New Chiefs CB Antonio Hamilton is ready for his opportunity
The defensive backfield has frequently been an area of concern to the Kansas City Chiefs in recent years. Injuries and limited personnel have been the main culprits of fans’ frustrations with that department.
Now, even with the re-signing of cornerback Bashaud Breeland, the Chiefs have a cornerback room with some enduring questions..
To address the issue of depth (before re-signing Breeland), Kansas City signed 27-year-old cornerback Antonio Hamilton to a one-year, $1 million deal earlier this offseason.
In his introductory press conference on April 2, Hamilton said that, while other teams offered him more money or more years, he wanted to play for the Chiefs.
“It was just a fresh start,” Hamilton said. “I wanted to go on to something different. I wanted to get my family around a real family environment in a safe area.”
Hamilton was an undrafted free agent out of South Carolina State and was signed by the Oakland Raiders in 2016 following the draft. But he isn’t the only player from his alma mater on the Chiefs roster.
Fellow cornerback Alex Brown, who was signed September 2019, was a freshman when Hamilton was a senior. The then-rookie played in three games and recorded two tackles after making his debut against the Patriots in Week 14. Brown played in all three of the Chiefs playoff games on special teams.
“He’s like my little brother,” Hamilton said of Brown. “I talk to him about certain things and he’s been putting me in the loop.”
In his two seasons with the Raiders, Hamilton recorded 12 tackles in 12 games. After Oakland waived him in 2018, the 6-foot corner was picked up by the New York Giants the following day.
Hamilton saw more work on the defensive side in the final week of 2019 against the Eagles, where he started the game, recorded four passes defended and racked up five tackles. He was targeted nine times and allowed three completions for 62 yards — the best performance in the Giants' secondary that day.
Hamilton said in that game he showed what his production would be like as an uninterrupted starter.
“When you give me the opportunity to actually go out there and play full, like no subbing and rotating guys, and just give me a chance to lock into the game that’s what I can do for you,” Hamilton said. “No matter who the opponent is or what player it is, I can do that because that’s the type of player I am.”
With the offseason calendar already being tweaked and the potential for more alterations, Hamilton said he’s been in contact with the coaching staff and isn’t worried about learning Steve Spagnolo’s schemes.
“I’ve also talked with the coaches to get a different perspective but what it all boils down to is football,” Hamilton said. “Nothing about football has changed over the years, just terminology. It’s not about learning the full playbook because the playbook is just words. The style of ball that I see them play is a lot of, ‘stop the run,’ like I do. Once I get the terminology down, the playbook isn’t going to be an issue.”
Hamilton not only plays on the defensive side of the ball but is a versatile tool on special teams. The Johnson, South Carolina native saw 373 special teams snaps last season.
Hamilton was sixth-best overall special teamer in the NFL last season according to Pro Football Focus. At South Carolina State, Hamilton proved to be a spectacular returner as he tallied 1,316 combined kick and punt return yards in two seasons. He earned All-Conference honors as a return man in 2015.
The cornerback has yet to return a kick in the NFL but said he is ready for whatever the team needs him to do.
“I don’t know what the role is they are bringing me in but whatever the case may be, I’m going to make sure I put my best foot forward,” Hamilton said. “I’m not going to waste any time and I’m not going to waste my time.”
