Kansas City Chiefs players Joshua Williams & Bryan Cook reflected on their journies from their HBCUs to the NFL in a feature report on Andscape written by William C. Rhoden. The win comes after the Chiefs's 21-14 victory over the Miami Dolphins in Frankfurt, Germany on Sunday.

Williams & Cook had different paths to the NFL. Williams was a star defensive back in the CIAA with Fayetteville State University. Williams was the first HBCU player picked off the board in the 2022 draft after being selected by the Chiefs in the 4th round with the 135th pick.

Cook played two years at Howard in 2017 & 2018 before transferring to Cincinnati. His exceptional play with the Bearcats led him to be selected with the 62nd pick in the second round of the 2022 draft.  He had an exceptional game for the Chiefs in Frankfurt, turning a fumble recovery into a 59-yard scoop and score touchdown that gave the Chiefs a 21-0 lead after a successful PAT.

Cook talked about why he transferred from Howard, saying, “I was looking for the best fit for me. Cincinnati reached out. It was an opportunity to be on a bigger stage and go back home to family. I still hold Howard deep in my heart. I met the closest people in my life there — no hard feelings. At the time, I had to figure out the best opportunity for me to prosper.”

It wasn't a seamless transition for Cook, as he tells Rhoden.

“At Howard I was comfortable. At Cincinnati I had a whole culture shock, I got a whole environment shock. I wasn’t the man anymore. I’m coming off the bench — my whole identity shifted. I had to reconstruct what I wanted to do. Everything was a challenge for me. I had to get a different identity.”

Williams stayed at Fayetteville State but he admits that he thought about transferring.

“There was definitely a time when I was considering transferring, just to get looked at more and be on a larger stage. But I stayed the course, I just decided to stay and stick it out. I had the attention I needed that at least I’d get a shot at the league. That’s all I needed. I didn’t want to do anything to hurt the little success I did have in getting to the next level. So, I decided to keep with the same program.”

Both of their HBCU paths to the NFL worked out for them. They were a part of the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl LVII team and are productive members of the Chiefs defense that Patrick Mahomes calls the best in the league.

“I think it’s the best defense in the NFL, so I mean if we have a defense like that we are gonna get this offense figured out, I promise you, then we’re gonna be a hard team to beat.”

Cook, Williams, and the Chiefs will face off against the Eagles in a rare Super Bowl rematch on November 20 at 8:15 PM EST.