Felix Anudike-Uzomah discusses coming full circle from Chiefs fan to player, having an increased role on defense in 2025
Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah is entering the pivotal third year of his NFL career in 2025. Anudike-Uzomah was drafted by the Chiefs with the No. 31 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He is a Kansas City native, growing up in Lees Summit, Missouri, which is just minutes outside of K.C. […]
Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah is entering the pivotal third year of his NFL career in 2025.
Anudike-Uzomah was drafted by the Chiefs with the No. 31 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He is a Kansas City native, growing up in Lees Summit, Missouri, which is just minutes outside of K.C. He then attended Kansas State University, which is roughly two hours away from K.C.
While appearing on "Up & Adams" with Kay Adams on Thursday, Anudike-Uzomah discussed what it was like to go from being a Chiefs fan, through the bad times up until the good, to now playing for the team.
"It's different," Anudike-Uzomah said. "I've been through the Matt Cassel days. I've been through the one (season) when we beat the Green Bay Packers, and it was just like, this amazing thing. I remember everybody was celebrating, even throughout the streets. I was there 2020 whenever Pat (Patrick Mahomes) won that Super Bowl. It was crazy. Because I remember, I was a kid in the streets going throughout the parade, and we went out through Power and Light. We were all getting lit after they won the Super Bowl. It was crazy. My friends nowadays, they're just like, there's no way we really be just with you at the Chiefs parade in 2020 and now you're with the Chiefs. So it's a dream come true for sure. Grew up with the Chiefs my whole life. Even my mom, she suffered a little bit just for me to get those those chiefs tickets, to tour around the stadium and stuff like that. So even just to see that stuff, how things change, it's a dream of true for sure and now I'm living it."
It's definitely a rare thing for an athlete to be able to play for the team they grew up rooting for. In 2025, Anudike-Uzomah will look to take his game to the next level and become a significant contributor for K.C.'s defense. Adams told him that she believes the Chiefs are looking for a giant step from him, and he agreed.
"Yeah, I feel that way a lot too, especially since this is year three," Anudike-Uzomah said. So, playing faster, learning the playbook, seeing what (Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve) Spagnuolo has to offer. It's going to help me have my goals even higher. So, I'm ready for that. I'm prepared, and I'm excited for what the season has to hold."
Anudike-Uzomah showed improvement from his rookie year to his second, jumping from 14 total tackles to 27 and half of a sack to 2.5. He still has a lot of talented pass rushers in front him, such as George Karlaftis, Charles Omenihu, and Mike Danna. Like his previous two years, it will be tough for him to get snaps over those guys, so he'll have to make the ones he does get really count. If he does, perhaps he could compete for a starting role in 2026.