KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Kansas City defensive line coach Joe Cullen spoke from the podium before practice on Thursday. The Chiefs (5-5) are hosting Indianapolis (8-2) on Sunday (12 p.m. CT, CBS/KCTV, Channel 5, 96.5 The Fan).
To view his full press conference, watch and read below:
Opening statement:
“Well, first of all, appreciate everyone being here and on a great day to practice, getting ready for a big game against the Colts. Heck of a team. Coach (Shane) Steichen’s got them rolling. I mean, the way Daniel Jones has the offense going and, shoot, Jonathan Taylor, we got our hands full. So, with that, I'll open it up for questions.”
On why their hands are full with Jonathan Taylor:
“He's as good a back as there is. He's really a unique back where, sometimes some big backs get downhill fast and have a one cut. And that's kind of what they do. But he can, like jump cut. I mean, he can get from Point A to Point B as fast as anyone in the league. He can make you miss, he can run you over, and he has home-run speed. He has breakaway speed.”
mike penne
Aug 22, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Mike Pennel (69) on the sidelines against the Chicago Bears during the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images / Denny Medley-Imagn Images
On the play of Mike Pennel:
“Oh, Mike's been great. I mean, Mike, he's a really good run defender, he's big, he's in good shape. I mean, nothing that I didn't see when he was here the last couple years. I mean, we were all just happy we could get Mike back, and he's played well the last couple games.”
On the pass rush of Charles Omenihu, whether they’re looking for more consistency:
“No, just finish. Like, with Charles. I mean he's getting, like even last week, I mean, on the intentional grounding he had the quarterback wrapped up, maybe just a little bit better finish. And the finish in a couple of the games prior to. The Washington game, where you're right there, have an opportunity to get him down. It's really the whole group, finishing on the quarterback, and now he's on the ground. And it's not a pressure, but it's an impact sack.”
george karlaftis, trevor lawrenc
Kansas City Chiefs defensive end George Karlaftis (56) pressures Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence (16) in the second quarter during a Monday Night NFL football game at EverBank Stadium, Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug EngleFlorida Times-Union] / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
On the play of George Karlaftis:
“George, I love. I mean, plays with relentless motor. Having a great year. He's physical. When you add a lot of things up, he does a lot of things really well. I mean, plays the run well. Coach Spags (Steve Spagnuolo) will ask our ends to be versatile, drop into coverage. He does that well. He's physical at the point of attack in the run game. He has, I mean, you look at his hits, hurries, and he's another one. I mean, he'd like to get a few more of those hits and hurries to get the quarterback on the ground. But even when you stack them all up, he's having as good a year as he's had.”
On the goal for his front four the rest of the season:
“Well, I think you gotta look at where we are right now. It's never good enough. But I thought there were signs in the Denver game. That was a team that only gave up 10 sacks the whole year, not much pressure on them. And bang, Coach Spags calls a blitz first play, sack. So, the odds go way up.
chamarri conne
Nov 16, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Kansas City Chiefs safety Chamarri Conner (27) sacks Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) during the first quarter of the game at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
“And then Chris (Jones) in the red zone, a really good four-man rush all working together, gets him down. And there were opportunities to get him down, you just have to build off it. We had some really good pressure in the second half. Just keep getting better and having the opportunities, being all four working together as one, and then collectively getting the quarterback down when you have those opportunities.”
On how Jones can continue to improve over the balance of the season:
“Just continuing what he did last week. I thought he played at a really high level, both in the run game -- he played on their side of the line of scrimmage a lot – and the pass. And it's tough. We all get double-teamed. Chris is obviously going to get doubled because that's who he is. So, I mean, but when you're getting off the ball, playing on their side of the line of scrimmage and disrupting, he's making things easier for other guys around him. But just continuing to get better each week.”
On how Jones does with one-on-one matchups when he’s not double-teamed:
“He usually wins most of his one on ones. And there are times -- we point them out -- when he doesn't, but the majority of time he wins those one-on-ones. Might not result in a sack, but pressure, hit. When you look at all the numbers that, like some of these analytical guys do, he's right at the top of that list.”
chris jones, c.j. strou
Jan 18, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) is sacked by Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Chris Jones (95) during the first half of a 2025 AFC divisional round game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images / Denny Medley-Imagn Images
On the mentality needed from the front four this week against the Colts’ run game:
“Well, I think Coach Spags does a great job, and all of our coaches. It's all 11 to stop the run, but it starts up front. Make no bones about it. It starts up front. But the mentality is that we got to knock that run out so we can get them in third-and-long to be able to have a chance to get after the quarterback. Third-and-2, third-and-3 is not fun all day.
“And when you're living in that world, they usually have -- Coach Steichen does a great job -- they go for it a lot now. So that third-and-2 becomes fourth-and-1. They go for it, and you continue the drive. We got to get them behind the chains, and that means doing your job, playing violent, playing physical. And we're fired up for the challenge.”
jonathan taylo
Oct 26, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the third quarter against the Tennessee Titans at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images / Robert Goddin-Imagn Images
On Jones playing more inside on passing downs against Denver:
“Well, a lot of times, Chris starts inside, and sometimes we'll put him outside. Sometimes the call will dictate. But I mean, it’s just based on who we're playing against, maybe the matchup, things like that. But it's all dictated on that.”
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