KC Chiefs Rookie Felix Anudike-Uzomah's Potential Super Bowl Opportunity
Felix Anudike-Uzomah’s rookie season hasn’t gone as many expected.
Since he was drafted, it always seemed to be a developmental season for him with the idea that he would play a more significant role during the latter portion of the season. With that said, it’s been the opposite for the Kansas City Chiefs’ latest first-round pick. His role diminished as the season continued, and he was inactive throughout the postseason. However, in Super Bowl LVIII, Anudike-Uzomah has a unique potential opportunity to change the narrative surrounding his rookie year.
Between Weeks 6 and 17, Anudike-Uzomah played 59 total defensive snaps at an average of 5.4 per game. Having George Karlaftis, Charles Omenihu and Mike Danna in front of him on the depth chart definitely was a contributing factor to his low snap count. Still, with how many different personnel groups and rotations Kansas City plays on defense, it was disappointing to not see him on the field. When the postseason came around, he was completely cut out of the rotation by being a gameday inactive.
This let down many Chiefs fans because of the capital invested into Anudike-Uzomah. Being selected in the first round comes with expectations, and for that selection to basically have zero contribution throughout the season is a tough pill to swallow. Even with the understanding that it was a developmental year, it would have been nice to see more flashes from the former Wildcat. He might get one last chance to change that this season.
Unfortunately, Charles Omenihu tore his ACL in the AFC Championship Game and will miss the Super Bowl. He will also likely miss a portion of next season, which means Anudike-Uzomah is currently projected to be a starter at defensive end alongside Karlaftis. Omenihu’s injury also means the 2023-24 rookie will likely be active on Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers. If so, he could show why Chiefs fans were so excited when he was drafted back in April.
Anudike-Uzomah offers a different skill set than the other Kansas City defensive ends: Karlaftis, Danna and Malik Herring. He is more of a speed rusher and a better athlete around the edge. He has a dynamic ability that he showed throughout his college career. Against the high-powered 49ers offense, having someone who provides more juice up front could be an interesting change-up. That was Omenihu’s role for the Chiefs throughout the season but with him missing, Anudike-Uzomah has the opportunity to provide that electric athleticism.
After what has been seen as a disappointing campaign, Anudike-Uzomah can change the trajectory of how he’s discussed this offseason based on how he looks in the Super Bowl. Whether he plays less than five or a total of 10 snaps, seeing flashes from him could be important not only in helping the Chiefs capture another Lombardi Trophy but also in making fans more optimistic about his prospects moving forward.
