WATONGA, Okla. (AP) - Watonga native Trevon Hartfield doesn’t see coming from a small school as a disadvantage.
Hartfield, the newest member of the Kansas City Chiefs roster, played at Watonga when they were Class 2A and finished his college ball at NCAA Division II Southwestern Oklahoma State University, the Enid News & Eagle (https://bit.ly/2snM1Gh ) reported.
“You have to go in with the mindset that if you don’t belong here, they wouldn’t bring you in,” Hartfield said. “It’s an advantage because I got to play all four years, and some of these guys didn’t get to play until their junior season.”
Hartfield has signed a two-year deal with Kansas City. Growing up, he actually was a fan of the Chiefs’ AFC West rivals, the Denver Broncos.
“I used to play with the Broncos on Madden when they had John Elway,” Hartfield said. “When I was at the (Arizona) Cardinals, we played against Denver in a preseason game. It was an honor.”
At 6 feet, 195 pounds, Hartfield joined the NFL in 2016 as an undrafted free agent with the Arizona Cardinals. He was placed on their practice squad right before the regular season and remained there until appearing on the active roster in December. He played in two regular season games against the Seattle Seahawks and the Los Angeles Rams.
“My practice time with Arizona was a great learning curve for me,” Hartfield said. “It helped me adjust to the speed of the game.”
While in Arizona, Hartfield was part of a DB core centered around Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu.
“The DB group as a whole was a very well-rounded group,” Hartfield said. “They all kind of showed me different things.”
The group showed Hartfield what it meant to be a professional and take it as a job.
“High school is fun … college is a job, but you still have to go to class,” Hartfield said. “Then there’s the pros. It’s your full time job.”
Hartfield still keeps in touch with the group in Arizona and says he can’t thank them enough for what they taught him.
He and Arizona went their separate ways in May, and the Tennessee Titans signed him shortly after in June. He was only a Titan for a short period of time.
“I had a brief experience at Tennessee,” Hartfield said. “From there, I took that I can be in one place one day and another the next.”
No matter where Hartfield is, he believes in putting his best foot forward, because he never knows when he may cross paths with a former organization.
Hartfield has spent only a short time in Kansas City, but his plan is to “Go in with my eyes wide open and my mouth shut for the most part.” He said one of the only times he will open his mouth is when he doesn’t understand something that is trying to be coached.
Hartfield described Kansas City as a five-star place, a great organization and a great team. “I feel like it’ll be a great fit and a great opportunity,” he said.
When asked if he saw a future with the Chiefs, he said, “If you don’t see a future, it’s pointless in going. Whatever I say doesn’t make the world go ’round, but you have to have your own outlook.”
He stresses that what is written on paper doesn’t matter.
“I don’t look at my contract, I’m taking care of what’s going on right now,” Hartfield said. “That’s how I look at life.”
He also doesn’t pay attention to the depth chart.
“If I can’t control it, I don’t pay attention to it,” Hartfield said. “I don’t compare myself as far as paper goes. If I’m last on the list, then cool.”
It doesn’t matter where Hartfield lands on the depth chart, he’s just trying to be first by the end of the year.
“If you’re last and you keep making plays and the guys ahead of you keep messing up, you’re going to move up,” Hartfield said.
He said if you pay attention to the papers you will have a lot of unnecessary stress and pressure.
With 32 teams in the league, Hartfield hopes that Kansas City is the one for him.
“This is a great division to make your mark,” Hartfield said. “I want to play my style and get comfortable in the system and I’ll find my home for sure.”
The AFC West consists of high level players such as Demaryius Thomas, Emmanuel Sanders, Amari Cooper, Michael Crabtree, Philip Rivers and Derek Carr.
For life after football, Hartfield wouldn’t mind being a coach or getting into marketing, but he has no back up plan.
“A back up plan is like an excuse, and that’s not the way I live my life,” Hartfield said. “I have to take care of today. When football closes its doors, I’ll step back, reflect, close that chapter and move on.”
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Information from: Enid News & Eagle, https://www.enidnews.com
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