This week, Chiefs Wire's Ed Easton Jr. spoke with TV Analyst and former Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Trent Green.
In his interview with Easton Jr., Green joined the unveiling of the Dr Pepper "Fan Wall of Fame" painting on the side of the Alumni Hall building at his alma mater, Indiana University, curated by Indianapolis artist Nate Baranowski. He commented on the emergence of undrafted rookie offensive lineman Kahlil Benson.
"Dr Pepper invited me to come out and be a part of it." said Green, "I'm fired up to be to be unveiling that wall today to celebrate the fans that that helped help the team earn the national championship, so it's it's it's an exciting time around Bloomington."
For all the college football fans in Bloomington, IN…we’re cooking
up something with @natebaranowski for this weekend 👀 pic.twitter.com/GBMgTFFE0I
— Dr Pepper (@drpepper) September 2, 2026
Green follows the Chiefs closely as the preseason television analyst, and he noticed undrafted rookie Benson, who is also an Indiana alum.
"I've been incredibly surprised. First off, he didn't get drafted, and he didn't get signed as a free agent. He had to go work out. That's how the Chiefs found him and signed him," said Green. "It's funny talking to Brett Veach, the GM of the Chiefs, and he's like, 'Listen, we don't get a lot of credit. Like, we didn't sign him either. We made him come in for a workout, and he's just taking it from there. So give him a lot of credit. He's got the experience. When you look at it, you know he was on the offensive line that went undefeated and won the national championship. So he's got the experience."
Benson was signed to the 90-man roster after an impressive showing at the rookie minicamp. The undrafted free agent received high praise from coaches and teammates throughout camp.
"I think he's done a good job of coming in and working hard. He's proven throughout camp. He was starting at right tackle. Then Trey (Smith) got hurt for a couple of weeks. He was starting at right guard, and then Josh got injured. And they said, "Hey, guess what? This last preseason game, we're going to start you at left tackle," said Green. "He held up well at all three spots. Where he ultimately lands remains to be seen. Some of it has to do with injuries. I see that Trey's back. I haven't heard exactly what's going on with Josh (Simmons), or whether he'll be back. But what a valuable thing to be an undrafted guy who had to go through a tryout, and now, all of a sudden, in three preseason games, you've played three of the five offensive line spots, and it looks like week one you've got a very real chance to be the starter on opening day."
Benson was a member of the Indiana Hoosiers' 2025 CFP National Championship roster. He saw action in 49 games in college, splitting stints at Indiana (2022-2023, 2025) and with the Colorado Buffaloes (2024).
"So, what a great story for Benson! I think that says a lot about him as a person, a lot about him in terms of perseverance, and hopefully, this success doesn't go to his head," said Green. "He keeps working and wants to get better. And I think with Andy Reid, I think with Eric Bieniemy as the offensive coordinator, I think with Andy Heck as the offensive line coach, they're going to stay on top of him, and he understands. He's going to keep getting better. But what a great position that he's in here, going into opening day for the Chiefs."
For more information on the Dr Pepper Fan Wall of Fame, visit the official Dr Pepper website and its social media channels.
This article originally appeared on Chiefs Wire: Trent Green comments on the emergence of rookie OL Kahlil Benson
