Dec 1, 2019; Kansas City, MO, USA; A general view of a Kansas City Chiefs helmet during the first half against the Oakland Raiders at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The Kansas City Chiefs Rookie Who Loves Watching Film

Originally posted on Kansas City Chiefs on SI
By Dominic Minchella | Last updated Aug 6, 2025 10:00 AM ET

Watching film is a crucial piece in any sport athletes play. It allows them to look back on their game, and with consistency, they can see which areas they need to improve and which areas they are doing well in. For the Kansas City Chiefs, watching film has become second nature for the roster.

The coaches and players of the Chiefs often gather to review film and take notes on ways to enhance their overall performance. The most successful players are those who not only take notes but also apply what they learn to their game. With preseason games approaching for the Chiefs, it is more important than ever to focus on these improvements.

Adjusting to life as a rookie in the NFL is challenging, but those who don't regularly watch film to understand how to succeed in the professional game may struggle. Fortunately for Jeffrey Bassa, a fifth-round draft pick by the Chiefs in the 2025 NFL Draft, watching film has been a regular practice for him since he began playing football.

Film Junkie

The Oregon Ducks product has the potential to be a valuable asset for the Chiefs in the future, provided he maintains his dedication to film review and absorbs the advice from the veteran players in the linebacker room. In a media session on Tuesday, Bassa shared how long he has been passionate about studying film.

"I've always been a guy who, since high school, really, coming, when I first started playing football my freshman year of high school. I always was like, intrigued into watching, like, I'd go to YouTube and I'd type in NFL film breakdowns or college film breakdowns of people just talking about, the Chiefs are in this show. Well, they're trying to dial up the defense and know we're running, but it's really complex," Bassa said.

"But then in college, when I got to the full point where I fully knew the defense, like the back of my hand, okay, now I'm studying offenses. And okay, what's the quarterback's read on this concept? Or what's the running back's tracks on this type of run, right? And so now that's something that I'm trying to do at the elite level or at the professional level, right?"

"So now just really trying to dial in on the full defense, know what like the back of my hand, but then also bump that down to offensively. And then I'll be heading to the season, knowing what the offense is gonna do that we're playing that specifically."

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

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