FOR THE CHIEFS’ part, it’s no coincidence they’ve brought back so many former players. A fifth former Chief, tight end Jody Fortson, helped Kansas City win Super Bowl LVII in 2022 before leaving for the Miami Dolphins and returning this season. He is on injured reserve after hurting his right knee in last week’s win over the Las Vegas Raiders.
Hunt, Smith-Schuster and Fortson returned this year. None went to training camp with the Chiefs. Hardman and Pennel came back last season with neither participating in camp and Hardman wound up catching the winning touchdown in overtime of last year’s Super Bowl win. In all cases, the Chiefs were looking for players who they could plug in and play in a quick time frame.
“We know how to use Mecole and I think Mecole knows that we know how to use Mecole in his best way,” Reid said. “He’s got an idea of how things work, he’s smart, he knows the routes and the ins and outs of the routes and he’s a good communicator so he’s able to talk to the guys and then he’s working his tail off. I give him credit for how he’s approaching [everything].
“They [all] kind of know how we operate. They know the offense. They’re comfortable with it. Kareem obviously had been away for a while, but he was able to pick everything up quickly and he and Pat [Mahomes] are very good friends. They’ve stayed in touch throughout the years here, so he was welcome back in.”
Hardman said when he was acquired last year in a trade from the New York Jets, it felt like he was coming home. Reid never had to explain expectations, the pace at which the Chiefs practiced, the location of the cafeteria at the practice facility or anything else.
The Chiefs at the same time knew how to best utilize Hardman with screen passes, jet sweeps and other open-field plays designed to help make use of his speed.
“I knew exactly what they wanted from me, what was going on,” Hardman said. “As soon as I got here I was plugged in. They just said, ‘Let’s go to practice.’ I got here Thursday or Friday and I was playing Sunday. It was all second nature.”
Hardman was a free agent at the end of last season but never gave serious consideration to playing elsewhere before re-signing a one-year deal worth about $1.1 million.
“I had a few options but I guess this one made more sense,” Hardman said. “Just more comfortable being here my whole career. I know the system, I know the coaches and I’m very, very familiar with the scheme of everything going on. I think Coach Reid has a good way of putting me on the field and using me in certain situations.”
Hunt’s history with the Chiefs is more complicated. He led the NFL in rushing as a rookie in 2017 and was
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