This Kansas City Chiefs player returns to hometown Las Vegas (he’s not a Raiders fan)
With a perfect record in Allegiant Stadium, which includes last season’s Super Bowl championship, the Chiefs feel right at home in Las Vegas.
And although he has not played in the stadium yet, so will rookie safety Jaden Hicks.
Hicks hails from Las Vegas, a proud graduate of Bishop Gorman High, and this weekend returns to his hometown. He’s coming off his most eventful game of the season in the Chiefs’ victory at the San Francisco 49ers.
It didn’t start great. Hicks, an upback on the punting team, took a snap on the team’s first fake of the season. He needed two yards; with the middle clogged, he got one.
But later in the game, Hicks’ interception of Brock Purdy in the end zone helped seal the Chiefs’ 28-18 triumph.
On that play, Hicks said he was part of a double-team on receiver Chris Conley, the former Chief. But after defensive end George Karlaftis disrupted Purdy’s throw, Hicks found himself in a better position to make the catch.
“I turned my eyes back to (Purdy) and there it was,” Hicks said.
Plays like that interception should earn Hicks more opportunities for playing time. Last week marked his third game with defensive snaps. He’s also been a valuable member of KC’s special teams.
He was on the field for the pick because starting safety Justin Reid was dealing with a hand injury. And it turns out the fourth-round pick from Washington State was the right man for the moment.
That point was underscored by defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.
“Some of the things we do here are what he did at Washington State,” Spagnuolo said. “And when we call those certain coverages you can see he can unwind it. It’s natural for him. He made a really good play on that.”
Sunday’s game will be Hicks’ first time inside Allegiant Stadium. He was high school senior in 2020, the Raiders’ first season there after moving from Oakland. That was the season interrupted by COVID-19, and no fans were allowed in the arena.
Also, Bishop Gorman didn’t play a game that year, so Hicks didn’t have a senior season. That didn’t prevent him from getting college offers, however. At Washington State he played alongside another future Chief, cornerback Joshua Williams.
And Hicks’ high school knows something about prepping players for pro football careers. According to the NFL, Hicks was among eight players from Bishop Gorman on opening day rosters; many others dot major-college rosters — including Hicks’ older brother, Kalen, who played four seasons as a safety at the University of Hawaii.
“They set me up to be where I am right now,” Hicks said. “I’m a proud alum.”
One that, Hicks said, supported the hometown NFL team when it relocated from Oakland. But not anymore.
This story was originally published October 25, 2024 at 12:42 PM.