Chiefs’ Week 17 Snap Counts vs. Broncos: Kansas City still fails to play the young guys who need opportunities to grow the most
The Kansas City Chiefs remained resistant in Week 17 to the idea of getting young players as many snaps as possible.
The Kansas City Chiefs sit at a 6-11 record on the season, losing 20-13 to the Denver Broncos in Week 17 on Christmas Day.
With a handful of starters on offense and defense now on injured reserve, the Chiefs had an opportunity to embrace their situation with no postseason left to play for. Unfortunately, they were still set on playing only certain young players out of necessity instead of giving the young guys the much-needed game opportunities to build confidence and trust ahead of the 2026 NFL season.
Below, you’ll find analysis and a look at how the snaps played out in Week 11. Snap data via the NFL Game Stats & Information System.
| Player | Offense | Defense | Special Teams |
|---|---|---|---|
| T C. Godrick | 43 (100%) | – | 3 (14%) |
| C C. Humphrey | 43 (100%) | – | 3 (14%) |
| OL E. Pole | 43 (100%) | – | 3 (14%) |
| T K. Suamataia | 43 (100%) | – | 3 (14%) |
| G Tr. Smith | 43 (100%) | – | 3 (14%) |
| QB C. Oladokun | 43 (100%) | – | – |
| TE T. Kelce | 42 (98%) | – | – |
| WR J. Smith-Schuster | 35 (81%) | – | – |
| WR X. Worthy | 34 (79%) | – | – |
| WR M. Brown | 26 (60%) | – | – |
| RB K. Hunt | 24 (56%) | – | – |
| TE N. Gray | 21 (49%) | – | 8 (38%) |
| RB I. Pacheco | 15 (35%) | – | – |
| RB B. Smith | 6 (14%) | – | 7 (33%) |
| TE J. Wiley | 5 (12%) | – | 7 (33%) |
| WR J. Royals | 5 (12%) | – | – |
| OL H. Nourzad | 2 (5%) | – | 3 (14%) |
| DB N. Williams | – | 72 (100%) | 15 (71%) |
| DB C. Conner | – | 72 (100%) | 4 (19%) |
| S B. Cook | – | 72 (100%) | 3 (14%) |
| LB N. Bolton | – | 71 (99%) | 4 (19%) |
| CB K. Fulton | – | 71 (99%) | – |
| LB D. Tranquill | – | 65 (90%) | 4 (19%) |
| DE G. Karlaftis | – | 51 (71%) | 4 (19%) |
| DE A. Gillotte | – | 45 (62%) | – |
| DT C. Jones | – | 38 (53%) | – |
| DE C. Omenihu | – | 38 (53%) | – |
| DL J. Tillery | – | 37 (51%) | 4 (19%) |
| DB J. Hicks | – | 33 (46%) | 18 (86%) |
| NT M. Pennel | – | 32 (44%) | 4 (19%) |
| DE M. Danna | – | 29 (40%) | 4 (19%) |
| LB C. McDonald | – | 21 (29%) | 18 (86%) |
| DT Z. Pickens | – | 19 (26%) | – |
| S M. Edwards | – | 15 (21%) | 3 (14%) |
| DB K. Knowles | – | 6 (8%) | 13 (62%) |
| LB J. Bassa | – | 4 (6%) | 14 (67%) |
| LB J. Cochrane | – | 1 (1%) | 18 (86%) |
| LB C. Christiansen | – | – | 14 (67%) |
| CB J. Williams | – | – | 14 (67%) |
| K H. Butker | – | – | 7 (33%) |
| LS J. Winchester | – | – | 6 (29%) |
| P M. Araiza | – | – | 6 (29%) |
| S N. Johnson | – | – | 6 (29%) |
| TE R. Tonyan | – | – | 5 (24%) |
| OL M. Caliendo | – | – | 3 (14%) |
The Chiefs continue to make baffling personnel decisions with young players
Chiefs HC Andy Reid opened his postgame presser with a statement that included the following:
“We got to play a lot of young guys, which is a positive, and they’re following what the veterans are all about and their culture that they’ve established here,” Reid said. “That’s a positive that we can take out of this thing.”
They played a lot of the young guys, but most of them only played minute roles in the game plan. Despite making something shake practically every time he touched the ball in Week 17, Brashard Smith played just six offensive snaps. Jalen Royals didn’t get a single target, but was on the field for five offensive snaps, blocking his butt off on every play. Hunter Nourzad had perhaps the best single block of the night, but it came as an extra offensive lineman in the game on a jumbo package. He played just two snaps. Jared Wiley saw just five offensive snaps with no targets. Dameon Pierce was a healthy scratch for the game.
It’s not just the offense either.
Jaden Hicks, Kristian Fulton, and Nohl Williams got opportunities, but that felt more like a matter of necessity rather than anything else. Cooper McDonald played quite a few snaps as the team’s SAM linebacker in place of Jack Cochrane, who played those snaps in place of Leo Chenal last week.
Kevin Knowles saw just six defensive snaps, all at slot corner. Meanwhile, Chamarri Conner played 39 slot snaps and was picked on by the Broncos in coverage. Jeffrey Bassa played just four defensive snaps, and one of them might have been a top-5 play in coverage by a Chiefs linebacker this season.
Bottom line: Week 18 better look a lot different for Kansas City, or it’ll be nothing short of a missed opportunity.
Non-specialists who played special teams only in Week 17
- Cole Christiansen
- Josh Williams
- Nazeeh Johnson
- Robert Tonyan
- Mike Caliendo
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