Two months after he was a healthy scratch for Super Bowl LVIII, Kadarius Toney has drawn a ringing endorsement from Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, signaling the wide receiver still has a future with the reigning champions.
"Kadarius is arguably one of the most talented guys we have on the team," Reid told reporters Monday, per NBC Sports. "It's just a matter of being healthy and being able to stay on the field, and you always hear about the reliability, accountability, all those things that go into it. And so I'm expecting him to come back ripping and ready to go. It's great that he's ... working with Pat and putting the work in. ... Listen, we like Kadarius. It's just a matter of having him on the field."
Reid's remarks came shortly after quarterback Patrick Mahomes revealed Toney was among Chiefs teammates who recently joined him in Texas for private workouts ahead of the 2024 season. They certainly shed an optimistic light on Toney's long-term prospects in Kansas City after a tumultuous 2023 campaign, which included headlining on-field miscues as well as a late-year controversy in which the former New York Giants first-round pick appeared to accuse the Chiefs of lying about his injury status.
The 25-year-old pass catcher last played in Week 15 of the 2023 season, during which he logged just 27 catches for 169 yards in 13 games. But there's reason to believe his role could be larger in 2024, with fellow wideout Rashee Rice currently facing a lawsuit for his role in a recent high-speed six-car accident.
Acquired via trade from the Giants during the 2022 season, Toney was instrumental to Kansas City's Super Bowl victory that year, scoring to put the Chiefs ahead of the Philadelphia Eagles and setting a record for the longest punt return in Super Bowl history. He appeared in just 12 games in one and a half seasons with New York to start his NFL career.
