Chiefs veteran leader says his unit hasn't received the recognition it's deserved the past two years

The Kansas City Chiefs' defense is taking care of business yet again in 2024.

It was dominant in the team's 26-13 win over the Saints on Monday night, holding the explosive New Orleans offense to just 220 total yards. The Chiefs continue to impose their will on opposing running backs, surrendering the least amount of rushing yards to the position in the NFL.

Kansas City ranks third overall in the league against the run, sixth in points allowed and ninth in total yards. It's among the middle of the pack in sacks, but is doing a good job of getting pressure on quarterbacks and forcing errand throws. Despite all their success, the Chiefs feel that they don't receive the recognition they deserve on defense.

While joining Kay Adams on the "Up & Adams Show" on Tuesday, safety Justin Reid agreed with Adams when she asked if the Chiefs' defense flies under the radar.

"You know what, somehow, yeah," Reid said. "We're never the talk of the town, but we always show up every Sunday. And, you know, that's alright with us. We just show up, we do our job, we take care of business. And, you know, it doesn't matter where the credit goes. Nobody cares where the credit goes. We just all want to win and we're all willing to do whatever it takes to win and get better."

The Chiefs' defense is generally acknowledged as a good unit, but definitely doesn't get the credit it deserves of just how good. During last year's postseason run, Kansas City's defense faced four of the best offenses in the NFL and bottled up each one of them.

As strange as it may seem, the defense has by far been the strength of the team for the last two years now. However, in a city that consists of superstars such as Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce and Andy Reid, there's only so much praise to go around, and that will remain the case as long as they're around.

It sounds like being underrated is something that the Chiefs' defense rallies around. Staying out of the spotlight keeps a certain degree of pressure off and allows players to play more freely. We've seen the opposite effect on Mahomes and the offense at times. With the steady hand of defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo at the helm, Kansas City's defense will continue to be the backbone of the team.

Related: Chiefs have persevered through injuries thanks to championship culture set by HC Andy Reid