Remember that rookie left tackle thrown into the fire Week 1, tasked with protecting Patrick Mahomes’ blindside? The one whose second NFL game felt less like a debut and more like facing the Death Star trench run without an X-wing? That was an Andy Reid special: Kingsley Suamataia.
After allowing two sacks and limping away from Cincinnati with a 26.4 PFF pass-blocking grade, the second-rounder found himself benched. It was a harsh NFL reality check for the BYU product who’d allowed zero sacks his final college season. “Sometimes you have to take a step back to take a step forward,” Reid stated plainly, the master tactician already plotting a different path for his young lineman.
Fast forward to this simmering Kansas City Chiefs offseason. The pressure cooker is back on for Suamataia, but the coordinates have shifted. Gone is the daunting island of left tackle. Enter the gritty, close-quarter combat of left guard. Reid’s announcement wasn’t subtle: “We moved him there for that second Denver game… I thought he did a nice job there, so we’re moving him in there.” That late-season experiment, amidst a forgettable 38-0 loss, yielded a glimmer of hope – a 75.2 PFF run-blocking grade that hinted at untapped potential inside.
The journey here is woven with threads of resilience and heritage. Suamataia’s roots run deep – Samoan-Hawaiian lineage, fluent in Samoan, part of an athletic dynasty including Penei Sewell and Puka Nacua. He transferred from Oregon to BYU to be closer to family, declaring “Blessed as the Lord is mindful of my struggles and strengths… Time to Do King Things.”
That faith resonates with Reid, also LDS, creating a bond Suamataia describes as familial: “I chop it up with [Reid] whenever I can… It feels like family.” When early struggles hit, his response echoed quiet resolve: “You’re just taking it day by day… it’s just God’s timing.”
Now, Suamataia, carrying a 4-year, $6.42 M rookie deal, finds himself locked in a trench warfare battle with Mike Caliendo for the starting LG spot vacated by Joe Thuney’s shift. It’s less a demotion, more a strategic redeployment.
How Reid’s lab is forging Suamataia’s second act
Think of it like switching positions in ‘Madden’ mid-drive because your playbook demands it. Suamataia’s raw physical gifts – a 6’5″, 326 lb frame that blazed a 5.04-second 40-yard dash and crushed 31 bench reps – translate differently inside. His background even whispers of this destiny. Scouts noted his ‘hand punch reflects that [youth boxing] background,’ describing a mauler who ‘delivers more pancakes than Denny’s.’ Guard play requires less finesse against elite edge speed and more of that raw, phone-booth power.
Reid believes the crucible of Steve Spagnuolo’s complex defensive looks during OTAs is perfect: “This is the best thing for him, to get in there and have a bunch of things thrown at him, and he’s doing a nice job so far.”
Even Patrick Mahomes has become a steadying force. After the benching, Mahomes urged resilience: “Just keep playing… You have to trust in your abilities, you have to learn from it… come and get better next week.” He later praised Suamataia’s mentality: “He has the confidence… He’s learning from the guys beside him… He’s not making the same mistakes twice. That’s huge.” This support system within the Chiefs’ kingdom is vital. The Kingdom will be hoping the greenhorn can repay it by keeping his “Nobody’s gonna touch you” promise to Mahomes.
The stats tell a story of rookie turbulence – 195 offensive snaps, 3 sacks allowed, 14 pressures, a 39.4 overall PFF grade ranking near the bottom of tackles. But they don’t capture the late-season flicker at guard, the athleticism showcased sprinting downfield on a preseason screen block, or the respect earned from opponents like Broncos DT Zach Allen in that otherwise bleak Denver finale.
As training camp looms, Suamataia isn’t just fighting for a starting job; he’s proving his adaptability and mental toughness within the Chiefs’ relentless championship machine. The pressure is palpable – a $6 M investment seeking a significant return. But within the controlled chaos of Reid’s offensive line laboratory, where truth is paramount and growth is nurtured, Kingsley Suamataia has a chance to rewrite his early narrative. His journey from overwhelmed tackle to potential guard anchor is a high-stakes remix, playing out one powerful, interior block at a time.
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