Chiefs News: Travis Kelce turned down Netflix reality show

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Travis Kelce Turned Down Netflix’s ‘Receiver’ Series: ‘I’m Way over the Reality S—t’ | Bleacher Report

“After [Patrick Mahomes] did [Quarterback], I did get asked about it,” Kelce said during an appearance on Bussin’ with the Boys (h/t Awful Announcing). “I just — I don’t know. I’d rather just play ball, man. I’m already doing enough with the podcast and everything. I’m way over the reality s—t, dude. I’m out on that s—t.”

Mahomes was featured in the Netflix documentary series Quarterback alongside fellow signal-callers Kirk Cousins and Marcus Mariota, as the show included a closer look at each passer as they navigated through the 2022 NFL season.

Receiver will feature five notable pass-catchers during the 2023 season, although Kelce won’t be among them. The players include Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings, Davante Adams from the Las Vegas Raiders, and Amon-Ra St. Brown of the Detroit Lions. San Francisco 49ers teammates George Kittle and Deebo Samuel are also making appearances.

Most Underrated NFL Players: One From Every AFC team | Sports Illustrated

Kansas City Chiefs

Leo Chenal, linebacker

The man who stripped Christian McCaffrey in the Super Bowl already has his place cemented in Chiefs history. But the third-round pick in 2022 also cut his missed tackle percentage from 12.5% to 4.4% in his second season and became a much larger part of Kansas City’s pressure package. Chenal also cut his yards per completion allowed total from 15.4 to 7.9, despite facing a much higher volume of targets. There were a couple of times in Super Bowl LVIII when his speed was enough to force Brock Purdy to pass up a checkdown option and allow the Chiefs’ pass rush time to get into the backfield. With that speed, he was also able to get into the backfield and stop some of the 49ers’ quick game from establishing itself. We’ve seen so often how the range of an interior off-ball linebacker can give good defenses some breathing room when they’re forced into base looks. Chenal is certainly developing into one of those players who shouldn’t have to leave the field as much.

Patrick Mahomes favored to win MVP, C.J. Stroud and Josh Allen tied for second | NBC Sports

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is favored to win his third regular season Most Valuable Player award in the upcoming season.

Mahomes’ odds to win MVP are +450 if he wins it at DraftKings.com. If Mahomes does win the award, he’ll join Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Brett Favre, Johnny Unitas and Jim Brown as the only three-time winners of the Associated Press MVP award.

In a sign of how much optimism there is after his stellar rookie year, Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud is tied for the second-shortest odds to win MVP, at +850. Bills quarterback Josh Allen is also at +850.

Ranking top 20 interior linemen in 2024: Zack Martin unseated as top guard, Jason Kelce replaced as top center | CBS Sports

2. Joe Thuney (Chiefs)

Thuney earned first-team All-Pro honors for the first time in his career, a reward for arguably his best season at the age of 31. One of the best pass-blocking guards in the league, Thuney earned his reputation protecting the interior for Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady over the course of his career.

In 698 pass-blocking snaps, Thuney allowed three sacks and 29 pressures (a pressure rate per dropback allowed of 4.2%). The pass-blocking numbers were down from previous years, but Thuney has been the model of consistency for the guard position over the past five seasons.

Eight Kansas City Chiefs who should expect to have a bigger role in 2024 | The Athletic

S Chamarri Conner

The rapid rise in Conner’s level of performance was one of the biggest surprises of last season. He might be the most intriguing member of the Chiefs’ talented secondary this summer. In college, Conner played almost every position in Virginia Tech’s secondary. He could do much of the same in just his second NFL season.

Against the Buffalo Bills in the postseason, Conner played 76 of the Chiefs’ 77 defensive snaps while replacing Mike Edwards, who suffered a concussion on the game’s second play. Conner finished with 10 tackles and a forced fumble. In coverage, he allowed just 25 yards as the nearest defender, earning a 90.2 overall grade from Pro Football Focus, the highest of any safety who played in the divisional round.

During the offseason program, Conner appeared to be the projected starter at nickel. If and when cornerback Trent McDuffie slides into the nickel for a specific matchup, Conner could move to one of the safety spots or go one-on-one against a tight end.

“I give big props to Chamarri,” McDuffie said in May. “They’ve got him playing nickel, (third) safety, dime and both safeties. I’m like, ‘Yo, you got it … like, this is crazy.’ He’s one of those dudes who’s quiet but works really hard. He asks the right questions, and he’s very detailed.”

2025 NFL mock draft: Early predictions for first-round picks | ESPN

31. Kansas City Chiefs

Anthony Belton, OT, NC State

Despite how well the Chiefs have put together and managed their roster, there’s a lack of answers at offensive tackle. The Kingsley Suamataia pick in the second round likely solves one tackle spot, potentially replacing right tackle Jawaan Taylor, who struggled last season. Belton, a two-year starter at left tackle, allowed one sack last year and wows with his easy movement at 6-5 and 345 pounds. If the Chiefs like Suamataia on the right side (where most scouts pegged him pre-draft), then Belton could fit well at left tackle to give Patrick Mahomes more time in the pocket.

Ex-NFL player says Jim Harbaugh could ‘punch Chiefs in the mouth’ | Chiefs Wire

“I’m gonna go three-peat. It’s very likely that these guys got it; they just drafted speed again. We didn’t see that a lot last season with, you know, with what they had going now that they got this deep threat, of course, he’s a rookie. We’ll see what that looks like down the road, but Patrick Mahomes just makes me excited.” said Gbajabiamila. “I’m not trying to be weird, but think about what he’s done in just a short span in the NFL. I mean, we’re witnessing greatness. And then, of course, Andy Reid as well. They’re going to go for a three-peat.”

Gbajabiamila is currently a host on NBC’s America Ninja Warrior, and he shared his pick of which team could dethrone Kansas City.

“Okay, I will tell you, though, there’s one team that has the ability to maybe punch them (Chiefs) in the mouth and stop them from a three-peat,” said Gbajabiamila. “I like (Jim) Harbaugh, man. I really do…I mean, he wins everywhere.”

Around the NFL

Sources: Pats give emerging star LB Tavai a three-year extension | ESPN

The extension has a base value of $15 million that can be worth up to $21 million, per sources.

Tavai was entering the final season of the two-year extension he signed in November 2022 worth up to $4.4 million. He was scheduled to earn a base salary of $1.625 million in 2024.

Here’s the real reason Aaron Rodgers skipped Jets’ mandatory minicamp, per report | CBS Sports

The 40-year-old former NFL MVP, who’s entering his second season with the Jets, originally booked his trip while in the midst of recovery from his 2023 Achilles tear, per Connor Hughes, giving himself “something to look forward to during one of the lowest points of his career.” Rodgers, who’s made overseas treks before, has apparently “long admired Egyptian culture.”

The former Green Bay Packers signal-caller believed the Jets’ offseason programming would be complete by the time he flew to Egypt, per Hughes, and the team was notified of the scheduling overlap when it later finalized its minicamp dates (June 11-12). Saleh abruptly informed reporters of Rodgers’ absence at the start of that camp, revealing only that the quarterback was attending a personal event of importance.

Dolphins’ Tyreek Hill ‘excited to see where I fit’ into new WR market as he starts ‘looking’ for next deal | NFL.com

Hoping to ride that wave is Dolphins wideout Tyreek Hill, who said Monday that with the time coming for him to start thinking about his own next deal, he’s intrigued to see what this new pay standard means for him.

“I’m very excited to like just be a part of the old wave, which was $30 million, and Justin Jefferson came and surpassed that, man,” Hill said, via Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Houston. “So, very proud of those guys, happy for obviously my teammate (Jaylen) Waddle getting his new deal. For guys like me, that’s great. I’m 30 years old, also looking for a new deal. So, very, very excited to see where I fit into that category. It’s amazing.”

In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride

Chiefs Injuries: With 2 games circled, Charles Omenihu is working back

Spagnuolo told reporters before Super Bowl LVIII. “We’ll get guys to step in there. Felix [Anudike-Uzomah] will probably have to step in there.“

The rookie did play during the team’s 25-22 win over the San Francisco 49ers — even getting a key first-quarter stop against running back Christian McCaffrey. But it was the first time Anudike-Uzomah had been on the field during the postseason.

Before then — aside from the Week 18 game against the Los Angeles Chargers, when many of the team’s reserve players got extended playing time — two-thirds of the rookie’s defensive snaps had come in the first six weeks of the season, while Omenihu was serving an NFL suspension.

So while Omenihu’s absence during the season’s opening weeks is almost certain to give Anudike-Uzomah more playing time, the Chiefs will want Omenihu back in the lineup as soon as possible. Through his 11 regular-season games last year, he collected 28 tackles (18 solo and five for loss), along with seven sacks, two forced fumbles and two passes defensed. Before leaving the AFC Championship, he had registered a strip-sack of Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson.

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