KC Chiefs LB Derrick Johnson is one of those guys that we may not really appreciate until he’s gone. That’s because he’s capable of doing so much as the Chiefs inside linebacker.
The Chiefs drafted Ukeme Eligwe this year as a developmental inside guy to - if all goes perfectly - take over for DJ one day.
There was an exchange in Eligwe’s post-practice press conference this week that I think highlighted some of DJ’s special capabilities.
Q: Do you have any techniques for ducking under blocks? Here, they let LB Derrick Johnson do that because he’s able to make those plays. Did you do any of that in college?
ELIGWE: “Some guys are slithery. I believe I can do it sometimes, but that’s not something where I think, ‘Oh I’m just going to go underneath him.’ If you have that in your repertoire, that’s good as a linebacker. But not all linebackers have that bend or that wiggle where they can just wiggle underneath a 6’8” lineman.”
You all know what the question is saying. Those plays where DJ’s body at 6’3 seems to bend the way a body shouldn’t bend and he still keeps his speed, busts through the line and makes a play in the backfield. It happens so often it has a name around here - a DJ Special.
I don’t have much of a point here other than to point out DJ is special. I hope he’s back to being DJ this year.