Tag: Jaden Hicks

Chiefs DB Jaden Hicks explains the failed fake punt attempt vs. 49ers: ‘That didn’t work out’ 

Kansas City #Chiefs defensive back Jaden Hicks explains the failed fake punt attempt vs. the San Francisco #49ers: ‘That didn’t work out’ | @EdEastonJr

Kansas City Chiefs rookie defensive back Jaden Hicks addressed with reporters on Wednesday the failed fake punt attempt against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 7.

“Yeah. So throughout the week, we’ve been planning if it was a fourth and one, then we’re gonna run that fake,” said Hicks. “So the fourth and one came, and we decided to run it, but they clogged up the middle pretty much. And so, yeah, that didn’t work out too good.”

Hicks was unable to get any push when he received the ball on the fake and was immediately smothered by 49ers defenders. The turnover on downs occurred in the first quarter, stalling Kansas City’s drive.

“As soon as he said, it like, we’re running deep, that play, and I’m like, okay, so we had to get it,” said Hicks. “yeah, just seeing everything was closed up in the middle, that’s where the play was designed.”

The rookie redeemed himself with a clutch interception and was one of three on the day against Brock Purdy. The young defensive back continues to earn the trust of the coaching staff.

Chiefs HC Andy Reid discusses handling the rookie wall: ‘We try to manage that the best we can’

Kansas City #Chiefs head coach Andy Reid discusses handling the rookie wall: ‘We try to manage that the best we can’ | @EdEastonJr

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid held his weekly Zoom press conference with reporters on Monday. He revealed his thoughts on dealing with the common rookie wall with this year’s class.

“Yeah, there is a rookie wall that the guys can hit at times. We try to manage that the best we can,” said Reid. “We’ve had pretty good success with it with the young guys where we can kind of get them through that phase, but the guys are – they’re working hard, they’re contributing in the games. Then, we’ll just – as the college season goes on, I’m always – you start getting around that bowl time in there, and guys – that’s when they go, ‘Oh jeez, we still have seven games left or six games left,’ and that’s kind of where you have to look at, but we try to do a good job of working them through all that.”

The Chiefs have had several rookies contribute this season on both sides of the ball. Carson Steele, Kingsley Suamataia, and Xavier Worthy have been featured throughout the season on offense. Christian Roland-Wallace and Jaden Hicks defensively had two crucial interceptions off San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy in Sunday’s victory.

Chiefs Justin Reid praises rookie defensive backs’ performances: ‘Two big-time plays’

Kansas City #Chiefs safety Justin Reid praises rookie defensive backs’ performances: ‘Two big-time plays’ | @EdEastonJr

Kansas City Chiefs safety Justin Reid led the team in tackles and secured an interception in Sunday’s victory over the San Francisco 49ers.  He praised his rookie teammates in the secondary during his postgame press conference.

“They never know when the number is going to be called, but they’re always ready to go, and they got to make two big-time plays, and we need them to,” said Reid. “We’re going to need them down the stretch even more, and they’re going to show up more for us (and we’re) more confident in that. CRW (Christian Roland-Wallace) getting that, you know, the toe trap swag on the sideline and then Jaden Hicks, a pick in the end zone, two big-time plays.”

Rookies Christian Roland-Wallace and Jaden Hicks also walked away with crucial interceptions off 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy. Reid revealed the close nature of the secondary and that he’s not surprised by their breakout performances.

“It’s a unity that we have, not just in our room, but across the whole defense, like we have a team that truly prepares the next man, we’re all in. We communicate daily. We talk about, what if this happens, what if that happens? The next man up — we take time after practice and meet up on our own time.” Reid said. “We still talk coverage, and it works. The guys are confident out there, and we pride ourselves on our physicality. You know, across the board, DBs, we tackle, we’re physical, and we’re going to play press coverage, and we’re going to make it tough on you. You’ve got to find ways to beat us.”

The three interceptions from the secondary and pressure from the defensive line have helped keep the Chiefs undefeated through six games this season.

Final score: Chiefs defeat 49ers 28-18 in Week 7 Super Bowl LVIII rematch

The Kansas City #Chiefs beat the San Francisco #49ers 28-18 in a Week 7 Super Bowl LVIII rematch to keep their undefeated record intact.

The Kansas City Chiefs kept their undefeated record intact against the San Francisco 49ers in Week 7, winning the Super Bowl LVIII rematch 28-18 at Levi’s Stadium.

Kansas City’s offense struggled against San Francisco’s impressive defensive unit throughout the game, but reigning Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes managed to keep the Chiefs in the lead when it mattered most.

Mahomes ended the game with 154 passing yards on 16 completions, but he threw two interceptions that helped keep the 49ers in the game.

On defense, Kansas City was led by rookie defensive backs Jaden Hicks and Chris Roland-Wallace, who both came down with interceptions against Brock Purdy.

 

Now 6-0, the Chiefs are the last undefeated team in the NFL ahead of their Week 8 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Stay tuned to see if Kansas City can build on this win as the Chiefs strive to win their third consecutive Super Bowl title this season.

Chiefs vs. 49ers: Rookie DB Jaden Hicks intercepts Brock Purdy

Check out this video of #Chiefs rookie DB Jaden Hicks intercepting #49ers QB Brock Purdy at Levi’s Stadium in Week 7.

The Kansas City Chiefs look like they will defeat the San Francisco 49ers in their Super Bowl LVIII rematch in Week 7.

Both offenses struggled for the first three quarters of Sunday’s game, and the Chiefs’ defense had to step up in a major way to keep Kansas City’s undefeated record intact.

After a gusty touchdown run by quarterback Patrick Mahomes that gave the Chiefs a two-score lead, the 49ers seemed to be well on their way to a comeback before rookie defensive back Jaden Hicks intercepted Brock Purdy in the end zone.

Take a look at this video of Hicks’ impressive pick, which was posted to Twitter by the Chiefs’ official account:

Hicks has been an outstanding addition to Kansas City’s defense and seems poised to take on a bigger role for the team after this excellent play against San Francisco.

Stay tuned to see if the Chiefs can close out a win in the fourth quarter.

Former Chiefs Pro Bowler texted Brett Veach praising rookie Jaden Hicks’ performance

Former Kansas City #Chiefs Pro Bowler Tyrann Mathieu texted Brett Veach praising rookie Jaden Hicks’ performance | @EdEastonJr

If players have significantly impacted the team, the connection between the front office and former players can last well beyond their tenure with the franchise. The Kansas City Chiefs had plenty of players who went to other teams but still held a special place in Chiefs Kingdom.

Chiefs general manager Brett Veach revealed a conversation he had with a former Pro Bowl player about rookie Jaden Hicks during Thursday’s Zoom press conference.

“It’s funny. I was at home watching some preseason games after we got done playing one night,” said Veach, “I think I just randomly texted Tyrann Mathieu just to check in and say hi; we were exchanging texts, and he kind of ended it with And 21’s a stud.'”

Mathieu is still a fixture in the Chiefs front office’s minds even though he plays for the New Orleans Saints. Aside from his casual conversation with Veach, the endorsement of Hicks is a comforting notion that the Chiefs may have another potential star on the roster.

“So, I think it’s not just apparent to us; even the league’s taking notice. And a guy like Tyrann Mathieu, he sets the standard there, so when he’s sitting there watching games, and we’re not talking Chiefs, we’re just exchanging texts about families and what have you, so when he mentions it, I think it’s kind of taken the same way by the rest of the league.”

Mathieu’s conversation with Veach wasn’t about specifics regarding either of their teams, but it was an interesting moment realizing the lines of communication remain open.

Brian Baldinger gives Chiefs rookie Jaden Hicks a new nickname

NFL analyst Brian Baldinger gave #Chiefs rookie Jaden Hicks a new nickname in one of his signature film breakdowns.

The Kansas City Chiefs may have finished their preseason schedule without earning a win, but the defending champions have their sights set on more than meaningless victories in exhibition games.

Though the Chiefs lost to the Chicago Bears on Thursday night, NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger saw enough progress from one of Kansas City’s rookies to coin a new nickname for him ahead of Kansas City’s regular season kickoff against the Baltimore Ravens on September 5.

Jaden Hicks, a fourth-round selection in the 2024 NFL draft, was dubbed ‘Jaden Licks’ by Baldinger in a post on Twitter after his hard-hitting performance against the Bears:

Hicks will face an uphill battle to earn playing time against the Ravens in Week 1 but did more than enough in the preseason to put himself on the radars of the Chiefs’ coaches and fans this season.

Expect to see Hicks fight for a chance to see the field over the course of Kansas City’s 2024 campaign.

Rookie DB Jaden Hicks comments on his preseason debut vs. Jaguars

Jaden Hicks evaluated his own performance against the #Jaguars during comments to the media at #Chiefs training camp this week.

Fans got to see Kansas City Chiefs rookie Jaden Hicks for the first time against the Jaguars on Saturday, and judging from the praise he earned from Andy Reid and his teammates during the team’s post-game press conference, his performance was nothing short of superb.

Hicks, played at Washington State in his collegiate career, becoming a key fixture of the Cougars’ defense before being selected by Kansas City in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL draft in April.

During comments to the media on Monday, Hicks was asked to evaluate his debut against Jacksonville. Though he seemed confident, he made it clear that Saturday’s outing was solid, if not spectacular.

“I would say I’m content with it,” Hicks explained. “There are some plays that I could have made – still plays to be out there. Overall, I think I did alright.”

Hicks further opened up on his current focus of transitioning into his role on the Chiefs’ special teams unit, and what he is looking to improve on during the rest of Kansas City’s training camp.

“[I am] just running down there using my abilities,” Hicks said. “With the new kickoff rule, that’s a bit of an adjustment with close spacing and stuff like that. Learning all the roles and plays on the defense, that’s going pretty smooth so far. I’m just looking to keep learning from that and keep going from here.”

“Things I need to work on, I would just say – overall, I would just say keep playing hard through the whistle. Some plays I was getting a little tired, but I mean playing on special teams and stuff like that at the end of the day. Yeah, just keep going straight through the whistle.”

Kansas City’s coaching staff has high hopes for the rookie and with veteran safety Justin Reid likely to be off the field for the Chiefs’ next tilt, Hicks will likely get another chance to impress as a starter.

Chiefs rookie describes being mentored by veteran DB Justin Reid

#Chiefs rookie Jaden Hicks told the media that veteran DB Justin Reid has taken him under his wing during training camp. | @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs’ opening preseason game was missing several veteran players due to injury. The absent starters allowed rookies more opportunities to experience their first NFL game in Saturday’s loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Chiefs rookie defensive back Jaden Hicks spoke with reporters on Monday after practice about his first NFL game and learning from starting safety Justin Reid.

“It was amazing seeing all the guys getting ready for the game,” said Hicks. “Getting all the jitters out as well. But yeah, it was good. Good atmosphere.”

Hicks earned a reputation for being a versatile defensive back during his college career, a trait that was viewed highly by Steve Spagnuolo and veteran defensive players. He spoke about taking this from Reid, who returned to practice Monday for the first time since his injury.

“He’s been amazing so far, coaching me, learning what he’s learning. He’s showing me how to see plays and attack block stuff like that. So he’s been such a helpful guy in the room.” said Hicks, who anticipates Reid’s full return to contact practices soon. “(He) put the helmet on today.”

Hicks will hope for more opportunities and less jitters when he has his first home game at Arrowhead Stadium this Saturday against the Detroit Lions.

WATCH: Impressive rookie breaks up pass at Chiefs training camp

Check out how this Chiefs rookie broke up a pass during Kansas City’s practice session at training camp on Friday.

The Kansas City Chiefs targeted defensive backs in the late rounds of the 2024 NFL draft, and are already reaping the benefits of upgrades to their secondary.

During Friday’s training camp practice at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph, rookie Jaden Hicks made an impressive effort to break up a throw from Carson Wentz.

The play was featured by the Chiefs in a video that was posted to Twitter. gave fans their first glimpse of Hicks’ outstanding ability in the defensive backfield.

Take a look at his outstanding pass coverage to get a sense of what Hicks might bring to the table in 2024:

Though the Washington State product will have to continue fighting for playing time through the rest of training camp and the preseason, Hicks is uniquely positioned to take on a key role in Steve Spagnuolo’s defense as a rookie.

Keep your eye on Hicks as Kansas City’s coaching staff determines where he will fit on the Chiefs’ depth chart.