The Kansas City Chiefs found ways to improve their defense last offseason, upgrading their personnel and coaching staff.
The addition of former Giants and Dolphins cornerback Sam Madison to their coaching staff was quite helpful. The former Pro Bowl defensive back joined the Chiefs staff as an assistant under Steve Spagnuolo, immediately shaping the Super Bowl-winning cornerback group in Kansas City. During Thursday’s press conference with reporters, Madison shared his thoughts on working with Chiefs starting cornerback Charvarius Ward last season and how he can progress moving forward.
“Understanding his strengths and his weaknesses, and he was able to display it,” Madison said of Ward. “He was able to take criticism of it when he wasn’t doing good and when he was doing great, he was able to continue to fight through the high points when he was getting the praise. Now he’s got to put it all together. He’s going into his third year, he’s gotten the reps. That was the great part about it, getting those guys the reps to understand, to see, to know what the route concept is. Tyrann [Mathieu] he’s played a lot of football games. He understands route concepts, what people want to do. Just getting these guys to understand how to study film was one of the great things that Coach Merritt was able to implement with these guys and now they understand why we’re doing certain things. Just clearing up the technique.”
Ward finished the 2019 season with two interceptions, and 74 combined tackles starting all sixteen regular-season games. Madison played eleven seasons in the league earning two first-team all-pro selections before retiring in 2008. He earned a Super Bowl ring playing under Spagnuolo with the New York Giants in 2007. Madison’s experience provides a unique understanding of exactly how Ward can elevate his game heading into the 2020 season.
“His confidence is very high,” Madison said. “Now there’s going to be a lot of expectations placed on him just because of the way that he played last year. We didn’t understand and know exactly but he went out there. . . and he showed up. Game in and game out, but he has to do it consistently. That’s what growing up in the NFL and getting to the next level is all about. In perfect position throughout the course of the season in plays, but ended up with pass breakups. He has to come down with those turnovers and making those big plays down the field. He made a few last year, and it was the opportunity in game situations for him to really understand how to make those plays. But with him getting all the reps that he got last year and all the different calls that we’ve made, now Coach Spags, because he understands the system, will be able to put some little spins on different stuff. And these guys can go out there and still play fast and execute the defense at a high level.”
Charvarius Ward with a one-handed interception in the end zone! 😮
(via @Chiefs) pic.twitter.com/d885XFNzVI
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 13, 2019
Ward has come a long way from his first start against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 16 of the 2018 season. After an encouraging 2019 season in Kansas City, the Chiefs are expecting improved ball production and better awareness of route concepts out of Ward. Madison seems excited about the anticipated progression of his game in 2020.
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