Good news for Kansas City Chiefs: Willie Gay Jr. declares himself ’100 percent’ healthy

A high-ankle sprain suffered in the 2020 regular-season finale landed then-rookie Chiefs linebacker Willie Gay Jr. on the shelf as the team prepared for the postseason.

A knee injury away from an actual game, however, ended Gay’s rookie campaign during the Chiefs’ playoff run to Super Bowl LV.

Six months later, the second-year linebacker revisited his knee injury and proclaimed himself fully healthy.

“I don’t even know what really happened with it,” Gay said after Thursday’s organized team activities (OTAs). “I tore my meniscus; I don’t even know if it was at practice or just walking around after.

“But all I do know is during this offseason period with this training staff, we’ve been working nonstop, me and (Chiefs assistant athletic trainer) Ms. Julie (Frymyer) and all her help that she has. It’s been a real grind and that’s why I’m here today, 100 percent.”

As proof of Gay’s declaration, he’s been on the practice field for team drills throughout OTAs and appears to practice without limitations.

There is an adjustment for Gay this year, though.

Gay and the Chiefs’ 2020 rookie class didn’t have OTAs to help prepare for the regular season because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, Gay endured an abbreviated training camp without a full grasp of the playbook and essentially learned on the fly.

“Of course it was tough for us that came in last year,” said Gay, whom the Chiefs selected in the second round of the 2020 NFL Draft. “To only see the playbook for the first time during training camp, it was hard.

“To get that head start right now in OTAs and minicamp, it’s definitely helping a lot. I’m catching on to the things that I didn’t catch onto last year. I learned the basics. Now, it’s the small details that make good great. It’s coming along pretty good.”

The 6-foot-1, 243-pound Gay appeared in 16 games with eight starts before suffering the ankle injury in the final game of 2020. He finished the season with 39 tackles, a sack, three passed defensed and a forced fumble on 267 defensive snaps (25 percent), while contributing 241 snaps on special teams.

With the departure of Damien Wilson, who signed a free-agent deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Chiefs will expect more from Gay this year in addition to rookie Nick Bolton.

“Both those guys, we’re really excited to have and really looking forward to what they can do,” Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo said last week.

The expectations aside, Gay has taken on another role not typically expected of a 23-year-old player.

He’s providing mentorship for Bolton.

“Whatever I learn, I pass it down to him,” Gay said. “Whatever I’ve been through, I pass it down to him and we continue to stay close. I’m learning him, he’s learning me, so it’s a good connection we have.”

Nevertheless, Bolton still needs to acclimate to the scheme in his rookie season, putting Gay in a position to compete for an immediate starting job ahead of the regular season.

While there are still a few months before the games count in the won-loss column, the second-year pro hopes to use what remains of the offseason to improve on his rookie season.

“Really all I want to do is just my job,” Gay said. “Be able to be counted on and just do what I do to the best of my ability. Whether it’s tackling, whether it’s covering guys, blitzing, just continue to improve each and every day on the details of plays and execute every little detail that I do have with my assignments and all.”