Chiefs Player Quotes
May 5, 2024
T KINGSLEY SUAMATAIA
Q: What have the first couple of days been like?
SUAMATAIA: “I just take it in day-by-day. It’s crazy, I was sitting back talking with a lot of the guys I met at the Combine like Jared Wiley and Xavier (Worthy), I was talking with them like, ‘It’s crazy that we are actually here now. Everyday we are waking up putting on Chiefs gear.’ I don’t really feel like I’ve settled in like, ‘Okay I’m here now.’ It’s just a blessing being here.”
Q: What have you talked about with the players in this draft class as far as the mark you want to make?
SUAMATAIA: “Just be a team player. Come in, learn from the veterans who are here already and just wherever best fits for us. Obviously go out there and ball out every day, get that spot. Just come in, be a team player and be whatever best fits for (Head) Coach (Andy) Reid.”
Q: Have you connected with Patrick Mahomes yet?
SUAMATAIA: “Yeah, Patrick (Mahomes) was probably the second guy who hit me up. Just getting ready, he said he’s fired up. I’m just trying to get in the playbook as fast as I can to best help our O-line and the team. Patrick has been a great mentor as well, just waking up to a message from him blows my mind.”
Q: What do you think about coming in and competing for a spot on the offensive line?
SUAMATAIA: “Most definitely. Just come in and work every day. I’ve got to put my best foot forward and outwork the guy in front of me. I definitely love all the guys that are here, coming in as a rookie trying to gain all the knowledge I can so I can learn the playbook the best, so I can potentially be out there and play next to them. It’s definitely a great opportunity for me, I’m super excited. I’m happy, (Head) Coach (Andy Reid) can put that on me that I can play, I’m ready.”
OL C.J. HANSON
Q: How was the first day?
HANSON: “Amazing, wonderful. Winning team, winning culture, family bonding, relationship building, everything. It’s been great so far, getting to meet all the guys and learning the playbook. Meeting the coaches, everything, it’s been fantastic.”
Q: What was the point where you thought it was realistic that you could play in the NFL?
HANSON: “This was always my dream, from birth, I’ve always wanted it. I’ve always known, I never thought though. I’ve always known but I’ve never thought. Until agents started reaching out to me after the fourth game this year then I was like, ‘Wow I have a chance.’ Kind of just went from there and helped myself out in the last two months and now I am here. I’ve always dreamed of it, and I’ve always had it in the back of my mind that this is what I want to do and I think this is where I belong. I’ve put my whole life towards it so I’m happy I’m here.”
Q: What was the night like for you when you got drafted?
HANSON: “It was incredible. At the end of the night, I was literally just looking at my phone and crying at the video. It’s so surreal to me. To have all my friends there to have all my family there. To see the progress over the 23 years of my life towards the game actually payoff. For somebody – the first person in Holy Cross history since 1989 to get drafted – I mean, it means the world to me. Not only for my family but also for my school and for my teammates. It’s incredible.”
Q: What do you want to bring to the Chiefs this season?
HANSON: “I want to be the best possible teammate I can be. Improve this team in anyway I can, just give it my all every day. Your best is good enough and I’m going to give it my best every day. As long as I can give it my best, show my teammates that I’m giving my best, show my coaches that I’m working hard and being a progressive learner and doing good every day – then I think that’s all I need to do.”
S JADEN HICKS
Q: How has this past week been after getting drafted and starting camp?
HICKS: “It was a lot of weight lifted off the shoulders for being drafted, that was a cool moment me and my family had. Just the process of getting in here, (I’ve) been working out trying to get prepared for this moment. I’m taking every moment like it’s my last. Getting the playbook down, that’s been going good. First practice was really good so I’m excited for the next few practices.”
Q: You’re from Las Vegas. The Raiders moved out there a few years ago. Were you a fan of the Raiders, and if so, how does it feel to be with the Chiefs now?
HICKS: “No, I wasn’t a fan of the Raiders, so you guys don’t have to worry about that. Even my family, they’re all excited for me. We’re all Kansas City Chiefs now, it’s pretty cool.”
Q: What are your expectations for yourself this season?
HICKS: “I’m just going to give the team my all and show up everyday knowing that I can be accountable.”
Q: What about Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, what’s he been like so far?
HICKS: “Yeah, I love his energy. I love what he brings, so I think I’m going to fit right in with this defense.”
CB KAMAL HADDEN
Q: What are your first thoughts of being here and playing for the Super Bowl champion?
HADDEN: “I’m very thankful for the opportunity, blessed, I can’t thank God enough for the opportunity. I’m just glad to be here, glad to be a part of this organization and thankful.”
Q: You came off of a shoulder injury, how does it feel to be out there competing again?
HADDEN: “It was a great feeling, I kind of got that in-game experience a little bit at practice yesterday. It’s just a great feeling, a very appreciative feeling. Once you get the game taken away from you for a while, it makes you appreciate it a little more, it makes you want to go a little harder in practice and just give your everything while you are playing because you never know when it can be taken away from you and you just want to make the most of your opportunities. Coming into this organization, it’s a great organization, you’re very thankful and it’s a blessing to be here and be a part of something like this so you just want to do everything you can to help this organization.”
Q: You had a chance to go against Xavier Worthy yesterday in practice, what was that like?
HADDEN: “Xavier (Worthy), he’s a great receiver, the speed is one thing but I feel like he runs great routes, he’s a great route runner and he’s a guy that can get open and I feel like he’s a guy that’s going to make a lot of plays in the league and he’s going to do his thing here. It was just good to go against him and see – just different receivers – I never played against him in college but I saw him a lot so it was a good iron-sharpens-iron rep. I just want to take the whole thing and be appreciative that I can go against somebody like that to get me better and I can also get him better as well.”
Q: The Chiefs, specifically under Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, have had a lot of success with late round cornerback draft picks. Have you thought about that fit and the history that they have?
HADDEN: “I just think it’s another opportunity. Another guy that can come in and show up and show (Defensive Coordinator Steve) Spags (that) he can really recruit and he can see talent, even in the late rounds. He can go get guys, he can develop guys and that was one thing that I met on my (top) 30 visit, it was just a connection there, I knew him, he worked through my DC (defensive coordinator) at Tennessee (Tim Banks) before. It was just a great thing and it’s a great opportunity to go in there and fill those shoes and go out there and be able to play under a coach like Coach Spags.”