Captain Fear
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- Mar 20, 2019
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The Chiefs’ offensive line is, heading into Super Bowl LV, practically held together by scotch tape. But Andy Reid isn’t panicking.
The offensive line woes began before the season started, when starting guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif made the selfless decision not to play this year and instead put his medical degree to use caring for elderly patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Then Lucas Niang, an offensive lineman the Chiefs selected in the third round of the 2020 NFL draft, opted out as well.
Then starting guard Kelechi Osemele and starting right tackle Mitchell Schwartz both suffered season-ending injuries. And left tackle Eric Fisher suffered a season-ending injury of his own in the AFC Championship Game.
So the Chiefs will be down to Mike Remmers starting at left tackle, Andrew Wylie starting at right tackle, Nick Allegretti and Stefen Wisniewski as the starting guards and Austin Reiter at center in Super Bowl LV. That might be the worst offensive line in the league, but Reid is putting a positive spin on it.
“My guys have been practicing hard the last couple weeks here, trying to make sure their technique and fundamentals are proper,” Reid said. “Listen, we’re not the prettiest bunch on the offensive line, but I’ve got scrappy guys and they’ll figure out how to do it well.”
It’s to the enormous credit of Patrick Mahomes that he has continued to play at an MVP level behind that sieve of an offensive line. It will take a truly super effort against an excellent Bucs defensive front in the Super Bowl.