The rookie center, brimming with collegiate accolades and wrestling-honed leverage, steps into the Kansas City Chiefs OTA huddle. The playbook is fresh ink, the stadium air hums with potential, and Patrick Mahomes stands across from him. Creed Humphrey, confident from his Oklahoma days, makes a protection call. Before the echo fades, Mahomes shakes his head, changes it. The veteran linemen lock eyes with the rookie.
“Dude, just go with this call.” In that heartbeat, Humphrey didn’t just learn a play adjustment; he absorbed a foundational truth about Arrowhead’s kingdom: Pat’s got the ball, Pat’s got the final say. It wasn’t a demotion; it was an initiation into the Chiefs’ unwavering loyalty structure. You might chuckle, recalling Vader’s ‘I find your lack of faith disturbing,’ but with less force-choking and more football genius. Chris Long nailed the question to Creed Humphrey on their podcast: “How much leeway do you get in calling protections? Do you call any stuff or is that a Patrick thing?”
Humphrey’s answer, crisp as a perfect shotgun snap, laid it bare: “The final call, final say is always Pat. So, you know, I can go up there and call stuff and then he’s got final say, so he’ll check protections whenever he needs to.” That ‘whenever he needs to’ is Mahomes’ domain, a blend of pre-snap calculus and instinct honed over 32,352 career passing yards and three Lombardi lifts.
Humphrey’s rookie moment crystallizes it. “I remember my rookie year in OTAs, I tried to make a call, then he changed it and then everybody looked at me and they’re like, ‘Dude, just go with this call.’ And I was like, ‘Yeah, no, that’s fine.’” No ego clash, no wounded pride. Just instant deference to the maestro.
This isn’t just protocol; it’s the bedrock of KC’s culture – a seamless, unspoken trust where Pro Bowl centers (three times over, mind you) and All-Pro tackles (Humphrey bagged 1st-team honors in ’24 with a PFF grade of 92.8) pivot on their QB’s word like it’s gospel. It’s why Mahomes, operating behind Humphrey’s league-best pass blocking (90.6 grade), feels less pressure than a monk in meditation. That $72 million extension making Humphrey the NFL’s highest-paid center? Consider it an investment in Mahomes’ peace of mind.
The symphony of leverage & Mahomes-Creed loyalty
Dig into Humphrey’s roots, and this seamless synergy makes perfect sense. Growing up in Shawnee, Oklahoma, he wasn’t just learning snap counts; he was mastering leverage on wrestling mats under his All-American dad’s tutelage. “With my dad’s wrestling background… it kind of shows a lot in my game.” That intimate understanding of balance and force translates directly to the trenches, where his left-handed snaps initially gave Mahomes pause—“I’ve already gotten pretty much used to it… it’s not that big of a deal”—but quickly became another note in their synchronized rhythm.
Think of those critical moments: Super Bowl LVII, Mahomes hobbled but hungry, sensing pressure. A subtle Humphrey whisper—“We got five… I got the nose by myself”—was all the QB needed for a game-shifting 26-yard scramble. It’s less coach-to-player, more Jedi-to-Padawan, communicating in blinks and nods perfected through shared film sessions. “Watching how he breaks down film… I’ve kind of followed suit,” Humphrey admits.
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This loyalty isn’t blind obedience; it’s earned through resilience and results. Humphrey watched his mother and grandmother battle breast cancer, inheriting a toughness that mirrors Mahomes’ own fourth-quarter ice. It’s echoed in the way Mahomes championed Chris Jones’ contract—“I left some on the table”—or embraced him post-Super Bowl LVIII, promising, “Hey bro, you ain’t going nowhere… I want three.”
The Chiefs’ culture is a tapestry woven from these threads—mutual respect, proven excellence (68 consecutive starts for Creed!), and an unshakeable belief that following #15’s lead is the surest path to confetti. When Humphrey got his hometown ‘Day’ and the key to Shawnee, he spoke of setting an example. In Kansas City, that example is crystal clear: protect the throne, trust the king, and the kingdom thrives. It’s a beautiful, brutal ballet orchestrated by the quarterback whose final call isn’t just respected; it’s revered. The snap is Creed’s, the symphony is Pat’s. And the Chiefs? They’re just busy collecting rings.
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