The excessive injuries on the Kansas City Chiefs roster haven’t stopped them from winning this season, but it’s still a concern. Chiefs defensive backs coach Dave Merritt spoke with reporters on Thursday about the challenges of dealing with injuries, especially in the secondary.
“I go back, and I think back to the AFC Championship game when LJ (L’Jarius Sneed) went down, and all of a sudden, Josh (Williams) had to go in the game and play after five snaps,” said Merritt. And so not that you want to see this happen, but you know, when you’ve had injuries, the amount of injuries that we’ve had guys in and out, you want to make sure that the next guy is ready.”
The Chiefs recently dealt with injuries to Joshua Williams and Nazeeh Johnson and the season-ending loss of Jaylen Watson. Veteran cornerback Steven Nelson was signed to the practice squad this week as insurance for the postseason.
“We always try to teach our guys and make sure that everyone understands the role that they need to go in and be ready to play. And with that comes a lot of responsibility on the players to make sure they know what they’re doing when the defense is called. So, but it’s not easy.” said Merritt. “You wish everyone would stay healthy. I’m quite sure all the other 30-plus teams would want the same thing. But once you have an injury, you have to be able to overcome it, and hopefully, your next guy is ready to go because everyone’s a starter when you’re in the room.”
Merritt and the coaching staff’s continued confidence in their young secondary has been crucial in their development. The group is essential in their hopes of three-peating as Super Bowl champions.
