Kansas City Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes praised former Wisconsin Badgers linebacker Leo Chenal after his game-clinching field goal block on Sunday.
Shortly after Chenal blocked Denver Broncos’ kicker Will Lutz’s 35-yard field goal attempt to clinch the Chiefs’ 15th consecutive victory, Mahomes took to the podium and had this to say about his teammate:
“He’s extremely strong,” Mahomes said. “He’s got the strength of a [defensive] lineman, but he plays the linebacker position. You don’t want to be with that guy when he’s working out. We call him John Cena.”
Mahomes isn’t far off. At 6-foot-3, Chenal has 250 pounds of pure muscle. After starting 10 games in 2023, the UW alumnus has morphed into one of defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s most lethal assets.
Through eight games this season, he has posted 33 total tackles, 22 solo tackles and three pass deflections. Defensive lineman Chris Jones and cornerback Trent McDuffie might grab the weekly headlines, but Chenal is unquestionably the most versatile player on Spagnuolo’s side of the ball.
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In terms of what the entire Chiefs defense provides, Fox Sports ranks the group as the No. 5 unit across the NFL with 293.6 yards per game and 16 touchdowns relinquished.
Kansas City will look to showcase that type of prowess in its highly-anticipated Week 11 game against Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills on Nov. 17.