Hints are mounting for Kadarius Toney and the Chiefs.
The Chiefs declined Toney’s fifth-year option and next season will be his last with the team.
The decision came on the heels of Toney, 25, not appearing in the postseason as the Chiefs won their second straight Super Bowl.
Perhaps even more ominous for Toney, he signed Marquise Brown and traded up in last week’s 2024 NFL Draft to select Texas’ Xavier Worthy, two receivers with similar skill sets to Toney. It was the team’s decision to do so.
“I don’t think we ever stopped believing in him,” Chiefs GM Brett Veach said before the draft. According to ESPN.com.
“I think people around the building like him. It’s the injury bug. Hopefully he gets lucky and stays healthy and becomes the player he was at Florida and the player we are here at. I hope he can be the player we saw him be in this spurt. I just hope he has a good offseason and has a little luck on his side and stays healthy.”
Toney’s future with the team was called into question after he went on an expletive-filled rant on Instagram Live video during the AFC Championship Game, accusing the team of lying about a hip injury that kept him out. It seems that it was done.
He then took a hiatus during the Super Bowl win over the 49ers, but celebrated with his teammates afterwards.
The Giants traded Toney to the Chiefs before the 2022 deadline after a turbulent time with the team.
Toney made an impact in his first season in Kansas City, scoring a touchdown and making a long punt return to help the Chiefs defeat the Eagles.
However, that didn’t translate into success last season, as he suffered a drop in the season-opening loss to the Lions and battled injuries.
Toney isn’t alone, however, as many teams are choosing not to pick up players’ fifth-year options as the deadline approaches.
