New Chiefs linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis excited to get to work with new team

On Thursday night, Kevin Pierre-Louis went to sleep expecting to have two more days before the Seattle Seahawks opened training camp on Sunday afternoon, but then at 6:30 a.m., the phone rang.

Pierre-Louis was notified he had been traded to the Kansas City Chiefs.

“I was definitely surprised,” Pierre-Louis said on Saturday’s of Friday’s trade. “But everything happens for a reason. I am excited to be here and I have a job, so I have nothing to complain about.

“I am just excited to finally, when I can, get out there with the guys.”

In exchange for Pierre-Louis, Kansas City sent Seattle inside linebacker D.J. Alexander, who appeared in the 2016 Pro Bowl as an alternate as a special-teams player.

After arriving in Kansas City, Pierre-Louis, 25, passed his physical and will hit the practice field once Alexander passes his physical for the Seahawks.

For Pierre-Louis, that can’t come soon enough.

“This is a great place to learn again,” he said. “I am always excited to learn and to experience new opportunities.”

Playing in college in the ACC at Boston College, Pierre-Louis compiled 360 tackles and eight total sacks from the linebacker position during his four-year career. Since joining Seattle, he’s had to change the way he plays the game, and more importantly, the way he sees the game.

“In college, I was more outside the box playing more of a strong safety type, so when I got to Seattle, I had to re-learn how to play inside the box, so my eyes have definitely transitioned,” Pierre-Louis said. “I have definitely improved my eyes.”

Pierre-Louis recalls meeting with the Chiefs several times during the draft process, and on Friday, Chiefs coach Andy Reid mentioned they have liked him since his days at Boston College.

“I remember spending a lot of time talking at the combine (with the Chiefs),” Pierre-Louis said. “It’s funny how things turn around.”

Despite only logging 71 defensive snaps for Seattle in 2016, Pierre-Louis believes he’s perfect for the Chiefs defense.

“I am a fast guy. ... I am very active, and this defense is very active,” he said. “They get a lot of turnovers and do a good job on defense. I am definitely going to be able to fit in and showcase my skill-set.

“Speed is definitely my strong suit, but I am not afraid to hit, that’s for sure. I am excited to be able to use that.”

At the draft combine in 2014, Pierre-Louis ran a 4.51 40-yard dash. Combine that with his ability to hit, and you have a guy capable of providing depth at the linebacker position and speed on special teams.

“We like him as a linebacker,” Reid said of Pierre-Louis on Friday. “If he can help us on special teams, that’s okay too. But we want to keep building the depth at that position and competition.”

Pierre-Louis has been on a team in the playoffs all three years of his career, and he’s excited to join another team in search of the Lombardi Trophy.

“I see a team that’s hungry and ready to get it from the coaching staff to the players to the community around this area,” Pierre-Louis said. “I am not too big of a social-media guy, but when the trade did happen, it was very welcoming. I just want to make sure I meet those expectations and surpass them.”

This story was originally published July 29, 2017 at 5:16 PM with the headline "New Chiefs linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis excited to get to work with new team."