The results of Super Bowl LIX are fresh in the minds of all the Kansas City Chiefs players involved, especially on the offensive line. Mike Caliendo stepped into a starter's role following the position change of Joe Thuney late last season and could see a redemption season in 2025 after a promising offseason.
"He's (Mike Caliendo) had a great one. (He's) a great kid – very, very smart. (He's) a hard worker, (and) he's gotten better every year," said head coach Andy Reid during his minicamp press conference, "For him to step in and do what he did this past year, he knows he can play at this level. We saw how (Commanders G Nick) Allegretti did it, and I'd tell you that he's doing the same. He looks like the building blocks are kind of the same there."
Caliendo has been complimentary of projected starter Kingsley Suamataia throughout OTAs, as he will be competing for playing time in training camp alongside many other position groups.
"We talk to them about strengths and weaknesses and where we would like – these are the things we really need to work on, so we can add that into your game and into the repertoire of your actual game day and how you play." said Reid "You have to practice those things and do it fast and make it to where it's just second nature for you. So yeah, we talk about those types of things. Then, obviously, I think everybody right now is sitting there going, 'Yeah, you want to win the Super Bowl. That's what you want to do.' We're right there; that's our primary goal, to put ourselves in the best position we can to win."
Caliendo was an undrafted free agent signed out of Western Michigan by the Chiefs in 2022. The comparison to former Chiefs offensive lineman and current Commanders starter Nick Allegretti is a hopeful one to build on as the team heads into training camp.
