Player
Jaden Hicks
DB · Chiefs
Jaden Hicks: facts drawn from the play-by-play.
2 seasons in Kansas City — 61 tackles, 9 PDs, 0.5 sacks. The young safety's first 31 games.
TrendJaden Hicks by season
| Season | G | Tackles | TFL | Sacks | QB Hits | PDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 16 | 32 | 3 | 0.0 | 0 | 5 |
| 2025 | 15 | 29 | 0 | 0.5 | 2 | 4 |
A 2024 rookie out of Washington State, Hicks immediately stepped into the Chiefs' safety rotation: 16 games, 32 tackles, 5 PDs as a first-year player.
2025 (15 games, 29 tackles, 4 PDs, 2 QB hits, 0.5 sacks) is essentially the same tackle volume with a new wrinkle: first career sack and 2 QB hits, suggesting expanded blitz usage in year 2.
5 PDs as a rookie — solid first-year ball-skills resume.
MilestoneHicks' 5 PDs in 16 rookie games (2024) is a productive line for a deep-safety prospect. He followed it with 4 PDs in 15 games in 2025 — virtually identical per-game rate (0.31 vs 0.27 PDs/game).
The consistency is the story here: two healthy seasons, similar tackle and PD output, gradually adding pressure work on top.
3 TFL as a rookie → 0 TFL in 2025. The behind-the-LOS work disappeared.
AnomalyIn 2024, Hicks logged 3 TFL as a rookie — modest but present. In 2025: 0 TFL across 15 games.
The shift is consistent with a role change: less box safety, more split-coverage deep safety responsibilities. The 2 QB hits and 0.5 sack in 2025 (zero of either in 2024) align with that — when he comes downhill, it's now as a blitzer rather than a run-fitter.
2024 vs 2025 — same tackle rate, different role.
SplitHicks role evolution
| Stat | 2024 (rookie) | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Games | 16 | 15 |
| Tackles/G | 2.0 | 1.9 |
| TFL | 3 | 0 |
| QB Hits | 0 | 2 |
| Sacks | 0.0 | 0.5 |
| PDs | 5 | 4 |
On a per-game basis the tackle and PD rates are nearly identical (within 5%). What changed: - TFL: 3 → 0 (less downhill run support) - QB Hits: 0 → 2 (added blitz utility) - First career sack (0.5)
That's a safety being deployed more as a coverage/blitz piece in year 2 — a typical Chiefs Spagnuolo evolution for a player they trust deeper into the call sheet.
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