Jaden Hicks on the impact of playing with confidence this season

Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Jaden Hicks spoke with reporters following practice, emphasizing the significance of playing with confidence for his performance this season. Hicks explained that maintaining confidence is his top priority, acknowledging it as a crucial factor in helping the defense succeed. He stated, "I'm just playing with confidence.

That's my biggest thing in trying to get the defense down stuff like that, but definitely the confidence." Hicks emphasized that his daily efforts are geared towards proving himself, both to the coaching staff and himself, with the ultimate goal of continuous improvement.

During the preseason, Hicks contributed 2 tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble over two games. Reflecting on his development from the previous season, Hicks acknowledged that while he initially believed he was following the right path, there were moments when his confidence wavered due to feedback from coaches. He remarked, "In all aspects, I felt like I was doing the right thing, but sometimes it wasn't, and sometimes the coaches would get on you and stuff like that, which they should, and just some of that confidence, you know, might have dipped."

Despite this, Hicks remains focused on the importance of preserving his confidence for the upcoming season. He explained, "I think, just, understanding that you've got to keep your confidence. I think that's what it came down to." This season, Hicks aims to build upon his previous success, having played every game in 2023, starting in three, and finishing with 42 tackles and 0.5 sacks. He also led the Chiefs with 3 interceptions as a rookie in 2024.