Raising Heck: Building the Pocket

Diving into Andy Heck's preferred techniques for offensive line play.

Welcome to another offseason series here at KC Sports Network!

The Kansas City Chiefs have once again overhauled one of their biggest positions ahead of the 2023 NFL season. In somewhat of a surprise, the Chiefs elected to move on from both starting offensive tackles and move back toward a more athletic group of players on the edges of their offensive line. While the expectation is that the young players in the group — namely Jawaan Taylor and Wanya Morris — could improve the overall play on the edges of the line and keep Patrick Mahomes upright, the additions added another question to the mix: what exactly does Andy Heck want from his offensive line?

With that in mind, I dove into a bunch of game tape and clinics from Heck himself to look at the specifics of what he asks from each of his offensive linemen. Over the next several weeks, I’ll highlight techniques, requirements, and preferences that Heck and Andy Reid have formulated in their time in Kansas City to create the best possible offensive line around their franchise quarterback.

Without further ado, let’s get into the details of Chiefs offensive line technique with this offseason’s series: Raising Heck!

Depth and Width

When most people think about offensive line play and the techniques needed, they immediately jump to striking, footwork, and hand placement to defeat pass rush moves. However, building out the pocket depth and width one of the absolute most important element of Heck’s — and any offensive line coach’s — offensive line teachings.