Justin Reid offers a stirring defense of former Chiefs teammate Jaden Hicks
There was plenty of blame to go around Friday night following the Chiefs’ 27-21 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in São Paulo, Brazil.
The Chiefs lacked sharpness on offense, they rushed for a meager 41 yards on 11 attempts when the ball carrier wasn’t quarterback Patrick Mahomes, there were far too many penalties, and the defense ... well, there was a plethora of issues there.
- The Chargers converted 53.8% of their third-down plays (7-of-13).
- Herbert completed 73.5% of his passes, as the Chiefs struggled to put pressure on him.
- The defense allowed 394 yards.
Chiefs fans have been accustomed to the team making halftime adjustments and seeing improvement in the second half from the defense.
Not so Friday.
The Chargers had 183 yards in the second half. After a three-and-out to start the third quarter, LA had a pair of 74-yard touchdown drives. The Chargers were 4-of-6 on third downs in the second half before a Herbert kneel down on the game’s final play.
Former Chiefs safety Justin Reid was watching his former teammates and offered an encouraging word. Reid also said any criticism directed at defensive back Jaden Hicks was premature.
“Jaden Hicks is a star in this league,” Reid wrote on X. “I’ve seen firsthand what this kid can do. “One game does not define any player, coach or team. There are a ton of plays for a bunch of players on both sides of the ball to learn from.”
That’s a pretty stirring defense of Hicks, who is in his second season with the Chiefs.
Chiefs fans will have an opportunity to watch Reid with his new team on Sunday. He signed with New Orleans as a free agent during the offseason. The Saints play the Cardinals at noon on Sunday.
This story was originally published September 6, 2025 at 11:40 AM.
