New Chiefs OL Hayworth Hicks admits he's 'overwhelmed'

The Kansas City Chiefs claimed rookie offensive lineman Hayworth Hicks off waivers Thursday. Hicks, who played college football at Iowa State, went undrafted in April, only to sign a contract with the Indianapolis Colts. He spent most of the 2012 season on the Indianapolis practice squad, but signed to the New York Jets' active roster on Nov. 7. The Jets waived Hicks Wednesday, and Kansas City general manager Scott Pioli felt he could provide cover for the Chiefs' depleted offensive line.

When asked about his new team's injury woes, Hicks admitted ignorance:

Q: What do you know about this line and some of the injuries that they've had?

HICKS: "I'm fresh in, I don't know anything. I guess I'll find out today. I won't know anything until pretty much the end of the day. I'm fresh in, I got in just in enough time to go straight to practice. I guess I'll find everything out. I don't know where to go yet, I don't know where the meeting room is at, barely know where the restroom is. We're going to find out."

Hicks also told reporters he was feeling overwhelmed at the whirlwind process that got him to Kansas City:

Q: Is your head spinning?

HICKS: "A little bit. I'm a little overwhelmed right now. I'm just glad people still want me. As long as they still want me I'm going to keep coming, showing up and doing the best I can."

Hicks started his collegiate career at Iowa State in 2008, playing under Gene Chizik. That team won its first two games, then finished he season with ten consecutive losses. To his credit, Hicks has tried to make that experience applicable to his current team:

Q: What's the mindset when you're coming to a team that's only won one game so far this season?

HICKS: "Everybody's got to start somewhere. When I was at Iowa State, when I first got there we went 2-10, I was like ‘Ok, I didn't come to college for this.' But everything can be turned around, just have to have the right people, be in the right spots and that's how it works, that's how a team's built anyway. It starts from inside."

The Chiefs (1-10) face the Carolina Panthers (3-8) Sunday at noon CT.