When the Kansas City Chiefs suited up to face the Miami Dolphins in Week 14, fans believed they were set to get an extended look at rookie linebacker Willie Gay Jr. on defense. In limited opportunities on the season, he’s flashed superior athleticism and playmaking ability — the type that you don’t keep on the sidelines.
The second-round draft pick by the Chiefs appeared to be next in line to fill in for injured linebacker Damien Wilson. Andy Reid even suggested as much during his final press conference of the week. When the dust settled Gay got the start but played just 17 defensive snaps, giving way to veteran Ben Niemann, who played 90% of the defensive snaps.
Following the game, Chiefs DB Tyrann Mathieu was asked of Gay’s development and whether he thought that he rose to the occasion in Week 14. His response should encourage Chiefs fans anxiously awaiting a larger role for the rookie.
“He’s a mature young man,” Mathieu said of Gay. “I’m so impressed with him and really his character. Not everything has gone his way this season, pretty sure he wanted to be a day one starter, but he just kept his head down. He’s always prepared at meetings, coach is calling on him, he always knows what to do, he always knows the answer. And I think that’s all you can ask from a young player is a guy that’s just committed to the team and I think Willie (Gay) shows that each and every week.”
It doesn’t appear to be for a lack of effort, mastery and smarts that Gay Jr. isn’t getting on the field more often. It’s just a matter of a rookie waiting for his time to come and it hasn’t yet. When it does, he’ll have to seize the day.
As for the outlook for the future, Mathieu is optimistic that Chiefs fans will see the results of Gay’s labors soon.
“It’s going to take, for guys like me and Chris (Jones) and Frank (Clark) and (Anthony) Hitchens to step up and continue to encourage him,” Mathieu continued. “Because I truly believe at some point in the season he’s going to make some big plays for us, and he’s going to be one of those guys we lean on, especially going forward.”
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