Kadarius Toney was all the Chiefs Nation could talk about last season after his miraculous comeback with the Chiefs. During Super Bowl LVII, the former Giants’ man not only aided in the turnaround in the fourth quarter with a touchdown but also etched his name in the history books with the longest Super Bowl punt return of 65 yards. The star receiver, however, fell short of making any significant impact this season with more than a few inconsistent plays. He was nowhere to be seen in both the Chiefs’ Wild Card and Divisional Round wins, and it’s not really looking good for the Big Game either.
Advertisement
Ever since Patriots LB Jahlani Tavai’s interception of Toney’s deflected pass in Week 15, the latter hasn’t been able to step back onto the gridiron. It only became even more speculative when Toney’s banter session on Instagram Live hinted that the Chiefs were making up his hip injury in order to keep him benched.
He was later spotted in practice, notably following their win against the Ravens. It seemed that the Chiefs and their secret gem let bygones be bygones — until ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the star wide receiver is very likely to sit out the Super Bowl, according to Schefter’s league sources.
The star wideout hasn’t been listed on the injury report, where he spent a few days due to hip and ankle injuries. Head coach Andy Reid has also clarified that Toney has been practicing, although his status for the Super Bowl is uncertain.
Kadarius Toney’s Future Remains Uncertain; Trade on the Horizon?
Toney’s benching didn’t have the reaction one would expect at first glance. Fans were very quick to dub the Chiefs ‘winner’ due to this one simple change. Following his profanity-filled rant, fans and pundits alike also emphasized that Toney will never get to don the red jersey ever again. So, the question remains — has Toney already played his last game with the Chiefs?
According to Spotrac, Toney inked a fully guaranteed 4-year rookie contract worth $13.71 million with the Giants in 2021. He had a signing bonus of $7.3 million with an average annual salary of little over $3.42 million. With the conclusion of the 2023 season, the Florida alum will have one year left on his contract and over $2.5 million to his name. He is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2026.
For now, Toney’s future with the Chiefs is nothing but uncertain. But it needs to be addressed that he paved the way for Andy Reid and his Chiefs’ second victory in the Super Bowl. If you look at the price tag he came with or the $2.5 million for the upcoming season, any franchise in the league would kill for such a deal, and it’s fair to say that the defending champs will surely keep him around for the 2024 season.
