Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid takes the field in the first quarter of the AFC championship NFL game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2023, at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. The Chiefs led 13-6 at halftime.
The Kansas City Chiefs boast one of the most explosive and talented rosters across the NFL, led by MVP and three-time Super Bowl champion quarterback Patrick Mahomes, taking full aim at what would be a record-setting third consecutive Lombardi Trophy this upcoming season.
While much of the Chiefs’ Super Bowl window is predicated on Mahomes, one of the players tasked with keeping him upright and healthy may be one of the most important on the roster. Or, at least one of the most gifted at his position across the NFL.
Kansas City Chiefs’ Joe Thuney Named One of NFL’s Top Offensive Guards
Joe Thuney has been consistently one of the most dominant offensive linemen in the sport, and, ahead of the 2024 season has been named the top offensive guard in the league by Pro Football Focus.
“Thuney has cemented himself as one of the NFL’s best guards,” Thomas Valentine writes for PFF. “Providing flawless protection for Patrick Mahomes over the past three seasons and earning himself first- and second-team All-Pro nods in the past two seasons. Thuney’s 74.6 PFF overall grade in 2023 ranked ninth among guards, and his 83.4 pass-blocking grade led the position.
“Thuney is an adequate run-blocker, but he has made a name for himself in pass protection. He allowed just a 4.6% pressure rate in 2023, and his 88.8 pass-blocking grade over the past two years is better than that of every other guard in the NFL.”
If Thuney can continue to play at an elite level, it will go a long way towards unlocking the potential of a set of skill players that now includes Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, rookie Xavier Worthy, and a dominant tight end in All-Pro Travis Kelce at Mahomes’ disposal.
