KANSAS CITY, Mo. — You’ll have to forgive Marcus Kemp if he was especially tired Sunday night after Kansas City beat Cincinnati in the AFC Championship Game.
“I haven’t had to play this much since probably a preseason game with still being a four-phase special teamer and having to step into kind of a starting receiver role,” said Kemp, a sixth-year wide receiver for the Chiefs. “It was definitely different for a regular season or postseason game.”
Kemp, 27, has carved out a role primarily as a special teams ace since signing with Kansas City as an undrafted free agent in 2017.
As injuries took a toll on the Chiefs’ wide-receiving corps against the Bengals, Kemp found himself pressed into regular duty as one of only three healthy receivers by the end of the game.
“You never want to have three receivers down, but I think me being here for the sixth year, they kind of had a little less anxiety,” Kemp said. “They knew I could step into that role.”
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Ironically, Kemp probably wouldn’t have been active were it not for some perceived pettiness by Cincinnati earlier in the week.
Cornerback Chris Lammons had supplanted Kemp as a core special teams player for Kansas City.
Needing to create a roster spot for tight end Jody Fortson to return from injured reserve, the Chiefs waived Lammons with the hope of signing him to the practice squad and using a standard elevation.
“I think they had a plan, and I’m sure it was to bring him back,” Kemp said. “Everybody around here loves him.”
Instead, the Bengals claimed Lammons, ending his season since waiver claims in the postseason are deferred until after the Super Bowl.
That meant the Chiefs had to turn to Kemp.
“I’ve been next-man-up,” Kemp said. “There’s always that opportunity to play, especially on special teams. I’ve been around so long, I kind of know what I’m doing on that front. I know that at any moment they can call my number.”
Still, he wasn’t expecting to take on such a big role in the offense.
During 55 career appearances in the regular and postseason before Sunday, Kemp had played more snaps on offense than special teams once in his career — the 2018 season finale — before logging a career-high 40 total snaps in the AFC title game.
“I always prepare like I’m going to play, but you never know,” Kemp said. “There’s seven receivers ahead of me. I’m glad I built a habit of preparing that way, because it ends up working out like this.”
With a trip to the Super Bowl at stake, Kemp played a career-high 22 offensive snaps, including a 13-yard reception on the Chiefs’ penultimate drive in the fourth quarter, and also played 18 special-teams snaps.
“I never thought I would be back on this team, let alone in another Super Bowl,” Kemp said. “But, like I said earlier, it all works out the way it’s supposed to work out and I can’t believe that I’m going to another one.”
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Two years ago, Kemp thought his time in Kansas City might be over after signing with Miami late in the season.
He re-signed with the Chiefs before that postseason and played in the Super Bowl LV loss at Tampa Bay.
“That second Super Bowl year, I was up and down,” Kemp said. “Similar to what happened with Chris, it was kind of toward the end of the season and they had to make a move and it happened to be me.”
Kemp stuck around with Kansas City for the 2021 season, but he didn’t receive a contract offer before the 2022 season.
“We got some newer receivers, some younger guys and I just didn’t fit into that role,” Kemp said. “No hard feelings, no nothing about it. My contract just expired and I went and found another opportunity.”
Kemp spent training camp before the 2022 season with the New York Giants, but was waived Aug. 31 with an injury settlement after landing on injured reserve.
“Things didn’t work out there, so I’m kind of sitting at home and they (the Chiefs) call me back and say, ‘Hey, we would love your vet presence. We know you have been around for a while and can come back and help us right away,’” Kemp said. “That’s kind of what happened.”
Now, Kemp figures to play a big role on special teams Feb. 12 against the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
And he’ll be ready in case he’s needed on offense again, too.
“It all works out the way it’s supposed to, and I’m blessed to be in the position I’m in,” Kemp said.
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