Last year as a rookie, Kansas City Chiefs center Creed Humphrey started every game. Yet he flew somewhat under the radar nationally. That won’t be the case in 2022.
“Creed’s challenge is this year,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Monday in St. Joe, Mo. “He was a newcomer last year. Now all these coaches have had a chance to study him for an offseason and they’ll try to throw him some different pitches in there.
“So, how he handles that will be important. He played well last year and was one of the best. But these coaches get creative and they’re going to challenge you. So, the work he’s put in and the work he’s putting in now is so important.”
At 6-foot-4 and 302 pounds, Humphrey has the size to hold his own on the line of scrimmage. But it’s during one-on-one battles where he really showcases his talents.
Humphrey, the team’s second-round pick in 2021 out of Oklahoma, gave up just one sack last season. And at training camp, he’s been a fortress. He’s also been leaning on veteran teammates Joe Thuney, Orlando Brown and Andrew Wylie to help him navigate what can sometimes be a tricky second season in the NFL.
“It’s nice having guys like Joe, Orlando and Andrew that have been in that position and have come in that second year,” Humphrey said. “And for me, it’s just I’m continuing to focus on my game and trying to get my weaknesses better and my strengths better.”
Two weeks into training camp, Humphrey seems to be doing just that. And he’s also gotten to see what his teammates are made of playing in the heat and humidity. And that has Humphrey excited for what might be in store.
“It’s been very competitive these past couple of weeks,” Humphrey said. “We’ve had some hot days — some really humid, hot days and everybody’s been out there just getting after it and competing every play.
“So, it’s been really good. You see the mental toughness of what we have as a group and what the defensive line has as a group. So that’s been really fun to see. We have some very talented guys who are also in love with the game. They want to continue to be great and get better. And that’s always a good thing when you have that in a room.”
