The Kansas City Chiefs’ All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie — now in his third season after being selected in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft — is turning in another quality season, allowing an opposing passer rating of just 85.4. It would be even lower if he hadn’t allowed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ final touchdown in Week 9’s “Monday Night Football” matchup, forcing overtime.
But fellow defensive backs Bryan Cook, Justin Reid, and Chamarri Conner were all there for him.
“B-Cook, J-Reid [and] Chamarri came over there while I was ticked off that I allowed the score that [let] them tie the game,” he recalled of the play on Wednesday. “They’re just like, ‘Look, bro, it’s going into overtime. We’ve still got more games. Don’t worry about it. We’ve got your back — [and] we know what you can do.’
“And for me, that was just a way to kind of lock back in — and also just be like, ‘Man, that’s special — to be in a locker room where guys [are that way after] you give up a big play in the game… I think that kind of speaks volumes as to the character of what we have in here.”
According to McDuffie, that reveals itself as energy among his defensive teammates.
“If you go listen to our pregame speeches by B-Cook or J-Reid, they’re always talking about energy, energy, energy,” he explained. “[They] always talk about [how] energy is contagious. With football, things [don’t] always go your way. So we always talk about big plays that can suck the energy out of people… [But] when you’re able to just stick together — and everybody’s out there having fun and joining each other to celebrate after certain plays — it kind of just brings the motivation to go out there and play.”
It also helps keep teammates like cornerback Joshua Williams — who has struggled as the starting corner opposite McDuffie after Jaylen Watson and Nazeeh Johnson went down with injuries. All four of them joined the team in 2022,
“[Josh is one of] those guys where the more confidence he has, the better he plays,” said McDuffie. “And I think that’s on us as vets to kind of keep [him] in that mindset — because nobody’s perfect. I mean, I’m not perfect; nobody on that field is perfect. So [it’s good] being able to put your arm around a guy — kinda like they did to me — and be like, ‘It’s good. We’ve got your back. We have trust in you.’
“He’s made plays before. He has picks. He’s been in big games [like] Super Bowls. So just keeping him on the right track, I think, is the big thing for us to be able to do for Josh — because, like I said, we love him out there. I trust him being out there. I know he’s able to do his job well.”
McDuffie also understands that as a third-year starter, it’s also his responsibility to lead the other cornerbacks as run defenders — just like defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo wants. But that’s right up his alley.
Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images
“Fortunately for me, last year being at nickel, I got to learn a lot about the run game,” he reminded his listeners. “That’s Spags, you know. In this defense, if you’re a defensive back, you’ve got to tackle, you’ve got to fit the run, you’ve got to set the edge. You’re taking on linemen — and then all these different things as far as playing man and playing zone.
“So that’s the other side of the league: mental [preparation] becomes everything. You’re gonna have to learn a lot more stuff — and they put a lot more pressure on you to do the little things like that. But I love it it. I play defense to tackle — to play aggressively — and ever since I’ve been here, that’s just been the philosophy of who we are.”
McDuffie believes that when they play the Denver Broncos on Sunday, their new rookie quarterback, Bo Nix, will be a challenge as both a passer and a runner.
“He’s definitely picking up really well on their offense — and he’s starting to be able to read defenses a little bit better,” observed McDuffie. “But I think the best thing he does is [using] his feet.
“Many people might not see him as this mobile quarterback — you know, Lamar Jackson, this and that — but he’s willing to run that ball. He’s [also] willing to pull it on some zone reads. He’s able to scramble and make time for his receivers to get open —and he knows where he wants to put the ball. I’ve got to respect that as a rookie.
“He’s a good quarterback. He’s coming along great — and he’s going to be a challenge for us.”
