Ashton Gillotte didn’t like his Chiefs rookie film. He’s optimistic about Year 2
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Ashton Gillotte said he did not like his rookie-season film but plans to learn from it.
- He played around 40% of snaps in the first 12 games and 60% in the final five.
- Gillotte has greater opportunity in 2024 after D-line departures.
Kansas City Chiefs second-year defensive end Ashton Gillotte was candid last week when asked about his rookie season.
Plain and simple, he didn’t love what he saw when he watched it back.
“I’m being honest — I didn’t like how I looked on film, but that’s because I’ve always been my worst critic,” he said last week after a minicamp practice. “But I think there’s some things I can learn from. Again, I don’t think I moved like myself or played exactly how I wanted to play, but those are all things I can learn from. And it’s a journey.”
Gillotte played around 40% of the defensive snaps during the first 12 games of the season. That percentage rose to 60% over the final five games.
Over those snaps, he finished his rookie season with 38 tackles, eight quarterback hits and 1.5 sacks. Per Pro Football Focus, he won on just 4.4% of his pass-rush snaps.
In his first year in Steve Spagnuolo’s system, Gillotte admitted he may have been overthinking more often than not because he was trying to do the right things within the scheme. With a year under his belt, he anticipates being able to line up in 2026 without having to think as much.
Fortunately for Gillotte, he had a built-in supporter in fellow defensive end George Karlaftis. The two were introduced before the draft through a connection to college defensive line coach Mark Hagen, and that relationship has since grown into an NFL mentorship.
“Ashton’s going to have a great role this year,” Karlaftis said. “Really excited about him and his development. I told him this last year: ‘You’re going to see a big jump in your game from your rookie year to your second year. It’s like the biggest leap you can take.’ I remember with myself, I was like, ‘Whoa, this is almost like a different game,’ if you will.
“Everything moves a lot faster, and you could tell that he’s there. A lot is being asked of him right now, but he’s ready for it. He’s got a bright future. He’s a really good player. He’s going to be a great player.”
And Karlaftis would know, as he saw jump from 6.0 sacks his rookie season (2022) to 10.5 during his sophomore campaign (2023). Gillotte said he was hesitant to pester Karlaftis with questions during his rookie season, but he has been more tapped in during the offseason program entering Year 2.
“Didn’t talk to him too much last year because again trying to respect the space,” Gillotte said. “I didn’t want to be like, ‘Yeah, George, please help me.’ It’s just being able to have a vet that you know has done it before — him and Chris (Jones) — and just be able to lean on those guys for knowledge and wisdom. Refocus yourself and fix what you need to fix.”
Gillotte believes that first-year experience will help him get off the ball faster at the snap. That should aid him against the studied offensive linemen in the pros.
“O-linemen (in the NFL) understand you, and it is a game,” he said. “It’s a chess match on the field rather than just looking at, ‘Oh well, this is how he’s won all these reps. It’s cross-chop, cross-chop.’ But, it’s like, ‘What is he doing before that that’s allowing that to set up?’ So just understanding that it’s a long game when you’re trying to set up these moves.
“Sometimes you’re going to get some freebies, some quick shots, but a lot of times it’s built over the game: (what’s) working and establishing your plan over time.”
The Chiefs lost several defensive linemen to free agency, including Mike Danna and Charles Omenihu, creating a greater opportunity for Gillotte in 2026.
Now it’s about hitting his stride in that second season.
“It’s a journey,” he said. “Not everyone’s journey is going to be the same. You’re not always going to click how you want at first, so I’m just trying to keep patience, give it up to God and just let it come to fruition.”
