Kansas City Chiefs helmet shown on field. The team released Kadarius Toney and Louis Rees-Zammit.Kansas City Chiefs helmet (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
The Kadarius Toney era in Kansas City has reached its inevitable conclusion.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Chiefs have waived wide receiver and two-time Super Bowl champion Kadarius Toney. NFL insider Jordan Schultz also reports that the defending champions have released former Welsh rugby star and running back Louis Rees-Zammit.

Toney’s future with Kansas City was already in doubt heading into the 2024 season. The additions of Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown and Xavier Worthy put Toney on thin ice, and the Chiefs ‘reunion with JuJu Smith-Schuster on Monday served as more writing on the wall.

The Chiefs acquired the 2021 first-round pick in a deal with the New York Giants ahead of the 2022 NFL trade deadline. Kadarius Toney was the unsung hero of their Super Bowl 57 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles, recording a five-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter and a 65-yard punt return that set up Skyy Moore’s receiving touchdown.

But Kadarius Toney’s second season in Kansas City was marred by costly drops and a lack of production. He caught just 27 passes for 169 yards and one touchdown in 13 regular season games and added seven catches for 50 yards and one touchdown in four playoff games.

Rees-Zammit put his rugby career on hold earlier this year to try out for the NFL, landing a contract with the Chiefs in March. We’ll see if any other teams are willing to give the 23-year-old a shot.

Kadarius Toney Needed A Fresh Start

Toney’s speed and skill set made him an intriguing prospect entering the 2021 NFL Draft. The Giants never figured out how to properly utilize him, and he just couldn’t get it going in Kansas City’s offense.

Toney is still young and has the ability to be a difference-maker in the right offense, as we saw in Super Bowl 57. A fresh start was necessary for Kadarius Toney, who just might hit his ceiling elsewhere.