Tag: Sam Madison

Chiefs DB Antonio Hamilton filling Kendall Fuller-like role in 2020

The Kansas City Chiefs have some interesting plans for Antonio Hamilton in 2020.

The Kansas City Chiefs plan to use free-agent acquisition, Antonio Hamilton, in a number of different ways during the upcoming season.

One thing that’s becoming increasingly apparent is that the Chiefs like to have players in their secondary who are interchangeable and capable of playing at different spots. It makes things difficult for offenses, allowing a number of coverage shells and disguised pre-snap formations. Chiefs CB coach Sam Madison spoke a bit about Hamilton on Thursday and the role he’ll fill during the 2020 season. He compared Hamilton to former Chiefs DB Kendall Fuller. 

“Yeah, you know, since Hamilton has been here, he’s very smart,” Madison said. “You know we talked to a lot of people where he came from, the Giants, and just understanding his strong points. But you know, right now we’re using him in multiple roles. We use him on the inside, we’re using him on the outside because he has done both in his career. Just trying to find the best pieces to the puzzle to put out there on the football field so we can win some games. He’s definitely going to have the opportunity to be able to help us in multiple positions, and that was the same thing that Kendall Fuller was able to do for us last year.”

Fuller began his career in Kansas City in 2018 playing slot corner for the Chiefs, rotating to the outside corner spot on certain plays. He played 103 coverage snaps on the outside compared to 493 in the slot. Last season he played a bit of everything, even playing some safety for the team later in the season. It sounds like the Chiefs plan to use Hamilton in that same inside-outside type of role that Fuller played initially. He could one day see some snaps at safety too.

In addition to Hamilton’s role on defense, according to Chiefs special teams coach Dave Toub, he’s one of two players in the mix to be No. 1 gunner in Kansas City.

“The gunner position is looking pretty good,” Toub said. “We have some good, solid depth there. We brought Antonio Hamilton in from the Giants, who probably was the Giants’ number one gunner last year. When you put the tape on, he made a lot of plays for them and we’re really happy to add him to the mix. So, right now I’d probably say Antonio is in the lead, with Pringle—obviously, Pringle was our gunner all year last year—and then we have a number of guys behind them.”

Coming off a Super Bowl victory this roster is competitive and players have to be able to do a number of different things in order to make the roster. Hamilton has clearly shown the Chiefs’ coaching staff that his value spans beyond one unit and one role on the team.

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Sam Madison shares thoughts on Chiefs CB Charvarius Ward’s progression

Chiefs assistant coach Sam Madison shared his thoughts on working with starting cornerback Charvarious Ward last season and his progression in 2020.

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.”

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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Sam Madison talks new Chiefs corners Antonio Hamilton, L’Jarius Sneed and BoPete Keyes

The Kansas City Chiefs added a variety of new cornerbacks to come in and compete during the 2020 season.

The Kansas City Chiefs added a variety of new cornerbacks during the 2020 offseason.

While the starters might be entrenched, secondary and cornerbacks coach Sam Madison welcomes the competition. He coaches a position that’s always in need and often in short supply. So when the 2020 NFL Draft came around, he had some expectations that the front office would get him some players. Despite waiting until Day 3 of the draft, Madison feels like Brett Veach was able to get him a good pair of corners.

“I love it, man,” Madison said. “I told [Brett] Veach last year that we didn’t get any corners and he was like, ‘Sam, just relax there’s going to be some more’. Then luckily for these two guys [L’Jarius Sneed & BoPete Keyes] and we get them into the room now and we understand and see why he felt that way. These guys have been spot on, very good with the questions that we ask on a consistent basis. The things that Coach Spags [Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo] asks of them they’re doing their best right now. So, if they’re willing to do this and continue to do it throughout the course of their career that means they did some really good work on the backgrounds of these kids. Me and Coach [Dave] Merritt are enjoying them every day.”

Beyond starters Charvarius Ward and Bashaud Breeland, Coach Madison has a number of options to choose from this season, many of whom are competing for the No. 3 cornerback spot. In addition to the two rookies mentioned above, Madison is excited to what free agent CB Antonio Hamilton can do.

“Hamilton. We brought him in to be able to come out and compete but when you look at the landscape of offenses this year, you’re going to have three wide receivers on the football field every single time so you need to find that third corner,” Madison said. “Having an opportunity to draft Sneed, a big corner, physical guy, knows how to attack the ball at the highest point. Those are the things for each and every last one of our guys that we need to get better at as the percentage is 50/50 of balls thrown downfield. Sneed, Keyes, you look at Hamilton, we brought in men to come in and solidify themselves.”

Another player that Madison mentioned who will be in the mix is second-year CB Rashad Fenton. He played in just 15% of the Chiefs’ defensive snaps during the 2019 NFL season, but he made quite the impression in limited opportunities.

“One guy I’m excited about is Rashad Fenton. You look at later on in the season, even going into the Super Bowl the kid, he made plays. He has to see those concepts, understand them, Tyrann was able to help him and work through them and we were able to put a pretty good run with these guys. Going later on when Breeland went down a couple of series, he went out there and he played corner and he held his own. We’re going to put these guys, just like we did last year, in a lot of different places and see what comes up. Coach Spags has a really good mixture of guys that he can play with. We can coach these guys up and get them to understand how to play together, the sky is the limit, going out there and making plays.”

With new additions and returning contributors, Madison is looking in one thing in particular when it comes to these guys earning playing time on defense in 2020.

“Playmaking ability,” Madison said. “Coach Spags is always talking about it and we preach it. Getting the ball back to the offense as many times as possible. We had guys in positions last year and looking forward we’re looking for guys to make those plays. In your first year in the scheme, in the defense you don’t really know how to make the plays because you don’t understand the scheme, but now they’ve been into it for a year. They understand how to make the plays, where the play is going to be made because now they understand Coach Spags’ system and what’s the reasoning behind the things that he’s doing.”

Madison isn’t alone in thinking the defense can do a better job taking the ball away. Tyrann Mathieu also felt the Chiefs’ defense could have been better as it relates to ball production. Once the Chiefs finally hit the practice field, we’ll have a better idea about which of the new cornerbacks are ready to step in and be playmakers for the defense.

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Former Giants Steve Spagnuolo, Dave Merritt earn another Super Bowl ring

Three former members of the New York Giants added another Super Bowl ring to their respective collections as members of the Chiefs.

Leading up to Super Bowl LIV, Kansas City Chiefs defensive backs coach Dave Merritt broke out two championship rings from his time with the New York Giants in an effort to help motivate his players.

Mission accomplished.

It wasn’t pretty and it took a thrilling few moments late in the fourth quarter to take the lead, but the Chiefs were ultimately able to defeat the San Francisco 49ers, 31-20, to win their first title in 50 years.

In doing so, not only did Merritt secure his third Super Bowl ring, but former Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, who is serving in the same role with the Chiefs, walked away with his second.

As the late Billy Mays would say, “but wait. . . there’s more!”

Retired Giants cornerback Sam Madison, who won his first title with the Giants in 2007, also secured his first championship ring as a coach, having spent the season as the secondary/cornerbacks coach in Kansas City.

All three remain loved and respected in New York, so while the Giants weren’t involved in Sunday’s big game, Big Blue Nation can take solace in those three ending the season as champions once again.

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Several former Giants coaches, players represented in Super Bowl

Several former New York Giants coaches and players will be represented in Super Bowl LIV.

New York Giants fans might see some familiar faces on the sidelines at this Sunday’s Super Bowl between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs.

The 49ers have three ex-Giants on their roster, but only kicker Robbie Gould is active. He kicked for Big Blue in 10 games during the 2016 season. The other two players — defensive end Damontre Moore and center Weston Richburg — are on injured reserve.

Linebacker Joey Alfieri spent this past summer with the Giant at training camp and was released before the season. He is now on the Niners’ practice squad.

The Chiefs do not have any ex-Giants on their roster, but as a side note, Pat Shurmur’s son, Kyle — a quarterback — is on their practice squad.

Kansas City does have three ex-Giants coaches on Andy Reid’s staff starting with defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. Spags served two stints as the Giants’ defensive coordinator. The first was under Tom Coughlin from 2007-2008, leading the Giants’ defense in their Super Bowl XLII victory over the undefeated New England Patriots.

Spagnuolo’s second stint was under Coughlin again from 2015 and stayed on after Ben McAdoo took over in 2016. Spags was named interim head coach when McAdoo was fired late in the 2017 season.

Dave Merritt is the Chiefs’ defensive backs coach. Merritt was a long-time Giants assistant under Tom Coughlin and then Ben McAdoo, sticking with the Giants from 2004-2017. He coached the Arizona Cardinals’ defensive backs in 2018 before joining Reid in Kansas City this season.

Sam Madison was a 12-year NFL veteran who played his first nine seasons for the Dolphins in Miami before signing with the Giants in 2006. He was a four-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro with Miami, but his biggest moment came in Blue as a key member of the Giants’ secondary in their Super Bowl XLII drive.

The 49ers have one coach with a Giants connection and it’s only because he’s a local product — offensive quality control coach Miles Austin, a Summit, New Jersey native who played his college ball at Monmouth. Austin, a wide receiver, played eight seasons for the Dallas Cowboys from 2006-13, making the Pro Bowl twice.

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