Aug 19, 2023; Glendale, Arizona, USA; Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon and Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Chiefs Defense Set to Take on Former First-Round QB

Originally posted on Kansas City Chiefs on SI
By Dominic Minchella | Last updated Aug 9, 2025 9:00 AM ET

As announced by head coach Andy Reid, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes will be the first-quarter quarterback for the franchise when they take on the Arizona Cardinals in their preseason game at State Farm Stadium. The Chiefs' defense will be tested against the Cardinals' starting quarterback, Kyler Murray.

Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon revealed that Murray would play against the Chiefs on Saturday, August 9, but the amount that he plays isn't determined. What this means for the Chiefs and, more specifically, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo, the defense will be tested against the two-time Pro Bowler.

The Chiefs played against Murray in the preseason before, but only once during the regular season. While this game doesn't count towards either franchise's win-loss record for the 2025 regular season, it will give an indication if the defense is ready to take on other NFL franchises with Week 1 just around the corner.

Coach Spagnuolo has been given several new players to coach this offseason through both pro free agent signings and the 2025 NFL Draft. The defense has been going up against Patrick Mahomes and company throughout the offseason, but Murray isn't exactly a walk in the park to defeat.

2024 Statistics

The Cardinals' quarterback had a nice season in 2024, ranking within the Top 10 in QBR with 66.5 and just missing the Top 10 in passing yards with 3,851. He wasn't exactly difficult to take down, however, as he got sacked 30 times. The Chiefs have performed well in sacking quarterbacks in the past; this could be a great test of whether they're ready for the regular season.

Last season, according to FOX Sports, the Chiefs collected 39 quarterback sacks and ranked 19th in the NFL. However, with Chris Jones still on the roster, alongside George Karlaftis, his protégé Ashton Gillotte, the Chiefs have the assets to increase that number in 2025. But the test begins against Murray.

Coach Reid and Coach Spagnuolo are likely to rotate their defensive players on the depth chart against the Cardinals as they see which combinations perform the best. But if the defense can hold its own against a veteran Cardinals quarterback in the preseason, things should be moving in the right direction for Week 1.

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This article first appeared on Kansas City Chiefs on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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