The Kansas City Chiefs took a risk at the left guard position this offseason, and it’s finally beginning to pay off.
Part of that risk was trading away an All-Pro left guard in Joe Thuney, but the other part of it was replacing him with second-year OL Kingsley Suamataia. The former BYU Cougar had never played the offensive guard position before he started crosstraining at the position a season ago. There were always signs that, athletically, he could get the job done. After just four games as a starter in 2025, he’s beginning to look the part with performance to match it.
Suamataia did not allow a single pressure on 41 pass blocking snaps in Week 4 vs. Ravens, marking the first game of his NFL career during which he did not allow pressure. He’s allowed just a single pressure across 82 pass blocking snaps over the past two games, which comes out to a 1.2% pressure rate. He graded out with his highest pass-blocking and offensive grades over at Pro Football Focus following the win over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 4.
“Yeah, he was, he was very aggressive in the run game,” Chiefs HC Andy Reid said of Suamataia on Monday. “I thought the run game, he really, that third quarter, and second quarter, he was like, he was really on fire there. So that was a good thing, though. The pass game, he was, again, solid there. I probably agree with that, whoever is grading that.”
There is, of course, the caveat that the Ravens were without their entire starting defensive line in Week 4. However, this is precisely the type of performance that you’re supposed to have if you’re a player like Suamataia.
Chiefs’ Kingsley Suamataia is continuing to grow and get better at the left guard position
Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Chiefs OL coach Andy Heck gave his evaluation of Suamataia through the first three games of the 2025 NFL season. His comments were certainly a positive sign of things to come in Week 4 against the Ravens.
“Yeah, I think Kingsley (Suamataia) is doing a lot of things really well,” Heck said. “And just like all of us, I mean, every time we turn on a practice, every time we turn on a game tape, we find stuff. ‘Hey, we got to work on this. We got to get better at that.’ And he’s no exception. So, he’s working on things like staying more square in the pocket, but I would say he’s given us good, physical play. He’s been adapting to that guard position very well. I’m very encouraged by what I’m seeing out of him.”
There’s still a long way to go for the 22-year-old Suamataia before he’s mentioned in the same breath as a player like Joe Thuney, but the progress from what the team saw of him at left tackle a year ago is evident. As long as he continues to work on getting better at the little things, the sky is the limit for this young offensive lineman.
