ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — It’s been a windy road for Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Marcus Kemp. This offseason makes it year-five for the 25-year-old.
“It’s been an interesting journey, but I’ve gotten used to it," Kemp said. "I’ve been here a little bit, so I know Coach [Andy] Reid’s camps and how tough they are. You kind of have to mentally prepare. I’m comfortable in the offense, and I’ve gotten to learn quite a bit. I’m happy to be here and happy to do what I can.”
Kemp entered the NFL in 2017 as an undrafted free agent with the Chiefs — bouncing between the 53-man roster and the practice squad.
During the 2019 preseason, Kemp suffered an ACL and MCL tear in his knee, ending his season. He played in 12 games in 2020 before being waived and joining the Miami Dolphins for a brief stint.
Even with the depth at the wide receiver position, Kemp sees it as a way to grow and not so much as competition.
“Here it’s more like a family," Kemp said. "So we’re all just trying to compete to make each other better. If I do well, it makes Mecole, D-Rob and Tyreek do better as well.
"So that’s what I’m hoping for is that we can all just do well and that’ll pull to the season. Whether I’m here or not, it’ll help them through the season or me with the season. It’s more about how we can do personally and less about how competitive we can be with each other.”
The Chiefs first preseason game against the San Francisco 49ers, and Kemp hopes to have a good time playing the game he enjoys.
“I think it’s fun to just play football," he said. "I mean, I haven’t got a ton of reps on offense, and so these preseason games are opportunities for me to just go out and play football like I have been for 20 years at this point. So, it’s just fun to be out there, and I just hope to enjoy it. Any play can be your last play, so enjoy every play I’m out there and just have fun.”
The Chiefs will play 49ers will play at 7:30 p.m. Saturday exclusively on KSHB 41.
