One consistent area of frustration for the Kansas City Chiefs this season has been holding out its young players in favor of underwhelming veterans. This was the case with rookies Jalen Royals and Nohl Williams, who both gained early steam before Kansas City moved in different directions. The same can be said of rookie pass rusher Ashton Gillotte, who was given a chance early in the season but saw his snaps move in the wrong direction after underwhelming production.
From Weeks 2 to 5, Gillotte averaged 29 defensive snaps per game but failed to tally a sack. The lackluster showing led to the Chiefs cutting his playing time, as he averaged only 19.7 snaps in the following six games.
However, this has changed over the last three weeks, with Gillotte earning a far more consistent chance. He's played at least 33 defensive snaps in each appearance during that stretch, which includes his playing a season-high 68% of passing plays against the Los Angeles Charger son Sunday, per Arrowhead Pride's Ron Kopp Jr.
Gillotte made the most of his opportunity on Sunday, tallying a sack, giving him eight pressures in his last three games compared to the 12 he had in the previous 11 appearances.
Chiefs' Patience with Ashton Gillotte Was Worth It
The questions around why the Chiefs have been holding not only Gillotte out of the lineup but also other young pieces have been given a clear answer. It's clear that Kansas City wanted to take its time to make sure that the rookie disruptor was ready for a big role, and scaling back his snaps mid-season helped avoid any situations he wasn't ready for.
Kansas City's edge rush has consistently underwhelmed, leaving every reason for the franchise to consider making offseason changes at the position. The Chiefs' pass rush has managed only 29 sacks on the season, ranking the franchise 21st firmly in the NFL. Gillotte has an opportunity to take advantage of this and finish the season strong in the final three games of the year. If the rookie can build an impressive resume, building off of Week 15's success, there is zero reason to doubt he can cement himself as a 2026 contributor.
Charles Omenihu has been a source of frustration, offering only 3.5 sacks on the season despite playing 55% of Kansas City's defensive snaps this season. With the underwhelming veteran set to hit free agency, there is an opportunity for Gillotte to seize more snaps if he can keep his foot on the gas and finish strong.
With questions swirling around the staff now that the playoffs are out of reach, it is good to see even something so minor playing out in the Chiefs' favor. It builds hope that perhaps this regime still has productive days ahead and that a roster reset is all that is needed to put things back on track.
And if Gillotte can keep finding ways to impress, he'll get to play a key role in what happens next in Kansas City.