Tag: RT

Chiefs RT Mitchell Schwartz explains what it’ll be like blocking for Clyde Edwards-Helaire

The Kansas City Chiefs offensive line won’t have to change much to block for new RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire.

The offensive line won’t have to change much in order to block for new Kansas City Chiefs RB Clyde Edwards-Helaire according to RT Mitchell Schwartz.

During Friday’s media availability, Schwartz was asked about what he’d have to keep in mind in order to block for a smaller and shiftier RB like Edwards-Helaire. He’s blocked for a number of different running backs in Kansas City since his arrival in 2016, including Charcandrick West, Spencer Ware, Kareem Hunt, Damien Williams and others. As far as Schwartz is concerned, the offensive line won’t have to change what they’re doing no matter who is running the ball in 2020.

“You just kind of want to get the smallest opening you can and trust him to do the rest,” Schwartz said. “From our perspective, we don’t change what we’re doing. The kind of premium is on moving the line of scrimmage, and your run game, as far as the running back can get past the line of scrimmage is going to be the most beneficial. It’s going to pull the linebackers onto the o-line. If you look at the running back, if there’s penetration and he’s making a cut three yards in the backfield, it’s the timing of the play. Maybe the center, who is climbing up to the linebacker, he’s probably not going to be there yet because you know the linebacker is going to jump behind based on the cutback early, and then the center can’t get there and the play is completely dead.  Whereas if we have a yard or two on the line of scrimmage, the running back can get right back behind there and the linebacker is kind of frozen, he’s stuck, he doesn’t know what to do. Then that brings the linebacker to us. So, that’s always the premium we’re thinking about.”

So long as the Chiefs’ offensive line can create movement, keep the timing of the play right and suck the linebackers in, Edwards-Helaire should be able to find success. That wasn’t always the case when the Schwartz and the rest of the offensive line tried to run block in 2019. There’s room for improvement this offseason as far as that is concerned.

Schwartz is confident that the coaching staff will get Edwards-Helaire prepared so he can properly synergize with the offensive line. He even believes that Edwards-Helaire’s natural ability has the chance to save the offensive line from some potential headaches.

“When you look at Deland [McCullough] and EB [Eric Bieniemy] and how they coach running backs, they coach them very hard, and that’s because it’s all interconnected,” Schwartz explained. “If you have a running back who kind of freelances and does his own things, things don’t mesh too well. It’s a really good harmony and it is nice to know if somebody gets cut loose, you throw that devastating spin move and jukes him out of his shoes and maybe he [Clyde Edwards-Helaire] can make us look good.”

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Mitchell Schwartz named Chiefs’ most underrated player by PFF

Pro Football Focus believes Mitchell Schwartz is the most underrated player on the Kansas City Chiefs.

Kansas City Chiefs RT Mitchell Schwartz is annually considered one of the most underrated players in the NFL.

Pro Football Focus recently sought to point out the most underrated player for all 32 teams ahead of the 2020 NFL season. It’s no surprise that PFF’s Ben Linsey chose Schwartz for the Chiefs. This is a player who has been playing at an All-Pro level since he first arrived in Kansas City in 2016. He’s entirely underappreciated outside of Chiefs Kingdom and the analytics community, failing to be voted to a Pro Bowl thus far in his career.

Here is a look at what Linsey had to say about Schwartz:

“Schwartz is another name in the category of, ‘This guy should definitely have a Pro Bowl appearance.’ He has graded at 72.0 or higher overall in each of his eight NFL seasons, and he’s coming off a career year in 2019 where his 89.3 overall grade ranked second at the tackle position to only Ryan Ramczyk. The fact that Schwartz allowed just one pressure (a hurry, at that) in 134 pass-blocking snaps during the Chiefs’ postseason run is hard to overstate. That’s impressive, impressive stuff. Maybe 2020 will finally be the year Schwartz receives that ever-elusive Pro Bowl recognition.“

Beyond his pass-blocking and run-blocking marks, and his exquisite performance in the postseason, Schwartz is literally always on the field. He’s played in 128-of-128 possible games. He even previously held the most impressive snap streak in the NFL with 7,894 consecutive snaps.

Players just don’t do the types of things that Schwartz does with consistency. He should be celebrated universally as one of the best in the NFL. Instead, he’s one of the players fighting to be recognized among the best.

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Chiefs RT Mitchell Schwartz makes PFF All-Decade Top-101

A highly-underrated player for the Kansas City Chiefs barely made the cut for the PFF All-Decade Top-101 list.

A current member of the Kansas City Chiefs just barely made the cut for the Pro Football Focus All-Decade Top-101 list. Chiefs right tackle Mitchell Schwartz, who receives annual praise from PFF but is generally underappreciated, came in at No. 100 on PFF’s All-Decade Top-101.

Schwartz was originally selected by the Cleveland Browns in the second round of the 2012 NFL Draft. He spent the first four seasons of his career playing with the Browns before leaving as a free agent. In 2016, Schwartz signed a five-year deal with the Chiefs worth $33 million.

PFF’s Sam Monson pointed to the reliability of Schwartz, and his postseason performance in 2019 on the way to Super Bowl LIV, as just a few of the many reasons that he’s deserving to make this list.

“Mitchell Schwartz has been one of the best offensive linemen of the past decade. His run to the Super Bowl last season was one of the greatest postseason performances in NFL history by any player at any position, but it went largely unnoticed because he’s a tackle. Schwartz was a good player in Cleveland to begin his career, but his final season there hinted at how good he could become. In Kansas City, he has kicked on to another level and is able to shut down some of the game’s best pass-rushers in the AFC West. Schwartz has racked up almost 9,000 total snaps over the decade, and it took until last season for him to miss any.“

During the 2019 postseason, Schwartz had 140 pass-blocking snaps against some of the best pass-rushers in the NFL. According to PFF, Schwartz allowed just one hurry in those pass-blocking snaps, marking one of the most dominant performances by an offensive lineman in the PFF era. Of course, as Monson also mentioned, Schwartz had an impressive consecutive snap streak. He actually held the NFL’s active record for consecutive snaps and it finally concluded with 7,894 snaps dating back to his first snaps in Cleveland.

During the 2010s decade, all during seasons with the Chiefs, Schwartz has become a three-time second-team All-Pro selection and a one-time first-team All-Pro. He has routinely been graded by PFF as one of the top offensive tackles in the NFL in pass protection and he’s also regarded as one of the Chiefs’ most consistent run blockers.

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NFL Draft Prospect Isaiah Wilson Talks Intellect, Blocking For Jake Fromm

What’s it like playing lacrosse at 6’8″, 350 pounds? 2020 NFL Draft prospect and former Georgia Bulldogs tackle Isaiah Wilson shares his experience playing college lacrosse, plus how he’s preparing for the NFL Draft, what it was like playing with quarterback Jake Fromm, what his typical meal looks like and more.

What’s it like playing lacrosse at 6’8″, 350 pounds? 2020 NFL Draft prospect and former Georgia Bulldogs tackle Isaiah Wilson shares his experience playing college lacrosse, plus how he’s preparing for the NFL Draft, what it was like playing with quarterback Jake Fromm, what his typical meal looks like and more.

Chiefs RT Mitchell Schwartz sends Eric Stonestreet his gloves from Super Bowl LIV

The Modern Family actor and Kansas City Chiefs superfan got a cool gift from RT Mitchell Schwartz.

Kansas City Chiefs superfan and actor on ABC’s “Modern Family,” Eric Stonestreet, recently received a special delivery from one of his friends over at 1 Arrowhead Drive.

Stonestreet has been a part of the Chiefs Kingdom for life. But he also played a special role in the season-long journey to a Super Bowl championship. He appeared at the 2019 training camp in St. Joseph as “Randy Reid” the fictional brother to Chiefs head coach Andy Reid.

When things kicked off in Miami for Super Bowl LIV, Stonestreet was present and accounted for. He wouldn’t miss an opportunity to see his beloved Chiefs play in the first Super Bowl in 50 years. When the clock went to double zeroes, Stonestreet was right in the thick of the chaos congratulating and celebrating the win with players on the sidelines.

A few weeks later, Stonestreet received a gift from one of those players. Chiefs RT Mitchell Schwartz sent him a pair of game-worn gloves from the Super Bowl. They still even have the tape from the game on them.

Schwartz followed up his gift with a little bit of information about his glove size and his thought process on how he tapes his fingers. It was some really useful information for fans and even some young players just starting out and learning the ropes of playing offensive tackle.

Most know about Schwartz having 18-inch feet, but they probably didn’t realize his hands were so big that he wears a 4XL sized glove. He might need a new nickname that’s suitable for having both monstrous hands and feet.

In any event, this was a kind gesture by Schwartz to celebrate one of the biggest fans in the Chiefs Kingdom. And specifically, one that has provided some entertainment for the players and fellow fans since the start of this wondrous season.

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