Patrick Mahomes‘ return from a torn ACL and LCL dominated the Kansas City Chiefs‘ training camp at Missouri Western State University—until a rookie cornerback stole the spotlight. On Sunday, the rookie caught all the eyes at the expense of backup quarterback Justin Fields.

Fourth-round, 104th overall cornerback pick Jadon Canady intercepted Justin Fields. Fields went for undrafted receiver Xavier Loyd near the goal line. Canady saw it coming and dived for the interception.

“I grabbed my man, stayed attached to his hip, and the ball came out,” Canady said, per ESPN. “From there, you know, it’s pretty much ‘See ball, get ball.'”

While the interception is telling of Canady’s prowess, the comment did undermine the Chiefs’ backup quarterback, Fields. Fields came to Kansas City from the Jets in March 2026. The Chiefs gave up a 2027 sixth-round pick for him.

In his 2025 with the Jets, Fields completed 62.7 percent of his passes for 1,259 yards, seven touchdowns and one interception across nine starts. He also rushed for 383 yards and four TDs. Kansas City brought him in knowing he can win games if Mahomes is unavailable.

Head coach Andy Reid told reporters that Fields is more than a gadget option and that he would find ways to use him creatively if Mahomes is healthy. Reid also joked about Fields getting bored during practice in case Mahomes is ready to play, saying he would find ways to keep Fields interested.

Fields is on a $10 million salary for 2026. The Jets are picking up $7 million of that as part of the deal. Across stops in Chicago, Pittsburgh and New York, he has thrown for 9,039 yards and 52 touchdowns while running for 2,892 yards and 23 more TDs.

In contrast, Canady came to the Chiefs from the Oregon Ducks, where he played his final college year. The Chiefs’ rookie played a total of 13 games in his last year, 2025, and made 36 total tackles, 17 of which were solo. He also forced one fumble and made two interceptions.

Despite the slightly embarrassing interception for Justin Fields, Canady brings five years of tested experience to the Chiefs, having played for the Tulane Green Wave and the Ole Miss Rebels before the Ducks. He is just one of the many formidable rookies the Chiefs have added to the roster this offseason.

Jadon Canady’s adds to a loaded rookie class in Kansas City

The Chiefs went 6-11 last season. The defense needed a rebuild. Kansas City went hard in the draft to fix it. Cornerback Mansoor Delane and Clemson defensive tackle Peter Woods were Kansas City’s first-round picks this year, with both expected to contribute immediately.

Canady fits right in alongside Delane at nickel corner. Per the Chiefs’ official website, at Oregon last season he gave up just five first-down receptions all year. Among Power Four cornerbacks with at least 30 targets, his was the best number in the country.

The 23-year-old played mostly from the nickel position during his college career and started camp as a primary nickel corner candidate for the Chiefs. At Oregon in 2025, Canady gave up just 104 receiving yards on 37 targets, the lowest in his draft class.

Justin Fields will get more chances as camp goes on. But right now everyone is talking about the diving pick near the goal line on day two at Missouri Western.