Kansas City Chiefs underdog who only began playing football three years ago may finally be ready to contribute in 2025 originally appeared on A to Z Sports.
The Kansas City Chiefs’ 90-man offseason roster is actually a 91-man offseason roster, and that 91st player could finally be in line to make an impact on the field in 2025.
The Chiefs have 91 players on the roster because of Chukwuebuka ‘Chu’ Godrick, who also goes by Jason. He joined the team through the NFL’s international player pathway program. He has received an offseason roster exemption for the past two years in Kansas City, three if you include this latest exemption in 2025.
Most of Godrick’s experience to this point has been playing catch-up. After all, it wasn’t long ago that he was appearing in his first-ever football game. You read that right, not his first-ever NFL game, but his first-ever game of organized football. Where the players around him had years of experience in Pop Warner, high school, and college, he was only just learning the game. He was discovered in part through Osi Umenyiora’s “Uprise Academy”. He then received an invitation to the International NFL Combine at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where he auditioned for scouts and ultimately earned his opportunity in Kansas City.
“Words can barely express it, to be honest,” Godrick told A to Z Sports after preseason Week 1 in 2023. “The atmosphere was definitely something I had never experienced, but I did my best to keep my head on a swivel and just play ball.”
Now, in his third year in the system, Godrick isn’t just playing catch-up. He’s making a case to contribute in a way that he hasn’t up to this point in his NFL career.
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Chiefs’ international OL Chukwuebuka ‘Chu’ Godrick could finally make an impact in 2025
After playing a good portion of training camp with the third-team offense at tackle, Godrick graduated to play some interior offensive line and tackle with the second-team offense in training camp practice on Thursday, Day 14. Asked about Godrick’s progress, Chiefs HC Andy Reid seemed pleasantly surprised by what he’s seen from the third-year professional.
“He’s (Chukwuebuka Godrick) actually doing a good job,” Reid said. “Talking about Chu here. He’s actually doing a good job out there. He’s worked guard, he’s worked tackle, he’s trying to get into that flex position where he can help out and compete. But he’s having a good camp so far. Look forward to seeing him in the games.”
With preseason Week 1 against the Arizona Cardinals on deck, Godrick has a big opportunity ahead of him. Of course, he could spend another season on the practice squad with his roster-exempt status. On the other hand, he could prove that he has what it takes to suit up regularly on Sunday and provide multi-positional depth on the offensive line.
“Yeah, well, he’s getting there for sure,” Reid said of Godrick’s preparedness for the regular season. “Yeah, for sure. This will be a big, big camp for him as we go.”
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This story was originally reported by A to Z Sports on Aug 7, 2025, where it first appeared.