The Philadelphia Eagles stole the show in Super Bowl LIX, handing Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes a terrible loss that they will hardly forget. That game, in fact, showed the Kansas City Chiefs have to make a necessary change for the 2025 NFL season.
Fortunately for Mahomes and Chiefs Kingdom, Reid is ready to do so. Speaking to the media at the NFL Combine on Tuesday, the Chiefs head coach let everyone know that Joe Thuney will return to left guard next season.
“Joe’s a natural guard,” Reid said, via Arrowheadpride. “That’s really what his position was. By the graciousness of his heart, he stepped out and played tackle for us — and what a job he did. But I think you move [him] back inside — and he goes back to what he does best.”
Thuney playing at LT proved costly for Mahomes, Reid’s Chiefs
Reid moved Thuney to left tackle in the final stretch of the 2024 NFL season after facing constant issues at the position. While the 32-year-old initially adapted well, his limitations as a natural guard became evident in the Super Bowl.
Kansas City Chiefs offensive guard Joe Thuney (62) on the sidelines in the first quarter of an NFL preseason game between the Minnesota Vikings and Kansas City Chiefs on Aug 27, 2021.
The Eagles‘ defense exposed the Chiefs’ weakness at left tackle with multiple pressures on Mahomes, who took six sacks and turned the ball over three times as Philadelphia put him under duress throughout the game.
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The position brought problems persistently last year, which is why Reid ended up placing a player out of position to try and protect Mahomes’ blindside. Before moving Thuney, the Chiefs coach failed to find answers from other players.
Chiefs LTs left much to be desired in 2024
Kansas City used a second round pick in 2024 to get Kingsley Suamataia, who lost the job only two weeks into the regular season after an underwhelming start. Second-year tackle Wanya Morris stepped in for the following weeks, but eventually got demoted to the bench as well.
D.J. Humphries was supposed to fix the Chiefs’ LT problems after joining halfway through the campaign, but an injury in his debut with Kansas City once again left a hole at the position. Reid ended up turning to Thuney, but after the Eagles’ dominance in Super Bowl LIX, he won’t do the same in the 2025 NFL season.
Still, Reid refused to confirm whether the Chiefs will draft a left tackle this year: “We’re keeping everything wide open there. As we do this thing — and really digging in on what’s available potentially in free agency [and] what’s available in the draft — it’s probably too early to really go there, but that’s a position that we’re looking at for sure.”
