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Kingsley Suamataia, the rookie left tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs, is diving right into his NFL debut against the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday night with enthusiasm.
“I’m ready to go,” Suamataia confidently stated to reporters in the locker room on Sunday.
He has been briefed on what to expect when facing the physical Baltimore team.
“[It’s a] physical team,” Suamatia informed his audience. “They like playing the ‘bully ball.’ But you’ve just got to play ‘bully’ back: be the bigger bully to them.”
Despite the challenges, Suamataia is aware that it won’t be easy.
“They’re a good defense,” he admitted. “Great guys across the board.”
Coming out as the starting left tackle after a demanding training camp under Andy Reid, teammates and coaches are impressed by the rookie’s composure under pressure.
“Kingsley’s really level-headed,” praised right guard Trey Smith. “The moment’s not going to be too big for him; [he’s] just staying focused on the mission and the task at hand. [He’s] not letting anything overwhelm [him].
While initially a two-man race for the starting left tackle position, Suamataia’s consistent performance during training camp earned him the starting role over Wanya Morris.
“He has the confidence,” noted quarterback Patrick Mahomes. “He’s going out there and enjoying the moment. He’s practicing hard. He’s learning from the guys beside him.”
Despite limited playing time in the preseason, head coach Andy Reid believes Suamataia is prepared for the challenge ahead in prime time.
“He had a good training camp,” acknowledged Reid. “He had a good preseason. But this is going to be a learning experience for him here. This is a good defensive line. I’m sure there’ll be some ups and downs as he goes… like any young player has. But he’s prepared himself — and it’s time to go play now.”
Mahomes anticipates a tough test for Suamataia in Thursday’s game.
“Going out there and competing against the best-of-the-best Week 1, he’s going to get kinda introduced fast,” Mahomes said. “I’m excited for him to accept the challenge and see where he’s at. But he did a great job in preseason; he did a great job in training camp. And I’m excited for him to go out there and accept that next challenge.”
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