With the Chiefs’ season hanging by a thread, Andy Reid turns to an undrafted rookie and an untested IPP standout in a bold, desperate bid to spark a revival.
Esa Pole is likely to start at left tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs against the LA Chargers, with Nigerian lineman Chu Godrick set to be activated from the practice squad.
The Kansas City Chiefs can be mathematically eliminated from the NFL postseason this Sunday.
However, this would rely on multiple permutations going against the 6-7 team, who have entered panic stations.
Reid and Mahomes’ season could be over as early as the close of play in Week 15
Now, the onus is on Andy Reid – who has been criticized for his conservative play-calling of late – to put Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in the best position to claim victory in a must-win game against AFC West rivals Los Angeles Chargers (9-4).
But one key factor that may ultimately define Kansas City’s season is their offensive line.
The group has been injury-laden all season long, especially at left tackle, and the situation has only been exacerbated over the last few weeks.
With rookie left tackle Josh Simmons out with a dislocated and fractured wrist, and the absences of Jawaan Taylor and $94 million Trey Smith, who are also dealing with injuries, Reid had to bring in backup Wanya Morris at LT.
However, the 2023 third-round pick suffered a gruesome knee injury in the Chiefs’ 20-10 defeat to the Houston Texans in Week 14.
With every game now a must-win for Kansas City, Reid has since been forced to rely on undrafted rookie Esa Pole to protect his franchise quarterback’s blindside.
“He’s going about his business the right way,” Andy Reid said of Pole on Friday. “This will be another test for him.
“Obviously, they got a good defensive front, so we’ll see how he progresses here, but he did a nice job last week, for sure.”
Pole, who only played football for the first time four years ago, played 63 of 64 offensive snaps on his NFL debut, and prevented Texans star defensive duo Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter from recording a sack.
In the Mahomes era, the quarterback has been well protected with Mahomes having been sacked less than 30 times a season from 2018 to 2023, with the most he took during that span being 28 in 2021.
Esa Pole is in line to make his first NFL start against the Chargers on Sunday
Chu Godrick is expected to be elevated up from the practice squad
However, the offensive line has been more lacklustre in the past two seasons, with Mahomes taking a career-high 36 sacks in 2024, though the Chiefs made the Super Bowl for the fifth time in six seasons.
This season has seen a similar trend, with the two-time NFL MVP having already been sacked 29 times through just 13 games in 2025.
Mahomes will be behind yet another o-line shakeup
Pole will become the seventh different player to start at the left tackle position for Mahomes since the start of the 2024 season, and this will also mark the 10th time in the same time span which Kansas City have had to change their lineup.
His next test? To try and stop nine-time Pro Bowl linebacker Khalil Mack.
But it isn’t just the 24-year-old who is expected to come into the fold on the O-line on Sunday, as Nigerian tackle Chukwuebuka “Chu” Godrick – who has come up via the NFL’s International Player Pathway – is also set to be elevated from the practice squad to add additional cover at tackle.
Chiefs left guard Kingsley Suamataia, is also a possible option to move across to tackle – the position he played at the very beginning of his young career.
Suamataia has no issues with reverting back to the left tackle position where he started his NFL career
When asked by Chiefs Digest’s Matt Derrick about this possibility, Suamataia said, “If you’re scared, get a dog.”
With the Chiefs being forced into yet another O-line formation change – with Pole at left tackle, right guard Mike Caliendo in place of Smith and right tackle Jaylon Moore in place of Taylor, Mahomes was pleased with how his offensive line played in the defeat.
“Yeah, I thought they did a great job,” Mahomes said on Wednesday. “That’s a great defensive line.
“And with a lot of guys coming in, kind of in the game as well. And then kind of stepping up, I thought they did a great job of fighting and battling and giving me time to make some of these throws down the field.”
Over the years, Mahomes has gotten used to having a different face cover his blindside, especially when playing in the Super Bowl, with him having a different left tackle in each of his five Super Bowl appearances.
Eric Fisher, Mike Remmers, Orlando Brown Jr., Donovan Smith and Joe Thuney have all protected Mahomes at left tackle with the Vince Lombardi Trophy on the line.
Remmers was a natural right tackle and Thuney had only migrated to the tackle position from Week 15 in the 2024 season having spent the rest of his 10-year career as a guard.
Now, Mahomes will have yet another face in front of him with a left tackle carousel that keeps on turning and shows no signs of slowing down any time soon.
