The Kansas City Chiefs are prepping for a Super Bowl rematch against the Philadelphia Eagles and there’s reason to believe that this team is the healthiest it’s been since last season. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is regarded as one of the NFL’s best, and one of his key decisions is already transparent.
After trading away L’Jarius Sneed, the Chiefs frequently tried to figure out who could fill his shoes as All-Pro Trent McDuffie’s partner in the secondary.
One of those candidates, third-year fourth-round pick Joshua Williams, has been surprisingly on the bench throughout the playoffs. He’s known to commit far too many penalties, yet his delegation seems to suggest that Spagnuolo doesn’t trust him in the biggest moments.
One of the best plays by a CB all season in the NFL. Joshua Williams has to bail to Deep 1/2 – then flip hips/break/find ball to break up PERFECT pass in the Cov2 hole. TD saving play. pic.twitter.com/FjaOpUIkkV
— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) December 26, 2024
Chiefs Clearly Plan to Bench CB Joshua Williams in Super Bowl
From an outsider’s perspective, this doesn’t make sense. Williams is clearly better than Nazeeh Johnson, who ranked 165th out of 223 qualified cornerbacks at Pro Football Focus. That said, Williams was one of the most penalized players in the league and failed to show he deserves a starting spot.
Once Jaylen Watson came back from injury, Spagnuolo’s secondary plans changed. Trent McDuffie, a two-time All-Pro now, is the leader, but he doesn’t have much behind him to feel good about. Watson has moved ahead of Williams and Johnson, yet Williams’ struggles are worth noting.
Considering how badly Johnson failed as a starter opposite McDuffie, one would have thought that Williams had an inside track on playing time. However, Williams hasn’t played a single defensive snap in the playoffs. Johnson, on the other hand, has played 55.
Even a casual fan would find that confusing. Williams isn’t injured, still appearing on special teams against the Houston Texans and Buffalo Bills. Nonetheless, he’s clearly fallen out of favor with the coaching staff in the biggest of moments.
Perhaps this is a wise decision but it doesn’t appear to be. Williams has better tape than Johnson. It isn’t close. Here’s hoping this decision won’t cost Kansas City in the end.
