The Kansas City Chiefs are dealing with a different kind of pressure heading into 2025. In 2023 and 2024, they entered the year as defending champions with their core stars intact. But the narrative has shifted after their Super Bowl loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.
That path back to the top runs straight through their defense. Steve Spagnuolo’s unit got overwhelmed when it mattered most, and now they need to bounce back in a big way. The good news? They have an emerging star who could be the key to getting back to elite status.
Chiefs’ Safety Jaden Hicks Predicted To Have a Breakout Year in 2025
Kansas City had one of the weirdest seasons in recent memory last year. They never looked like the dominant force fans were used to seeing. Instead, they scraped by on last-second plays and lucky breaks, creating this narrative that the defense was carrying the offense.
But that story wasn’t quite right. The reality is that Kansas City’s defense was pretty average, especially against the pass. They ranked 18th in EPA allowed through the air and in passing yards allowed per game. To fix that weakness, they’re banking on a big second year from safety Jaden Hicks.
PFSN identified one high-upside breakout candidate for each team ahead of the 2025 season, and Hicks was their pick for the Chiefs. The fourth-round selection from the 2024 draft started just one regular-season game but appeared in all contests, carving out a role in the rotation.
Never forget that Jaden Hicks is a certified DAWG for this pic.twitter.com/NipNGYXxH1
— Daniel Harms (@InHarmsWay19) July 14, 2025
Brandon Austin laid out the situation perfectly: “With veteran safety Justin Reid departing for New Orleans, the Kansas City Chiefs are looking to Jaden Hicks to fill a crucial role in their secondary. Drafted in the fourth round out of Washington State, Hicks exceeded expectations as a rookie, appearing in 20 games (including playoffs) and recording 42 tackles, three interceptions, and five pass breakups.”
What Makes Hicks the Perfect Fit for Spagnuolo’s System?
The Chiefs have been nailing their defensive draft picks since 2021, and Hicks looks like another smart pick by Brett Veach. He’s projected to start at safety in Steve Spagnuolo’s system, which loves those two-deep safety looks and relies heavily on disguise and football IQ.
Hicks showed exactly that kind of awareness early on when he got his chances. That performance probably earned him the trust of the coaching staff. Kansas City has made it their thing to lean on young talent and maximize those rookie contracts, so this is Hicks’ moment to prove his long-term value.
The timing couldn’t be better. The Chiefs enter 2025 with the 14th-ranked defense in the NFL. That ranking becomes a real concern when you’re facing teams like the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills, who have been making moves every year to counter Kansas City.
Hicks and the rest of the secondary need to step up big time if the Chiefs want to make another Super Bowl run. The blueprint is there, the system works, and now it’s time for the young safety to show he can be the difference maker Kansas City needs.
