It’s been five days since the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV. As the dust has settled from the game it has become increasingly clear that several players are in need of some extra recognition for their performances in the Super Bowl. They might not be the players getting the spotlight and glory at the moment, but their performances were just as important to the Chiefs’ successes.
RT Mitchell Schwartz
Is there any player on the Chiefs’ roster that is consistently underappreciated more than Mitchell Schwartz? I mean, the fans recognize his talent, but the national narrative seems to constantly ignore him. He’s missed six snaps in his entire career and he didn’t give up a single sack throughout the entire postseason. The guy is just an absolute technician in pass protection and pitched a shutout during the Super Bowl.
The only time you ever see him on the ground is when he’s finishing blocks and he absolutely did so during the Super Bowl. He took 49ers defenders for a ride when the Chiefs had to get some yards on the ground. Arik Armstead, Dee Ford, Fred Warner — it really didn’t matter what defender he was facing — the end result was always a win for Schwartz.
CB Bashaud Breeland
Three Chiefs players fought through injury to finish the game against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LIV. One of those players, Bashaud Breeland, fought through a strained calf and an ankle sprain in order to do so. Merely fighting through injury is nothing, Breeland did so while missing just three defensive snaps and he had himself a game.
Breeland was playing fast and physical football from the first whistle, driving on receiver screens and passes thrown behind the sticks. He had an interception in the second quarter on a ball thrown under serious pressure. He would go on to finish the game with six tackles, two tackles for loss, one pass defended and one interception.
Throughout the season, the Chiefs’ secondary seemed like a big question mark. After the Super Bowl, they have become an exclamation point on a tremendous season.
FB Anthony Sherman
Anthony Sherman only played seven offensive snaps during Super Bowl LIV, but boy did he make them count. He had key blocks on two scoring plays including the rushing touchdown that was the dagger to the San Francisco 49ers comeback attempt. First up, he cleared out a defender after motioning from the backfield to the line on Mahomes’ touchdown run. If he didn’t do that, Mahomes is taking a bigger hit or pitching this football.
On the touchdown run that gave the Chiefs an 11-point lead, Sherman called his block in the huddle
“Follow me,” Sherman said to RB Damien Williams. “I don’t care what you do, follow me!”
And that’s exactly what Williams did and it paid off big time.
Sherman took two linebackers out of the play with his block and very literally helped Williams seal the game.
DB Kendall Fuller
When stud rookie safety Juan Thornhill tore his ACL in the final regular-season game, it looked like a big blow to the defense. How many teams have one rangy deep safety that gives up less than a yard per coverage snap, let alone someone else who can step in?
Kendall Fuller stepped up in a big way throughout the playoffs, but specifically in the Super Bowl. Late in the game, he drove on a ball to try and end it and nearly had an interception. Later he’d get the interception to seal it. Fuller finished the game with three tackles, two passes defended and the game-winning interception. Check that play out down below.
He Moss’d the 49ers WR to get to this ball from his deep safety position. It was truly a special play on the grandest of stages.
WR Byron Pringle
Special teams wasn’t exactly a bright spot for the Kansas City Chiefs this season. Fans basically saw both extremes of the spectrum during the season. Some games Dave Toub’s men would contribute significantly to a win, while other games they’d be a big part of why the Chiefs would lose. During Super Bowl LIV the coverage unit and specifically WR Byron Pringle was a big reason that Kansas City was able to mount a comeback and hold that lead.
Brian Baldinger gives a really good break down of it up above. Pringle would have made a much greater impact had he recovered the muffed punt, but the fact that he even had a chance at it was extremely impressive. For a player that is likely in line for a bigger role in 2020, it’s good to see him stepping up and making plays like this on the biggest stage.
