Kansas City Chiefs HC Andy Reid reveals newly acquired OL Joshua Ezeudu’s little-known ties to O-Line coach Andy Heck
The Kansas City Chiefs had some extra help in their evaluation of new offensive lineman Joshua Ezeudu. He played alongside Chiefs OL coach Andy Heck’s son and was coached by his other son at the University of North Carolina.
Kansas City Chiefs OL coach Andy Heck has a connection to the team’s newest offensive lineman.
The Chiefs sent a 2028 Day 3 draft pick to the New York Giants to acquire OL Josh Ezeudu in a trade. Their confidence in the player didn’t come only from their evaluation of his preseason film. It didn’t just come from the fact that he’s worked under former Chiefs OC Matt Nagy this offseason. It also came from familiarity with the player in the Kansas City O-Line room.
“Yeah, actually, (Chiefs O-Line coach) Andy Heck knows him because of his sons,” Chiefs HC Andy Reid revealed on Wednesday. “One played with him, and one coached him.”
The familiarity comes from the University of North Carolina. Andy Heck’s oldest son, Jon Heck, coached Ezeudu as the assistant strength and conditioning coach at North Carolina for his entire tenure with the Tar Heels. Andy’s son, Charlie Heck, who currently plays for the Miami Dolphins, played alongside Ezeudu for two seasons at UNC.
That familiarity added another layer to the team’s evaluation and decision-making process. Think of it like DeMarco Murray giving Brett Veach insight on R Mason Thomas.
What are the Kansas City Chiefs getting in Joshua Ezeudu?
Chiefs HC Andy Reid explained to reporters what the team believes they’re getting in Ezeudu. Not only does he have the physical traits, but he’s got the mental makeup that they’re looking for.
“He’s a big kid that has got good feet,” Reid continued. “He’s smart. You know, he can add either a starting position or depth that plays either guard or tackle. So, we’ll just see how he does when he gets here and gets into the system.”
The Chiefs have some new questions surrounding the back injury for starting LT Josh Simmons. They’re going to need all of the offensive line depth that they can get in 2026. That was already true before the latest update on Simmons.
They won’t truly know what they have until they get Ezeudu in the building and practicing. However, they have a good indication of what he can be in their system from the jump based on what they’ve seen. That added familiarity in the O-Line room can only help him integrate and get up to speed quickly.
