Emari Demercado, an undrafted free agent fighting to stick in the league, hit a career low point in Week 5 last season against the Tennessee Titans, a glaring mistake that had fans wanting him released. But instead of fading away, that blunder has apparently sparked a turnaround, showcasing why he’s now catching the eye of the Kansas City coaching staff at training camp.
The “Bonehead Play” That Almost Tanked It All
Dude, that play, the one against the Tennessee Titans in Week 5 last season? It was a total facepalm moment, a bonehead move that went viral for all the wrong reasons. We’re talking about Emari Demercado’s infamous highlight, where he totally bungled a scoring opportunity, and yeah, it looked awful. Fans went off, absolutely lashing out on social media, demanding his release. It was brutal. Demercado didn’t dodge it, either. He owned up to it, saying, “I can’t expect myself to be perfect. No one is. I had to let [the incident] go. That’s not who I am. Everybody messes up. Unfortunately, mine was that.” He watched the replay, called it a “bonehead play,” and admitted his emotions got the best of him. You gotta respect that honesty, even if the play itself made you want to throw your remote.
From Zero to Hero: How Demercado Set the Record Straight
Instead of letting that moment define him, Demercado went to work. The Arizona Cardinals, his team at the time, kept him on the roster for a reason, and he proved them right. In the following weeks, he made a new name for himself. Just look at the win over the Cowboys: Demercado rushed for a team-best 79 yards on only 14 carries! And not only that, he was a brick wall for QB Jacoby Brissett, providing key blocks that absolutely helped the passing game get going. That’s putting in the work, that’s responding. As Demercado himself put it, “I put who I am back on tape. You make one mistake and the whole world kind of flames you for it. [Monday was] to set the record straight.” What a statement.
Kansas City Is Buying What He’s Selling
That clutch pass blocking is what’s really turning heads. It was a secret weapon that caught the media’s eye in Arizona, and now it’s got Kansas City’s coaching staff buzzing. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid was straight up about it after practice, saying, “I like the pass protection.” He loves how Demercado attacks the run game, too: “He’s not going to bounce anything; he sees it, he lowers it, and he hits it.” And get this: pass protection wasn’t natural for Demercado. He once told a reporter, “I sucked at it in college.” But he worked at it, he clearly embraced that grind, and now he’s battling to carve out a role. Reid sees it all, noting, “He’s played; he has experience; it’s just pushing yourself through this workload, and I like what I’ve seen the last couple of days.” This dude is showing up at training camp ready to fight.
Right now, Demercado is locked in a fierce battle to make the team. After that infamous blunder, his resilience and sheer will to improve have made him a player to watch. He’s putting everything on the line out there. Keep an eye on him as training camp progresses, because this kid is on a mission to prove he belongs.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Arrowhead Pride.
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