The folks over at Pro Football Focus have announced their 2022 NFL All-Pro Team as the regular season has come to an end. A total of six Kansas City Chiefs players have earned recognition from PFF, five as First-Team All-Pro selections and one as a Second-Team All-Pro selection.
Joe Thuney was the only player to come in as a Second-Team All-Pro. Had he not missed time and dealt with an injury this season, it’s possible that he lands the First-Team selection.
Here’s a look at the Chiefs that made First-Team All-Pro, along with words from PFF’s Sam Monson and my own quips:
QB Patrick Mahomes
“Mahomes has been the best quarterback over the course of the season. In any given stretch, he was rivaled by Josh Allen, Tua Tagovailoa, Jalen Hurts and Burrow, but Mahomes has been the one constant. His 91.3 overall PFF grade is more than 10 grading points higher than his mark last season and represents his fourth year above 90.0 in five full seasons.”
So much for PFF hating Patrick Mahomes. It seems they’re getting better at quantifying his incredible play or perhaps they just don’t want the backlash they were getting earlier this season.
TE Travis Kelce
“Kelce is in a world of his own at the tight end position, which is made even more impressive by sharing the same wavelength with Mahomes — the best and most innovative passer in football. Kelce had over 400 receiving yards more than the next-highest mark among tight ends this year, moving the chains 29 times more than anyone else.”
Kelce remains the best tight end in football and has shown no signs of slowing down. He finished the year with career highs in receptions (110) and touchdowns (12). He also had the second-most yardage (1,338) in a single season of his career.
C Creed Humphrey
“Other than size, Humphrey and Kelce are incredibly alike and very difficult to split for this All-Pro first team. Humphrey finishes the season narrowly ahead thanks to a 91.1 PFF run-blocking grade. He didn’t surrender a sack all season after giving up three in his rookie year.”
The Kelce that Monson is speaking about above is Travis Kelce’s older brother Jason. Humphrey’s sackless season and PFF grade gave him the edge over the Eagles starter in this All-Pro team.
DT Chris Jones
“Jones led all interior defenders with 77 total pressures this season, taking over Aaron Donald‘s mantle as the NFL’s best interior pass-rusher. He also totaled 31 defensive stops to go with 15 sacks, as he even lined up and won as a true edge rusher on occasion.”
Jones isn’t just an All-Pro in my book, but he’s a legitimate Defensive Player of the Year candidate. He was the best interior rusher in the NFL this season and really makes the entire defense go for Kansas City.
P Tommy Townsend
“Townsend has become a hang time monster among NFL punters, averaging a 4.7-second hangtime this season. He has been the best combination of punt distance, direction and hang time in the league.”
I guess this might not factor into his job as a holder, but there is no denying that Townsend has been an absolute menace as a punter this season. On the few opportunities that Mahomes and the offense have given him, Townsend has taken advantage.