The Kansas City Chiefs have been the gold standard for excellence over the past couple of years, and some think it's down to one man.
The Kansas City Chiefs have been at or near the NFL summit ever since Patrick Mahomes was named the full-time starter, with the star quarterback seen as the biggest reason for the franchise's successes.
However, it isn't all down to Patrick. The defense under Steve Spagnuolo has done more than its fair share of heavy lifting, plus head coach Andy Reid has his fingerprints on the Chiefs' success, too.
But Pro Football Focus' Dalton Wasserman wants to add another name to the list, and we think it's a great one.
In listing his biggest takeaways from the offseason, Wasserman gives Chiefs general manager Brett Veach his flowers for consistently giving Mahomes and Co. ample weapons to chase glory year after year.
"As simple as it sounds, Brett Veach drafts good football players — and this year was no exception," Wasserman writes. "Each of Kansas City’s seven draft picks appears to fill a clear and immediate role. Offensive tackle Josh Simmons brings much-needed talent to a line that needed reinforcements; he allowed just five sacks across 1,045 career pass-blocking snaps in college. Defensive linemen Omarr Norman-Lott and Ashton Gillotte bring pass-rush juice, having earned true pass set grades of 88.3 and 90.9, respectively — both among the best in the class.
"Patrick Mahomes may be the engine, but Veach’s ability to consistently hit in the draft is a major reason the Chiefs continue to reload — and remain perennial contenders."
Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
Whether it be the draft with Xavier Worthy or Rashee Rice or shrewd free agent additions like Marquise Brown, DeAndre Hopkins, Mahomes gets some nice pieces, and so does the defense.
Yes, Mahomes gets the credit, but as Wasserman points out, Veach and other front office members gave him the ingredients to cook.
The Chiefs have won two of the last three Super Bowls, and for some, are still among the top contenders in 2025, and the draft haul is again expected to produce in Year 1.
So while Mahomes is out in front getting all the plaudits, don't forget that Veach has shown he can be considered one of the better general managers in football with his ability to consistently put solid pieces around Mahomes and the defense to give them everything they need to chase Super Bowl glory.
