Center Rodney Hudson anchors Chiefs offensive line
.jpg "Nicholas Gill, 12, of Glenwood, Iowa, leveled a tackling dummy but fumbled on a skills course during Family Fun Day on Saturday morning during the Chiefs summer training camp at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph.")
The first skirmish of Chiefs training camp happened on the first day in pads Saturday when center Rodney Hudson chugged downfield on a screen pass and locked up with cornerback Chris Owens.
Hudson (6-2, 299), a fourth-year pro from Florida State, and Owens (5-9, 180), who signed with the Chiefs in the offseason, continued pushing and shoving well after the whistle, prompting a scrum near the sideline.
“We were all tired, but I saw him over there fighting,” right tackle Donald Stephenson said. “I felt like, ‘OK, I’ve got a little bit of energy left,’ so me and Jeff (Allen) went to help him out.”
It was a clear indication of the Chiefs’ pluckiness as camp opened in earnest.
Stephenson’s reaction to the dustup also offers a peek into Hudson’s importance on the offensive line.
“He’s our anchor,” Stephenson said. “He’s a phenomenal player, but one of those guys that doesn’t get a lot of credit. You watch him play, it gets you fired up every time. He’s downfield making blocks, he’s athletic, smart. He’s just a leader on this team.”
Hudson, who played primarily on special teams as a rookie, earned the starting center job in 2012, but a broken leg ended his season after three games.
Healthy again, Hudson started 16 games last season, including the AFC Wild Card loss at Indianapolis, and entrenched himself as the focal point of the Chiefs’ offensive line.
“The center always needs to be a very good communicator, a very good leader and that’s something that I’m embracing,” Hudson said. “It’s not just because we have moving parts, but that’s what the position requires — to be able to communicate and get everybody on the same page.”
Allen returns at left guard and Stephenson, who has started 14 games the last two seasons with injuries to various offensive tackles, moves into a full-time role at right tackle.
However, former No. 1 overall pick Eric Fisher is shifting to left tackle and the Chiefs are unsettled at right guard, making Hudson’s presence more pivotal than ever, especially his growth understanding defenses and adjusting protections.
“Last year, he was the first one to learn the offense, so now it’s like he’s mastered it,” Stephenson said. “He’s telling us what to do, where to go, who to block. Today, as compared to last year’s first day, I felt like we were rolling.”
To reach Tod Palmer, call 816-234-4389 or send email to tpalmer@kcstar.com. Follow him on Twitter at @todpalmer.
This story was originally published July 26, 2014 at 2:40 PM with the headline "Center Rodney Hudson anchors Chiefs offensive line."