Kansas City, Mo. – Less than two years after making one of the most memorable plays in team history, wide receiver Kadarius Toney was released by the Kansas City Chiefs on Tuesday.
Toney’s 65-yard punt return in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LVII was a crucial moment in the Chiefs’ 38-35 win over the Philadelphia Eagles. During the return, Toney initially found himself surrounded by Eagles players but managed to break free, changing direction across the field. Though he was tackled before reaching the end zone, the play set up the Chiefs’ decisive touchdown. Toney also caught a touchdown pass earlier in the quarter.
In other roster moves, the Chiefs retained wide receiver Mecole Hardman, another Super Bowl hero, who secured the winning touchdown in overtime of Super Bowl LVIII against the San Francisco 49ers. The Chiefs’ initial 53-man roster included seven wide receivers, although they waived Justyn Ross, who had caught six passes for 53 yards the previous season.
Additionally, the Chiefs parted ways with former European rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit, who was attempting to transition to the NFL as a running back. Rees-Zammit saw limited action during the preseason, rushing six times for 22 yards and catching one pass for 3 yards.
The Chiefs also bolstered their roster by acquiring tight end Peyton Hendershot from the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a conditional 2026 seventh-round pick. They traded a 2025 seventh-round pick to the Arizona Cardinals for defensive end Cameron Thomas.
Toney, a first-round pick by the New York Giants in 2021, joined the Chiefs midway through the 2022 season following a trade involving third- and sixth-round draft picks. The Chiefs opted not to exercise the fifth-year option on his contract in May.
In his first season with the Chiefs, Toney caught 16 passes over nine games. The team had high hopes for him as their potential No. 1 wide receiver in 2023, but injuries and inconsistent play hampered his performance. After missing all of training camp due to surgery for a torn meniscus, Toney returned for the regular season but managed just 27 receptions. On two occasions, his deflected passes led to interceptions.
Toney nearly scored a game-winning touchdown after receiving a lateral from Travis Kelce in a Week 14 game against the Buffalo Bills, but the play was nullified due to an offside penalty on Toney, and the Chiefs lost the game. He was inactive for all four postseason games.
Over his career, Toney has accumulated 82 receptions for 760 yards and three touchdowns in 32 games.