He leads the team in tackles and run stops through Week 13 — and has also being noticeably active in aligning his teammates in the right defensive formation before each play. “He’s as good as I’ve had at [pre-snap communication], and I’ve been lucky enough to have been around some really good ones,” Spagnuolo shared. The linebacker duo of Hitchens and Niemann has been rock-solid for the Kansas City defense. After the son of Andy Reid was put on administrative leave on Tuesday, word broke that his contract expired on Wednesday. "Referenced him in a meeting this morning. He played 15 games for the Chiefs two straight seasons. When he got here, he had a lot to learn, but he was a willing learner, hard worker, and obviously a very, very good football player, first-class person, so just very happy for him.". Knowing that, I know I have to be ready and prepared every week and be out there for my teammates.”. Anthony Hitchens feels ‘good’ ahead of Divisional round vs. Browns One of the Chiefs’ defensive leaders is ready for the postseason to kickoff. share. “I showed something this morning from [Wednesday’s] practice, and made the point that we should all feel fortunate that we have Hitch as our MIKE linebacker. Niemann did so while seeing the greatest special teams use he … The guy that can control things and everyone feels real comfortable with how they’re doing it — and it makes everyone play a lot faster, I believe that. He finished the year with 78 total tackles, 44 solo tackles, and two tackles for a loss in the regular season. Anthony Hitchens believes Chiefs 'should be a top-five defense' Despite having won a Super Bowl last season, there's room for improvement in Kansas City on the defense, in particular. He was a three-sport athlete in high school (football, basketball and track). Anyone can see the pre-snap impact that Spagnuolo and Hitchens are referring to. 2d 91 shares . Brad’s presence will be felt at the Super Bowl. By Ron Kopp Jr. … Fair weather fan, right. “You need that in any defense, the guy in the middle is like the quarterback on the offense. How about that. With 2020 in the books, we begin to dive in on how Kansas City returns to championship form. Nelson recorded his first career sack earlier this season and has given Tampa Bay productive snaps on the edge. Hawk-Item – – Recorded 270 career tackles to tie for 20th in career stops . The Super Bowl is scheduled to kick off at 5:30 PM Central Time on CBS. "The good news for him is he's just going to keep getting better," Ferentz said. On March 15, 2018, the Chiefs and former Iowa linebacker Anthony Hitchens agreed to a five-year, $45 million contract that also includes $25.09 and a signing bonus of $14 million. He played 15 games for the Chiefs two straight seasons. recorded 10 or more tackles in seven of 11 games in 2012 and six games in 2013 . ... View this post on Instagram… “That’s what I keep telling Anthony,” Amy said. Finished the 2017 season ranking second on There has to be trust in the player for that relationship to work, and Spagnuolo left no doubts about whether Hitchens has earned that role. RIP DAD,” he wrote. "That's easy. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. Like Hitchens, Niemann will be playing in his second Super Bowl with the Chiefs. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. tweet. Anthony Hitchens feels ‘good’ ahead of Divisional round vs. Browns One of the Chiefs’ defensive leaders is ready for the postseason to kickoff. Against the Buccaneers, Kansas City went a different direction: Hitchens, Damien Wilson and Ben Niemann shared the snaps fairly equally. View the profiles of people named Anthony Hitchens. How about. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. . led Big Ten and ranked fifth in the nation in tackles per game (11.2) in 2012 . Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Anthony Hitchens, top, and safety Jordan Lucas (24) tackle Indianapolis Colts running back Marlon Mack (25) … I'm just going to enjoy the game. When you’re a leader of any unit, and you can let things roll off your back and be solid as a rock, it’s a great quality to have in the position he plays.”. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL Draft.He played college football at the University of Iowa. Anthony Hitchens is a linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs. 2,365 Likes, 36 Comments - Anthony Hitchens (@anthonyhitchens59) on Instagram: “It’s acouple days early but whatever happy anniversary to this queen that holds me down through any…” “Your dad will be in your ear and on the … RIP DAD,” he wrote. Besides the on-field performance, Hitchens excels in his role because of his personality traits. “That’s a lot of praise coming from the head guy right there. Many people ask about the amount of money Anthony Hitchens makes from Instagram. . Kansas City is a three-point favorite, according to CBS Sports. ORCHARD PARK, NY - OCTOBER 19: Anthony Hitchens #53 of the Kansas City Chiefs on the sidelines against the Buffalo Bills at Bills Stadium on October 19, 2020 in Orchard Park, New York. You think about guys that never had that opportunity, it's a really neat thing. The offense gets a lot of love with Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, and Travis Kelce, but the Chiefs' defense this year has also been strong. Wirfs has battled some of the NFL's best defensive ends like Khalil Mack, Cam Jordan, and Nick Bosa, among others, and has performed well against them. Anthony Hitchens. How about Ben Niemann, two in a row. . “To me, he’s the glue,” Spagnuolo told reporters in his Thursday press conference. Kansas City Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu (32) returns an interception during the second half of an NFL divisional round football game against the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021, in … Take advantage now and be the first to know everything going on regarding Iowa football, basketball, and recruiting! The most you can ask of a young player, if they're not immediately awesome as so few are, is for them to illumine new possibilities. QUAD-CITY TIMES FILE PHOTO Facebook ranked sixth in the Big Ten in tackles per game (8.6) and seventh in tackles for loss (1.04) in 2013 . Chiefs sign Deandre Baker, nine others to reserve/future contracts on Tuesday. “It’s the second year in the system; my last three years, I think I’ve been in three different systems. “I keep saying that. Love you now let’s celebrate @mrs.hitch…” In their base formation with Hitchens, the Chiefs performed exceptionally well against the run. He has committed to Iowa Hawkeyes. Craig Stout pointed out in his weekly defensive film review. Hard hitting young guy outta Iowa!…” NFL News. Recorded first start with the Chiefs in Week 1 of the 2018 season at Los Angeles Chargers (9/9/18) where he recorded 14 tackles (6 solo). "Anthony Hitchens being the old guy in the group, seven-year veteran and when he came here we weren't sure if he was a defensive back, a running back, and he's really carved out quite a niche and had an unbelievable NFL career," Ferentz said. We’re really fortunate to have him; I can’t say enough about him to be honest with you.”. Kansas City had eight players on the active roster land on the COVID-19 list, including Hardman and starting linebacker Anthony Hitchens, both of whom missed games. 2,912 Likes, 61 Comments - Anthony Hitchens (@anthonyhitchens59) on Instagram: “Happy anniversary baby 4 down and lifetime to go !! “He’s calm, he’s peaceful, he doesn’t let anything rattle him. By Ron Kopp Jr. @Ron_Kopp Nov 7, 2020, 11:45am CST Hitchens returned to action for the Divisional Round as he was activated off the COVID-19 list. Four former Hawkeyes will be participating in Super Bowl LV on Sunday. Anthony Hitchens was born June 10, 1992 and grew up in Lorain, Ohio.