Chiefs

This Chiefs reserve has 73 snaps all year. He was unsung star of KC’s goal-line stand

The Kansas City Chiefs had a memorable four-down goal-line stand in Sunday’s 27-20 road victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.

In this video, KC Star reporter Jesse Newell and Brett Taveau (author of the Chiefs book “Unpacking Greatness” and a longtime high school offensive coordinator) take a closer look at standouts on the Chiefs defense as they turned away the Raiders four times deep in the red zone.

Vegas Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew (15) is sacked by Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton (98) during the third quarter at Allegiant Stadium on Oct. 27, 2024 in Las Vegas.
Vegas Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew (15) is sacked by Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton (98) during the third quarter at Allegiant Stadium on Oct. 27, 2024 in Las Vegas. Stephen R. Sylvanie Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Players like George Karlaftis, Tershawn Wharton and Derrick Nnadi all flashed on rewatch of tape, while Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo showed his smarts on fourth down while confusing Las Vegas quarterback Gardner Minshew at a critical moment.

KC’s play in this stretch also points to a more physical identity than it’s had in the past.

Follow More of Our Reporting on The Details | Play-by-play analysis of Kansas City Chiefs

Jesse Newell
The Kansas City Star
Jesse Newell covered the Chiefs for The Star until August 2025. He won an EPPY for best sports blog and previously was named top beat writer in his circulation by AP’s Sports Editors. His interest in sports analytics comes from his math teacher father, who handed out rulers to Trick-or-Treaters each year.
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