Several new Kansas City Chiefs players addressed the media in a conference call on Thursday.
One of those players has been dreaming of joining the Chiefs dating back to the days he began his NFL career. Cornerback Antonio Hamilton got his start in the AFC West, playing primarily as a special teams ace for the then-Oakland Raiders. Hamilton never was active when Oakland came to Kansas City, but he traveled with the team to Arrowhead Stadium during his first two seasons with the team.
It was then that Hamilton got his first taste of what it’s like to be at Arrowhead. He developed a hunger to experience playing in front of those roaring fans as a member of the Chiefs.
“Man, one day I hope I get a chance to play for those fans,” Hamilton told reporters per team reporter Matt McMullen.
This wasn’t exactly Hamilton’s first encounter with the Chiefs, though. He explained that Kansas City was one of the teams in the mix from his services when he went undrafted following the 2016 NFL draft.
As Hamilton tries to get settled with his new team, he’s relied on former South Carolina State teammate Alex Brown, who Hamilton will join in the cornerback room and as a special teams contributor. While his transition is still on-going due to the coronavirus restrictions, it’s much easier having someone like that you can rely on.
One player that Hamilton hopes he can rely on once he gets in the building is defensive back Tyrann Mathieu. He’s a player that Hamilton has admired from afar.
“Everybody knows about the Honey Badger [Tyrann Mathieu],” Hamilton said per Chiefs team reporter BJ Kissel. “He’s just a dawg. He’s a hard-working guy. I’ve watched all of his highlights…a stud.”
Sure enough, Hamilton will eventually have his opportunity to learn from Mathieu and see how he works first hand. He’ll also hopefully get his chance to play in front of that roaring Arrowhead Stadium crowd when the season opens in September. Until then, he’ll continue getting settled and learning at a distance.
