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Andy Heck has been with the Kansas City Chiefs as their offensive line coach since 2013. He was brought in by Andy Reid and has been an integral part of the resurgence of the Chiefs.
Coach Heck recently shared some insights on how the offensive line has grown this offseason and how the newest additions, Mike Remmers and Kelechi Osemele, are performing.
“Brett Veach and his staff of course always do a great job of bringing us quality football players, guys who are going to be competitive,” Heck told reporters on Thursday. “The thing that I love about these two players is you have experience, they’ve played a lot of good football, and both of them love football. I think if you asked the team here, it’s that we’re collecting guys who love to play football
“I’m really impressed. I’ve been a big fan of his just watching him play. He’s a very physical football player. As I mentioned earlier, he’s a guy who loves the game. It’s obvious to everyone who watches him. That’s infectious and it’s great for our group. He’s fitting in terrifically.”
Starting left tackle Eric Fisher has played his entire career with Coach Heck. Fisher recently suffered a concussion and is currently in the NFL’s concussion protocol which has raised some questions about the versatility and depth of the offensive line.
“Rick [Burkholder] is working with the Fish,” Heck said. “We’ll get him back whenever he’s ready and whenever that is, he’s working there at the left tackle spot. We’ve got some young guys working at the tackle spot in Greg Senat and Jackson Barton. We also have other guys who have positional flexibility. That’s something that I really like to train into guys whether they’re playing guard or tackle. We’re just looking for the best five, best seven, the guys who are going to make this roster”
New guys playing in new places is typically something that takes time, especially among offensive linemen, due to the constant communication it takes for success.
“You definitely need to build chemistry and trust between O-linemen,” Heck explained. “I view it maybe a little differently than some because I feel like we’re all in this rowboat together, we’re all pulling in one direction, we need to get to know every guy in that room. Whether I’m playing left guard or right tackle, it doesn’t really matter to me, I’m going to be combination blocking with somebody, I need to get to know all of these guys.
“I really believe in building versatility and not making a big deal out of that. We have a good group of guys that love to play ball together, they don’t flinch when you say, ‘hey, go work over there, go work over here.’ It’s the next man up. That’s what I love about this group.”
While Osemele and Remmers are improving every day with their new team, Andrew Wylie is embarking on his third season with the Chiefs. The young lineman has been a staple of the offensive line, on the interior and even at tackle, throughout his time.
“I’ve been a big fan of Andrew’s since he got here,” Heck said. “The guy shows versatility, toughness, and he’s gotten better every year that he’s been here. We’ve got him working in there at guard and he’s off to a good start, along with some other guys. He’s now a couple of years into our system, he’s played a lot of ball for us. I feel like he’s picking up the finer points, but he’s off and running and off to a great start.”
Coach Heck’s son, Charlie, who played his college ball for North Carolina, was drafted by the Houston Texans in the 2020 NFL Draft. It is always a proud moment for a father who played in the league for as long as Andy Heck did to see his son’s dreams realized. The Chiefs open up the season against Houston in Kansas City which should be a big moment for the Heck family.
“Charlie is off to a good start there in Houston,” Heck said. “I ask him to give me one play you’d want to have over again, so I just do a little bit of coaching there. He’s got great coaches down there. I’m looking forward to competing against him. My wife is going to be a bit nervous, but I’m looking forward to it.”
The offensive line play is more important than ever with a rookie running back and the importance of keeping Patrick Mahomes healthy. The Chiefs offense likes to move guys around and put playmakers in the best possible scenario to succeed. The offensive line under Heck’s tutelage has the same approach and mentality.
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