There are nine games in the books — with eight more to go. The Kansas City Chiefs are taking their bye week in Week 10, so it’s time to dish out some midseason awards.
CB – Trent McDuffie
VOTING: CB Trent McDuffie (5), DE George Karlaftis (3), LB Nick Bolton (1), S Bryan Cook (1)
McDuffie is one of four Chiefs defenders
who play virtually every snap for Kansas City’s defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo. Along with Bolton, cornerback Jaylen Watson and safety Chamarri Conner, McDuffie has been a constant presence for a team that ranks fourth in points allowed per game (17.7) and third in passing first downs allowed per game (9.11).
McDuffie is the Chiefs’ Alpha in coverage. Spagnuolo deploys him based on matchups, using him where he fits best. This season, McDuffie leads the team in passes defended (6); no other Chief has more than one. According to PFF, McDuffie has allowed just 8.4 yards per reception — the fourth-fewest among NFL cornerbacks with 300 snaps logged. When targeted, he registers a 78.8 passer rating.
McDuffie has been the primary slot defender in passing situations. Overall, he has spent 25% of his defensive snaps in the slot and 64% outside. That leaves 12% where he aligns closer to the line of scrimmage — and that’s how McDuffie has totaled 47 tackles, the third-most among Kansas City defenders. He has also earned one sack and an interception.
McDuffie has 14 “stops” this year, a metric tracked by PFF to categorize tackles “that constitute a ‘failure’ for the offense.” In that stat, McDuffie ranks 11th among NFL cornerbacks in 2025.
Playing in his contract year, McDuffie hopes to prove he is one of the league’s elite cornerbacks — especially in coverage. In 2025, he’s picked up right where he left off as a two-time All-Pro, continuing a career trajectory that should soon make him one of the league’s highest-paid cornerbacks.
Click here for all of our 2025 Bye Week Awards
