Chiefs-Eagles Super Bowl: Trent McDuffie has new role this time around

The last time Kansas City Chiefs star cornerback Trent McDuffie played against the Philadelphia Eagles (in last year’s regular season), he predominantly played from the slot while ex-teammate and current Tennessee Titan L’Jarius Sneed held down the perimeter.

Fast forward to this year, and the gauntlet of being the man on the outside has fallen at McDuffie’s feet. It’s a challenge he has taken head-on and is looking forward to on Sunday in Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans.

To prepare for the game, McDuffie said he watched Super Bowl LIVII, in which the Chiefs defeated the Eagles — and the 2024 matchup, in which the Eagles defeated their home team.

“Honestly, really just looking at how they were attacking us, seeing just the things that I can improve upon as far as technique-wise,” explained McDuffie from the podium on Wednesday. “I’m on the outside this time, so just watching more tape on A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.”

It’s a challenge that McDuffie says he relishes, especially within the brand of defense the Chiefs play.

“I love how aggressive coach [defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo] is,” McDuffie said. “To play in a defense like that. It’s been a lot of fun because he’s going to utilize you in multiple ways. So I always say, like before the game pre-week, it takes a little bit more discipline to really know your plays — studying and making sure you know at each certain situation what we can call knowing that he will call certain plays. Just knowing that at the end of the day like he’s going to trust us to go out there and make plays. And that gives you a lot of confidence.”

This is as big of a stage as you will find in football. There has never been a bigger game in the game’s history, and because of that, McDuffie said you have to play as close to perfect as possible.

“[We gotta] watch the film, making sure that on the back end, we know what we’re doing, you know, and don’t have any mistakes… I say it’s one of them games where it’s just a man-on-man, It’s who at the end of the day, is going to do their best technique-wise and who’s going to make the most plays? We love these challenges. We love being in these moments when you get to go against two top receivers really in the league, and I know at the backing we’re excited to go out there and compete.”

A.J. Brown

“A.J. Brown does a really good job being physical at the point of attack, going up, getting the ball,” said McDuffie, complimenting his upcoming foe. “He’s got a great catch radius, and he’s someone that (Philadelphia quarterback) Jalen Hurts really trusts.”

With a guy Brown’s size and strength, McDuffie said it’s important to match “fire with fire.”

“AJ Brown’s physical,” he repeated. “And likes to get dirty, you know?”

McDuffie feels like he has a good idea of what Brown likes to do, but knowing it and stopping it are two different things.

“He likes to slant. He likes his big jump ball fades, and what I’ve seen is just his connection with Jalen Hurts… You gotta make sure you’re on point at all times.”

DeVonta Smith

On the other side of the field, McDuffie has an entirely different set of problems to mitigate with Smith.

“[He’s] one of those guys that has a lot of speed,” warned McDuffie. “He is a winner. So you got to respect that. And I mean, Jaylen Hurts finds him. He gets the ball to him.”

In addition to being fast, Smith is also an excellent route runner who can slip a defender with the best of them, “DeVonta, he smooth. You know he’s a Heisman winner. Someone who can make plays all around the field, so you got to have respect.”

The Chiefs are one game away from the immortal title of being the only team in history three-peat as Super Bowl Champions. But it’s something that McDuffie hasn’t allowed himself to think about until now.

“The mentality of this team is, it’s very much like one week at a time. One goal at a time… it was never like a topic of conversation that was like we got to achieve this. Always just like, let’s just keep working— let’s just get to our next goal.”

That changed slightly after the Chiefs defeated the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship Game two weeks ago, “After we beat the Bills, I remember sitting there with B Cook (Bryan Cook) just like. Damn, bro. Like we actually have this opportunity. We can’t let nothing get in our way to distract us when it comes to that goal.”

McDuffie wants to win for himself and to be able to put his name in as part of a slice of this historic moment. Still, he said he also wants it as much for his teammates as he does for himself, “Everybody is genuinely family, and that’s why we’re able to have such a mindset out there of just confidence in going out there and playing free.”