KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - The Kansas City Chiefs finished the preseason without a win, but rookie edge rusher R Mason Thomas recorded his first NFL sack Friday night against Seattle.
First sack brings confidence
Thomas said teammates had encouraged him to get his first sack during the preseason.
“Everyone was telling me, ‘You gotta get you one, gotta get you one in the preseason,’” Thomas said.
“I think it’s really good- brings the confidence,” Thomas said.
Coaches take notice
The sack followed strong performances in the first two preseason games, which caught the attention of Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.
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“I thought R Mason had a nice rush at the end of the half. And there were a couple others that were really good,” Spagnuolo said.
Thomas spent training camp facing more experienced offensive linemen. Defensive line coach Joe Cullen praised his performance following the preseason games.
“R Mason had a couple of really nice pressures- one in the red zone- and one at the end of the half where he got the ball and knocked it up in the air,” Cullen said.
“A dream come true”
Thomas said being in a Chiefs uniform means a lot to him.
“It’s a dream come true, to be in this camp, to be an NFL player when I was a kid, so. To be in this program- I never dreamed a Kansas City area code would call my phone on draft day,” Thomas said.
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Moments after his first sack Friday night, Thomas nearly blocked a punt. As he left the field, he was cheered by the crowd, his teammates and former MVP quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who shook the rookie’s hand.
“I really don’t know if you dream of something like that- when you said that now- that’s surreal, who would have ever thought?” Thomas said.
Learning the playbook
The Chiefs drafted Thomas, an Oklahoma senior, in the second round. He said learning the playbook is key to playing at a high level.
“Knowing the playbook- that helps you play fast. So if you know what to do, you can do it at a high speed, there’s no hesitation,” Thomas said.
Thomas said he still has not fully learned Spagnuolo’s defense.
“I’m not comfortable- I’m still not comfortable,” Thomas said.
Looking ahead to Denver
Thomas said training camp has helped him feel more at home with the Chiefs. He is now turning his attention to the team’s game against the Denver Broncos.
“Because Arrowhead is going to be packed out at night... the loudest in the NFL,” Thomas said.
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