ORLANDO, Fla. — Chiefs outside linebacker Dee Ford is still in the midst of processing Kansas City’s 37-31 overtime loss in the AFC Championship Game to the New England Patriots, particularly his offside penalty that negated what would have been a game-sealing interception by teammate Charvarius Ward.
Ford credits Chiefs coach Andy Reid for helping him move forward.
“He told me, ‘Don’t think about it. We’ve gotta move forward. We all could have been four inches better, ya know?'” Ford said after Friday’s Pro Bowl practice. “That was big. That was a big quote to say. ‘We all could have been four inches better.'”
The penalty came with 54 seconds left and the Chiefs up 28-24. Had the interception stood, Kansas City would have likely run out the clock. Instead, Rex Burkhead would go on to score a pair of rushing touchdowns, including the game winner in overtime.
“At the end of the day, I appreciate [Reid], and it’s gonna be motivation for me, especially heading into next year,” Ford said. “That’s how I handle the situation — get better. We know what it tastes like to get there. We’ll know what it takes heading into next year.”
Ford didn’t downplay how tough the loss has been on him, nor did he deflect the blame. But he has gained some valuable perspective since cleaning out his locker at Arrowhead Stadium earlier this week.
“I’ve been through a lot worse things,” Ford said. “I’m not trying to downplay that [offside penalty], but I’ve been through a lot worse things.
“That crushed my heart. But in order to persevere, you have to acknowledge it, take it on the chest and work to move forward. The only answer that will make anything better is winning the Super Bowl. So that’s the focus.”
Also challenging has been the firing of defensive coordinator Bob Sutton on Tuesday. Sutton had been the Chiefs’ defensive coordinator since 2013, when Reid was first hired by Kansas City.
“It’s hard because I know Bob and I love Bob as a person. That’s why it’s hard for me,” Ford said. “But it’s a business. It’s a business at the end of the day. At the end of the day, you have to trust what Andy’s doing, and I trust Andy with everything, especially with how he’s handled my career. You have to trust a man like Andy and know that this is a business and they make changes.”
Ford acknowledged that the defense was the Chiefs’ weak point all season due to injuries suffered by All-Pros Eric Berry and Justin Houston as well as safety Ron Parker. They surrendered 405.5 yards per game during the regular season, but their 52 sacks were tied for the most in the NFL. Ford finished with 13.0 sacks.
“We put ourselves in a lot of situations that we shouldn’t have been in. I think we really understand what it takes to [reach] that goal,” said Ford, who is set to become a free agent in March but indicated that he is very happy with the strides the Chiefs are making and the excitement of having a quarterback in Patrick Mahomes who will be there for years.
“You learn so much from being in those situations,” Ford said. “It creates so much momentum heading into next year. We’re looking forward to the sequel to last year. We all still talk about it. We all know how close we were.”
Information from ESPN’s Adam Teicher was used in this report.