Kansas City Chiefs Special Teams Upgrade Can Be Traced to Dave Toub

Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

The Kansas City Chiefs appear to have a huge arsenal on special teams as the return game as impressed over the first two preseason games. This despite the fact that KC had yet to return a punt for a touchdown since Dexter McCluster did so early in the 2010 NFL season. McCluster, rookie Knile Davis, Devon Wylie and Quintin Demps have all broken off huge returns on special teams over the past two weeks.

Demps stole the show on Friday night, scoring KC’s only touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers in their Week 2 preseason meeting on a 104-yard kickoff return. This sudden burst of prolific special teams from the Chiefs can be traced to a large degree back to their under-the-radar offseason signing of former Chicago Bears special teams Coach Dave Toub.

And yes, he coached Devin Hester through some of the most incredible years by a returner in league history.

“The thing with him is he’s a guy who really, really loves special teams,” McCluster raved about Toub, via The Associated Press. “And he knows if he can get 11 guys on the kickoff return, punt return, whatever it may be, we can be game changers, and special teams can win games.” Added Toub, already working his magic in KC: “We have high expectations for this group. They’ve worked their butts off and it’s good to see guys work hard and reap rewards in the game.”

Add special teams upgrade to as seemingly easy schedule and competent quarterback on the list of reasons why Kansas City is the top candidate for a turnaround in 2013.

Thomas Emerick is a Senior Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @ThomasEmerick, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google