The Kansas City Chiefs are at a pivotal moment in their 2025 season, and one player’s transformation is turning heads in ways no one expected. With the bye week in Week 10, it’s the perfect time to spotlight the midseason awards, and the race for Most Improved Player is nothing short of fascinating. Nine games down, eight to go—who’s stepped up their game the most? Let’s dive in.
But here’s where it gets controversial... While safety Bryan Cook snagged a single vote, it’s left guard Kingsley Suamataia who’s stealing the spotlight. In a near-unanimous decision, 10 Arrowhead Pride contributors crowned Suamataia as the 2025 Most Improved Player. And this is the part most people miss... His journey from a shaky rookie season to a cornerstone of the Chiefs’ offensive line is a story of resilience, adaptability, and sheer determination.
Drafted 63rd overall in 2024, Suamataia was thrown into the fire, tasked with protecting Patrick Mahomes’ blind side as a starting left tackle. However, after just two starts, he was benched in favor of Wanya Morris due to inconsistent performance. Later that season, he got another shot against the Denver Broncos but allowed a sack and three quarterback hits, raising doubts about his future on the edge. Is it fair to judge a rookie so harshly? Or was this a sign of things to come?
Fast forward to 2025, and the whispers of Suamataia moving to guard grew louder, especially after the Chiefs traded All-Pro left guard Joe Thuney to the Chicago Bears. By summer, it was clear: Suamataia was the man for the job, starting alongside rookie left tackle Joshua Simmons. Through nine games, he’s led the team in offensive snaps, missing just two plays—a testament to his durability and reliability.
Here’s the kicker... While he’s allowed the most pressures among Chiefs linemen, only six of his 17 pressures have resulted in hits on Mahomes, and just one has been a sack. He’s also been flagged for only one penalty, matching the season total of center Creed Humphrey. Even more impressive? Suamataia is part of an offensive line ranked fourth in Pass Block Win Rate, a metric that highlights their effectiveness in pass protection regardless of play outcomes.
At just 22 years old, Suamataia has rewritten his narrative in a single offseason. His seamless transition from a struggling tackle to a dependable guard—replacing one of the NFL’s best in Thuney—is a masterclass in coachability and growth. But is this enough to silence the doubters? Or is there still room for skepticism?
As we celebrate Suamataia’s transformation, it’s worth asking: What does this mean for the Chiefs’ future? Can he sustain this level of play, or is this just a midseason spike? Let us know your thoughts in the comments—is Kingsley Suamataia the real deal, or is there more to prove? Stay tuned for more 2025 Bye Week Awards, where we’ll continue to dissect the highs and lows of this thrilling season.
