Chiefs rookie Nohl Williams gaining trust, adding flexibility to Kansas City’s defense
Chris, I don’t know if we’ve got this information postgame, but if you’re going to share just you tell us your aunt’s name and just what she meant to your life. Uh her name was Angela. Uh, she meant *** lot. I actually stayed with her for *** duration, part of my, my life, probably like 5 or 6 years, so it was very close. Um, she was actually watching my game when she passed away, so, you know, and *** lot to me, my family, huge support her, um, yeah. was it back in your hometown or was it it was back in Houston, Mississippi, um. Yeah, and the church we all grew up in. Chris, our condolences to you and your family. Thank you so much. Did you, you said she passed away when she was watching one of your games at the Giants game? Yeah, I actually got the news after the game. Just something that was unexpected. Yeah, it’s very unexpected because we usually have the game, especially after the game, you get *** sack. The family called and congratulate me or send me *** text, so I was calling everybody like, hell yeah, about time we got the sag. Let’s do it. This is the beginning and you know. It was like call you, call your mom, call your sister. It’s like everything is OK and unfortunately she had *** heart attack watching the game. I’m sure that the game was probably largely secondary to everything, but was there at any point in the process that you were like, I’m gonna get back in time with this thing? Uh, you know, um. You know, me and coach we talked about it and. More so it was about making my own funeral and if there was *** time frame where I could get back I would try to get back but they completely understood and we came up with *** plan around it. Anybody else? Chris, what have you seen from this, uh, Jacksonville offense? Um, That they’re battle tested, um, you watch them throughout the course of the few games they’ve played. They’ve been battle tested the Houston Texas game it was *** battle, especially in the 4th quarter. It was back and forth battle and their defense has been playing lights out. um, Trevor Lawrence has uh made *** lot of progression throughout the years, um, and, and he’s made *** lot of big throws when the team needed him, so they have ***, *** very great cohesive group that’s playing well together right now, so. It’s *** challenge for us as *** D-line and *** defense to get after him. I wasn’t *** second on the play Sunday, but you’re the one who creates the initial pressure that makes Lamar sort of step up and bump into his own teammate for the fumble. Um, when you know it’s not in the box score, but you see the impact that you have, just what does that do to you, whether in that moment or when you go back and rewatch the game. I mean, um, you know, ***, *** lot of times, uh. You know, uh, you’re not gonna get credit for what you do because sometimes the stats don’t align, but that doesn’t deter your impact that you have on *** game, um, whether it’s creating pressures for the defense, so whether it’s taking on 2, sometimes 3, for someone to come up and you look at I was watching *** stat in the Dline room that Nick had 5 pressures that. Or untouched, you know, and, and that, that’s, uh, that’s, that’s cohesive to the group of the D line because when you have guys taking up 22, and the tight end and Talco is taking up *** DN, then you run your linebackers can come free. We just want those roles to reverse, OK. Sacks on pulling the linebackers up, had them to take two and give us ***, *** free shot, you know, we have *** definitely have *** very DB slash linebacker friendly defense. We just want Spash to kinda, you know, make sure that this thing is evenly matched. to turnovers? I know Spas likes to tell you guys that they come in bunches, but is it nice to see. Absolutely I think um that’s something we we harp on week in and week out turnovers, um, sacks and affecting the quarterback. So I think they go hand in hand if uh we’re rushing like we should and forcing him to throw the best ball quicker than his expected timing then turnovers, more turnovers will come and then eventually more sacks will come. So from the D line, not the linebackers or the DBs. And that was sweet. That’s also, uh, *** pressure that got in his face. Uh, Nick Bosa was right there again, you know, it’s ***, it’s ***, it’s *** trend coming. First, uh, uh, Spas, he’s pretty upset by the way he said we walked in here the only play on spot is the last run. I just wonder if you guys could tell that whenever you guys. Yeah, um, I was telling Sags it was contradicting argument because he always say we don’t count the numbers, we count the letters W and the L. We got, we got the W so you know. Um, when you, when you, when you get on the plane, Chris, I know it’s gotta be tough and and emotional, but what did you try to do to, I guess, be ready when you don’t have like your normal warm-up routine? Is it? Drinking *** bunch of water, did you try to like find ways to. It’s just *** different way to get loose for for *** game. For me, I don’t really stretch before the game. I’m *** huge fan of Randy Moss. Stay ready so you don’t have to get ready and um I get off the plane ready. I was ready to pass rush off the plane, so it’s like just stay hydrated because I know with the heat with the plane can kind of dehydrate you. But, um, Rick M gave me some tips on what I could do to make sure I’m I mean hydrated and make sure that my body is up to par to to play football so the training staff for Rick David Glover, um, they took care of me on that aspect so I was ready to play right off the plane. Thank you.
Chiefs rookie Nohl Williams gaining trust, adding flexibility to Kansas City’s defense
Updated: 4:26 PM CDT Oct 5, 2025
Kansas City Chiefs rookie cornerback Nohl Williams is quickly turning heads early in his first season with the team. Head coach Andy Reid and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo both praised Williams’ growing confidence and physicality this week as the Chiefs prepared for Monday night’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.“He’s done a really nice job for us,” Spagnuolo said. “Early in the year he kind of stuck out to me on special teams. He had a couple of really good hits on kickoff coverage. He’s a physical guy, and he was physical in training camp. There was a little bit of a rough beginning because it was different to him, but I think he has settled in and he’s playing more confident.”That confidence has allowed Spagnuolo to shift veteran defensive back Trent McDuffie around the field more frequently — something that’s adding unpredictability to Kansas City’s defensive looks.“Nohl is one of those guys who is smart,” McDuffie said. “Coming in as a rookie, he’s picking up this defense really well. He’s disciplined, and he’s out there making plays. You see his confidence rising and Coach Spags is trusting him a little bit more. On my end, that allows me to do a little more, I can go inside, go outside, and it lets us change up the looks and personnel so that the offense doesn’t know what role he’s in.”Williams’ physical style also fits Kansas City’s evolving defensive identity. The Chiefs entered Week 5 ranked among the top 10 in scoring defense and passing defense, holding opponents to limited big plays while forcing turnovers at a higher rate than last season.Reid, who has emphasized balance and discipline on both sides of the ball, said Williams’ growth is another example of the team’s depth paying off.“(Spagnuolo) has put him in a little bit bigger role every week, and he seems to be stepping up,” Reid said. “He had a couple nice physical plays in there against some pretty good receivers, so I liked what I saw there.”With the Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence leading one of the league’s most explosive passing attacks, Williams’ continued progress could be critical in another prime-time test for Kansas City’s secondary.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. —
Kansas City Chiefs rookie cornerback Nohl Williams is quickly turning heads early in his first season with the team.
Head coach Andy Reid and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo both praised Williams’ growing confidence and physicality this week as the Chiefs prepared for Monday night’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
“He’s done a really nice job for us,” Spagnuolo said. “Early in the year he kind of stuck out to me on special teams. He had a couple of really good hits on kickoff coverage. He’s a physical guy, and he was physical in training camp. There was a little bit of a rough beginning because it was different to him, but I think he has settled in and he’s playing more confident.”
That confidence has allowed Spagnuolo to shift veteran defensive back Trent McDuffie around the field more frequently — something that’s adding unpredictability to Kansas City’s defensive looks.
“Nohl is one of those guys who is smart,” McDuffie said. “Coming in as a rookie, he’s picking up this defense really well. He’s disciplined, and he’s out there making plays. You see his confidence rising and Coach Spags is trusting him a little bit more. On my end, that allows me to do a little more, I can go inside, go outside, and it lets us change up the looks and personnel so that the offense doesn’t know what role he’s in.”
Williams’ physical style also fits Kansas City’s evolving defensive identity. The Chiefs entered Week 5 ranked among the top 10 in scoring defense and passing defense, holding opponents to limited big plays while forcing turnovers at a higher rate than last season.
Reid, who has emphasized balance and discipline on both sides of the ball, said Williams’ growth is another example of the team’s depth paying off.
“(Spagnuolo) has put him in a little bit bigger role every week, and he seems to be stepping up,” Reid said. “He had a couple nice physical plays in there against some pretty good receivers, so I liked what I saw there.”
With the Jaguars’ Trevor Lawrence leading one of the league’s most explosive passing attacks, Williams’ continued progress could be critical in another prime-time test for Kansas City’s secondary.