Chiefs’ bye-week awards: Our picks for top players on defense and special teams
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- McDuffie named unanimous top defender after allowing just 83 yards in press.
- Remigio selected top special-teams player with 26.4 kickoff and 8.3 punt averages.
- Chenal and Bassa cited as core special-teams contributors with high snap shares.
The NFL is halfway through its 18-week season, and the Chiefs players are getting some rest on their bye week.
Because the Chiefs have time off and we’re at the midway point of the season, The Star’s Chiefs coverage team is handing out some bye-week awards. The voting panel includes Chiefs Insider Pete Sweeney, reporter Blair Kerkhoff, columnists Vahe Gregorian and Sam McDowell, and me.
In today’s story, we’re naming our top special-teams player and top defensive player.
Top defensive player: Trent McDuffie
Votes: McDuffie (5)
We handed out our first two awards Wednesday, and McDuffie is the first to be a unanimous winner. With good reason.
Heading into the Chiefs’ game Sunday against the Bills, McDuffie is ranked by the NFL’s Next Gen Stats as the league’s No. 2 shutdown cornerback.
Next Gen Stats noted McDuffie had allowed just 83 receiving yards on 14 targets in press coverage to that point, with five passes defensed and only eight receptions allowed.
McDuffie has allowed just one touchdown reception this season, which came in the Chiefs’ opener. And the most receiving yards he’s given up in a game this season is 35.
Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has McDuffie play a variety of roles in the secondary. He’s had 119 snaps in the slot, including a season-high 28 against the Bills, and 317 on the outside, per Pro Football Focus.
McDuffie leads the Chiefs with six passes defensed, and one of his underrated skills is his tackling. A case could be made that McDuffie is the Chiefs’ most sure tackler. His 47 tackles are third-most on the team.
Top special-teams player: Nikko Remigio
Votes: Remigio (3), Leo Chenal (1), Jeffrey Bassa (1)
You could politely say the Chiefs’ special teams have had an uneven performance to date.
But Remigio has been a solid performer, averaging 26.4 yards per kickoff return this season, including a dazzling 48-yarder against the Ravens.
Remigio, who is in his second season with the Chiefs after signing as an undrafted free agent in 2023, has shared time on kickoff returns with rookie Brashard Smith. And Tyquan Thornton had four of his five returns Sunday against the Bills.
The Chiefs have used Remigio only on punt returns, and he has averaged 8.3 yards in his 15 returns.
Leo Chenal, who has made eight starts at linebacker, received a vote because he continues to be a key special-teams contributor. He’s played 56% of the Chiefs’ special-teams snaps, per Pro Football Reference, and is a physical force at the line of scrimmage.
Rookie linebacker Jeffrey Bassa also received a vote. He’s played 63% of special-teams snaps for the Chiefs this season. Bassa’s seven tackles on special teams are the second-most on the Chiefs, per Team Rankings.
