This week, Chiefs Wire's Ed Easton Jr. spoke with Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Cooper McDonald.
In his interview with Easton Jr., McDonald discussed his partnership with premium outdoor brand SITKA Gear and his veteran mentors on the Chiefs roster.
"Yeah, you think about hunting and football and the outdoors at the same time. I think about some of the, I guess, character traits of each of them. You think about patience, having patience while hunting. You've got to be patient, and you can't be so sporadic in your decisions, or it'll all go down the drain," said McDonald. Same with football: you've got to be patient, and you've got to study film. You study the patterns of an animal as well. You study the patterns of a team, so I mean, they collaborate
and go hand in hand with each other, which is neat when you really think about it."
The 25-year-old continues to lean on his veteran teammates for advice going into the new season. He lists players who are leading the defense and have plenty of experience in big games, making big plays.
"Yeah, last year it was definitely Leo Chanel. He was a great guy to have around. Learning from him and seeing what he did and how he was a pro, he was a great example for me. But I would say this year, it's definitely Nick Bolton," said McDonald. "We actually sit next to each other in meetings, so we'll be watching film, and he'll be telling me stuff and giving me pointers and things like that to help my game. He's been super, super helpful. The entire room has Drue (Tranquill), Jack Cochrane, all the guys. He's been coaching me up a little bit too. So having those guys and all the experience in that room has been great."
SITKA Gear, the premium outdoor apparel brand known for pushing the boundaries of hunting and fishing performance, recently announced the launch of "For the Obsessed." A new creative platform built upon a simple reframe: Obsession isn't a flaw. It's the defining trait of the modern sportsman.
Go to sitkagear.com to learn more about how SITKA enhances the full life experience of the hunter.
This article originally appeared on Chiefs Wire: Cooper McDonald discusses his veteran mentors on the Chiefs roster
