Antonio Hamilton Will Be All Over the Field for the Chiefs
Kansas City Chiefs defensive back Antonio Hamilton has an idea of where he fits in defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s system: just about everywhere.
Throughout training camp, Spagnuolo, defensive backs coach Dave Merritt and defensive backs/cornerbacks coach Sam Madison placed Hamilton in at cornerback, safety and nickel to see where he performs best. It seems the usage might stick.
“Right now we're using him in multiple roles,” Madison said. “We use them on the inside, we're using them on the outside because he has done both in his career. Just trying to find the best pieces to the puzzle to put out there on the football field so we can win some games. He's definitely going to have the opportunity to be able to help us in multiple positions, and that was the same thing that Kendall Fuller was able to do for us last year.”
So far, Hamilton is embracing the concept, even though he was strictly a cornerback and special teamer with the New York Giants last season. In his first and second seasons, Hamilton played at corner, nickel and safety for the Oakland Raiders, in addition to his special teams duties. He did the same during his college career at South Carolina State, so he’s comfortable spreading his talent across the Chiefs’ defensive backfield.
“Number one, I can appreciate Coach Spags and Coach Merritt, the entire defensive side for just giving me the opportunity,” Hamilton said. “Secondly, they see that I can pick up on the defense very fast, which is a very difficult defense I would have to say compared to the other defenses I've been in. Not knocking any of those defenses, but this is very detailed and very specific, and they see with me being able to be very versatile that they're trying to put me in all the spots on the backfield. So, I'm just open, I'm prepared and they're doing a great job with preparing me for every position that they think that I could best contribute to the defense.”
Hamilton said he’s had time to learn in each of the spots based on the way head coach Andy Reid approaches the offense’s development throughout live training camp action. He said the speed and intensity of the practice sessions force quick progression and allow for plenty of repetitions.
“Coach Reid’s offense is amazing,” Hamilton said. “The speed and the amount of reps that we are able to obtain in the different periods at practice is just crazy, like his speed and how the offense works that we get a lot of work in, and so I'm able to get 10 reps in corner, 10 reps at nickel, 10 reps at safety because we get so many reps in that I'm able to get as much repetition at every spot. So, I'm learning and I'm able to make a mistake and get it corrected and then still able to go out and put it on tape and performing in a way that best benefits the defense.”
Hamilton is also in the run to be the team's top gunner on special teams, competing with returning gunner and wide receiver Byron Pringle.
The 27-year-old said he’ll be ready when special teams coordinator Dave Toub calls his name, a similar attitude to what he has on defense.
“Whatever role they call me on or to be on, I just try to give the best effort that I can,” Hamilton said. “Whatever accolades, whatever plays they try to give me is solely on them. I don’t go out there and try to do nothing more, nothing less, I just try to perform at my best ability.”
