Tag: andy heck

Chiefs Andy Heck supports young offensive tackles through struggles: ‘Handling it like a pro’

Kansas City #Chiefs offensive line coach Andy Heck supports young offensive tackles through struggles: ‘Handling it like a pro’ | @EdEastonJr

During Thursday’s press conference, Kansas City Chiefs offensive line coach Andy Heck opened up about his young options at left tackle. He praised Wanya Morris’ performance in relief of D.J. Humphries during the fourth quarter of the team’s Week 14 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.

“Yeah, I thought he handled that whole situation like a pro. From the moment we talked to him about what our plans were and our intentions were, he approached it the right way. (He) went out, and as a young player, he’s continuing to work, as we all are, to get better. I thought he did that. And then when he was called on, I mean, you got to be ready. You know, things happen. He stepped in. I thought he did a good job.”

Heck also praised his other young left tackle, Kingsley Suamataia, who was inactive in Week 14.

“Also handling it like a pro, a young pro, but he’s working very hard every day, and I’m seeing some improvement out of him,” said Heck. “I really like both of our young tackles, their ability and how they’re working right now.”

Humphries is the accomplished veteran in the locker room, but it’s promising to see Heck with high praise for the embattled young left tackles this season.

Chiefs assistant coach reportedly leaving staff for college football job

Kansas City #Chiefs assistant coach Terry Bradden reportedly leaving staff for college football job | @EdEastonJr

The postseason is only a few weeks away, and the Kansas City Chiefs will attempt to become the first NFL team to win three consecutive Super Bowls. After this journey, they will likely lose a member of their coaching staff on defense.

According to a report from ESPN’s Pete Thamel, The Nebraska Cornhuskers are set to hire Chiefs assistant defensive line coach Terry Bradden as the school’s new defensive line coach. Bradden has been with Kansas City for eight seasons, the last four of which were as an assistant under defensive line coach Joe Cullen. The move would be for the next college football season, as Bradden is expected to stay on for Kansas City’s postseason run.

Bradden has contributed to Kansas City’s defensive growth during his tenure, working with different groups before settling in with the defensive line. The unit has become a top group in the league after humble beginnings and struggles in the late 2010s. He was a trusted member of defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s staff, which has helped develop standouts such as Chris Jones, Mike Danna, Tershawn Wharton, and George Karlaftis, to name a few.

Bradden will join Nebraska’s staff, led by head coach Matt Rhule. Rhule recently served as head coach of the Carolina Panthers from 2020 to 2022. Nebraska will take on Boston College at Yankee Stadium in New York for this year’s Pinstripe Bowl.

Chiefs plan to play multiple left tackles on Sunday night vs. Falcons

Kansas City #Chiefs plan to play multiple left tackles on Sunday night vs. Atlanta #Falcons | @EdEastonJr

The Sunday night matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Atlanta Falcons will feature a different look for the offense. Following the noticeable struggles at left tackle during last week’s victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, changes are planned for Week 3.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid expressed his plan to play Kingsley Suamataia and Wanya Morris at left tackle vs. The Falcons during Friday’s press conference.

“The two tackles will both have an opportunity to get in there this game. The left tackles,” said Reid, “We’ll see how it goes as we roll. They’re both ready to go.”

Suamataia’s performance heavily influenced the decision. The rookie allowed five total pressures, including two sacks, and drew three flags against the Bengals. Morris replaced the rookie in the fourth quarter.

“In the second half, he (Kingsley Suamataia) had a couple (of) breakdowns in technique, and he had one or two mental errors there,” said offensive line coach Andy Heck on Thursday. “I think it was earlier in the game that those occurred, but stuff that he was able to look at, we’re able to make corrections in our meeting, and stuff he’s working on this week.”

No official word on the number of snaps for each player on Sunday night was available, as the number could be based on initial performances throughout the game.

Chiefs OC Matt Nagy discusses the competition for starting left tackle spot

Matt Nagy shared his thoughts about the battle for Kansas City’s starting left tackle spot during a press conference at #Chiefs training camp | @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs are moving closer to their first preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars next week. Multiple starting spots are up for grabs, so plenty of eyes will be focused on the performances of specific players.

After Thursday’s practice, Chiefs offensive coordinator Matt Nagy spoke with reporters about the ongoing training camp competition for the startling left tackle position.

“So far, it’s a healthy competition,” Nagy explained. “I think the guys have had great attitudes. Again, I’m going to keep going back to that word opportunity. (In the) Next several weeks, they’re going to get opportunities to prove who should be that guy at left tackle.”

Kingsley Suamataia has earned praise early since OTAs for his skills and physicality in the trenches. He’s considered a strong candidate to become a rookie starter, but it will take more than flashes at camp to convince the coaching staff.

“It’s incremental,” Nagy said. “It’s not one play. So if a guy goes out and has a great play in protection or the run game, he’s got to do that over and over again, consistency. So, if you can be consistent with doing what we’re looking for with Coach (Andy) Heck and Corey Matthaei, teach him schematically what Coach (Andy) Reid wants. If you can do that consistently, it’s never going to be perfect.”

Wanya Morris started most of the games at left tackle late last season in relief of an injured Donovan Smith. He received mixed reviews for his rookie performance in big spots.

“They’re both young,” Nagy continued. “We understand that, and I think we’re all lucky that we have a quarterback and Patrick (Mahomes) who has phenomenal pocket awareness, especially at left tackle on your blind side.”

Each preseason matchup will be ideal for determining which player has the advantage, as Kansas City could use various lineups each game.

Former Notre Dame great wins Super Bowl as assistant coach

Andy Heck had one…heck of a football career as a player. Now the former Notre Dame great has won two Super Bowls as an assistant coach!

Was it defensive holding or was it not? Should a flag have been thrown?  That’s what everyone is asking this Monday after the Kansas City Chiefs took advantage of the extended Super Bowl halftime to get Patrick Mahomes healthy to continue playing and find a flaw in the Eagles defense.

As a result the Chiefs won their second Super Bowl in the last four years after appearing in their third in that time. Congratulations are in order for former Notre Dame great and 1988 national champion Andy Heck as well.  Heck is the Chiefs’ offensive line coach, a position he has held since 2013.

Heck clearly had a big halftime as the entire game changed and the Chiefs were able to move ball far more effectively after the break. Part of that was Mahomes getting nursed back to health, but another part was in handling the Eagles incredible pressure.

This is the second Super Bowl Heck has won as an offensive line coach, the first coming in the 2019 season with the Chiefs.  Heck starred for the Irish as a member of the ’88 champions before becoming a first-round pick of the Seahawks and ultimately playing 12 seasons in the NFL.

Below are a few of the best photos of Andy Heck through the years:

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Super Bowl LVII: How the Chiefs erased the Eagles’ NFL-best pass rush

How did the Chiefs erase the Eagles’ NFL-best pass rush in Super Bowl LVII? Great performances, and a lot of help from Philly DC Jonathan Gannon.

Without question, the one matchup in Super Bowl LVII that seemed to favor one team at the expense of the other was the Philadelphia Eagles’ outside pass rush against Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackles Orlando Brown Jr. and Andrew Wylie. The Eagles had three different edge-rushers (Haason Reddick, Brandon Graham, Josh Sweat) with more than 10 sacks on the season, and no tackles had allowed more total pressures on the season than Brown with 56, and Wylie with 53.

But in this 38-35 Chiefs win, Mahomes wasn’t sacked once on 27 passing attempts. The Eagles had five quarterback hits, and there were pressures that ended Kansas City drives, but this was one of just six games this season that Mahomes was not sacked.

“It’s historical,” Brown said after the game. “What we’ve been able to do is historical. “Credit to [head] Coach [Andy] Reid, credit to [offensive line] Coach [Andy] Heck, Pat, all the receivers in hand-to-hand, it’s historical what this front five was able to do. Pat winning MVP, and I’m standing here as a Super Bowl champion… I mean, it’s the work we put in.”

Historical might be a bit of a stretch, but it was undeniably impressive. How did it happen? Mahomes’ clean jersey resulted from a combination of the Chiefs doing things the right way, and the Eagles’ defense, led by defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, going away from the things that made them so effective all season long.

Chiefs OL coach Andy Heck provides update on OT Lucas Niang

The #Chiefs have been easing OT Lucas Niang back following a major knee injury last season. Here’s the latest on his progress from OL coach Andy Heck:

The Kansas City Chiefs activated OT Lucas Niang from the reserve/PUP list back on Nov. 23. The third-round draft pick in 2020 out of TCU suffered a serious knee injury in Week 17 of the 2021 NFL season and was placed on injured reserve.

Niang has been working his way back to health ever since, working to get his knee healthy, but also losing weight and getting fit. The Chiefs have taken the cautious approach of easing him back into action in his return to the active roster. While Niang was activated ahead of the Week 12 tilt with the Los Angeles Rams, he hasn’t returned to the starting lineup for Kansas City quite yet.

The 6-6 and 315-pound tackle has played special teams in each of the last three games with 17 total snaps as a protector on field goals and extra points. In Week 13 against the Bengals — the same team he injured his knee against — Niang got his first snap on offense as an extra blocker.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Chiefs OL coach Andy Heck provided an update on the progress he’s seen from Niang in his return to action.

“It’s good to have Lucas (Niang) back and working,” Heck told reporters on Wednesday. “I think he looks great. One of the things that we love about him is his athleticism, especially for such a big man. His feet look tremendous, his pass sets – he’s picked up right where he’s left off, he’s stayed into it mentally and been in all of our meetings, (he’s) a super sharp guy. I like the work that he’s been putting in, (he) looks good.”

The Chiefs aren’t expected to make any changes at the offensive tackle position in the immediate future, despite the high number of pressures surrendered by their starters at left and right tackle. Niang figures to be depth at the position for the time being. He has been working consistently as the second-team right tackle in pre-game warmups since his return from injury.

In the long term, there still seems to be faith from the front office and coaching staff that Niang can be a quality starter. It’s just a matter of staying healthy and getting the opportunity to show it.

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Darian Kinnard’s future with Chiefs could be at guard position

#Chiefs offensive line coach Andy Heck provided an intriguing update on rookie Darian Kinnard’s growth this season.

Kansas City Chiefs OL coach Andy Heck provided an intriguing update on rookie OL Darian Kinnard on Thursday.

Coming out of the 2022 NFL draft, the sense seemed to be that the team would start Kinnard at the position he played in college (right tackle) and go from there. While other NFL clubs told him they viewed him as a guard, the Chiefs wanted to at least give Kinnard a shot at tackle. He received the majority of his snaps during the offseason program at right tackle, but he always knew in the back of his mind he had to be prepared to play any spot.

On the team’s opening depth chart, Kinnard was listed as a second-string right tackle behind Andrew Wylie. He still hasn’t moved from that spot on the depth chart, but with the return of Lucas Niang, Heck says that Kinnard has been getting more and more work at the guard position.

“(Darian) Kinnard, really has grown – we’ve seen him grow,” Heck said. “He played the tackle position and then we’ve been getting him some more guard work. I think he’s got that kind of flex to whether he can play either or, but he’s taken to that guard position in there and looks great.”

Kinnard has contributed the least amount of the Chiefs’ rookie draft class, with just six snaps on special teams so far this season, but that doesn’t mean he’s not making good progress. Given Heck’s comments, it sounds like Kinnard’s future with the team might be on the interior offensive line, with the ability to flex out and play tackle in a pinch. A role that is reminiscent of what Andrew Wylie played for the team prior to his promotion to right tackle.

It’d likely take a few injuries for Kinnard to see the field this season, but with both Joe Thuney and Trey Smith dinged up at various points of the year, it’s good to have the rookie on his toes and ready to contribute.

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Chiefs rookie Darian Kinnard is preparing to play multiple offensive line positions

#Chiefs rookie OL Darian Kinnard says he’s preparing to play any position on the offensive line, including left tackle. | from @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs made an effort to provide depth at several positions this offseason. The majority of players drafted in April were on the defensive side of the ball, with a few exceptions.

Darian Kinnard, a fifth-round draft pick out of the University of Kentucky, was one of those exceptions. He boasts impressive size and quickness, but he played the right tackle position for the majority of his career. In the NFL with the Chiefs, Kinnard is preparing to play multiple positions along the offensive line.

Versatility is always needed, and according to Kinnard, he’s no exception.

“I’ve just got to be prepared to play any position,” said Kinnard. “I got reps there at right (tackle). But who knows, he could come to me tomorrow since we don’t have a left tackle right now. . . So I’m just out here working whatever position he wants me to walk in and get ready.”

The current situation with Pro Bowl left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. has opened up opportunities for Kinnard to potentially fill in at left tackle. With only rookies and select veterans in attendance during the early portions of training camp, Kinnard has taken repetitions at both tackle and guard spots.

“I mean, right now, I’m playing whatever position I need to play at,” said Kinnard. “Coach (Andy) Heck, put in my head, you know, get reps at either. I’m not going to be very valuable if I only play one position. If I’m only specified at one position, he wants to have the confidence to come up to me at the end of the day and say, ‘Play guard.’ I’ll play guard. But just learning, one day at a time.”

Kinnard is a prospect that could see plenty of time on the field in relief or as a starter should he perform well in training camp. If Brown Jr. holds out, it could open an opportunity for Kinnard as he continues to grow and learn.

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2 Chiefs assistant coaches to miss Week 13 vs. Broncos due to COVID protocols

#Chiefs OL coach Andy Heck and defensive quality control coach Alex Whittingham will miss Week 13 against the #Broncos due to the NFL’s COVID protocols.

The Kansas City Chiefs will be missing a pair of assistant coaches when they face the Denver Broncos on “Sunday Night Football” in Week 13. The team announced on Saturday that both offensive line coach Andy Heck and defensive quality control coach Alex Whittingham will miss the game after being placed in the league’s COVID-19 protocols.

Heck is in his ninth season as the offensive line coach in Kansas City. He’ll be replaced by assistant offensive line coach Corey Matthaei, who is currently in his fourth season in that role. It’ll be something to monitor given the situation at right tackle with Lucas Niang ruled out of the game. Matthaei could have to make some personnel decisions during the game.

As for Whittingham, the team says his responsibilities will be absorbed by multiple members of the defensive staff.  He is in his third season as a defensive quality control coach and his fourth season with the team.

This is the first time this season that any coaches will have missed a game for Kansas City due to COVID or otherwise. Chiefs HC Andy Reid commented on his staff and their vaccination rate back in July.

“100 percent of the staff, they’ve all been vaccinated,” Reid said. “So that’s a positive.”

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