowl LIV, but it feels hollow. It’s as if he didn’t earn it because he didn’t play in the Super Bowl or any game along the way to it. His motivation to Run It Back is different than many other players on the team.
“Right now, I just want to make sure I have the calls and stuff down,” Speaks explained. “I want to make sure that I’m doing things right. I just want to make sure that I’m a better football player. That’s just the urgency I have right now.”
With the defensive end position group as competitive as it has ever been in Kansas City, it’s crucial that Speaks get the little things right during training camp. He’ll let his work do the talking and prove that he’s a better football player than he was a year ago.
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