Chiefs Kingdom waves goodbye to both Andrew Wylies

The former Chiefs right tackle signed with the Washington Commanders on Monday for $24 million over the next 3 seasons, joining former Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy in the nation’s capital. 

As NFL free agency began on Monday, every fan base geared up for what would inevitably be a cyclone of news ripping through their social media timelines all week long. The Kansas City Chiefs specifically had a feeling around them that both offensive tackles—Orlando Brown, Jr. and Andrew Wylie—could be on different rosters by week’s end.

The first domino fell on Monday with right tackle Andrew Wylie taking his talents to Washington to join the Redskins Football Team Commanders.

Wylie’s tenure in Kansas City, while productive, was also certainly tumultuous. Over the previous five seasons, Wylie started 59 games for the Chiefs at guard and tackle, specifically on the right side when playing tackle. Coincidentally, over that same five-year span t,he Chiefs fanbase, with Patrick Mahomes at quarterback and while experiencing sustained success for the first time in most of our lives, has become one of the more mercurial in all of professional sports. Why does this matter, you may be asking?

To give Andrew Wylie a proper sendoff, you have to do it through a realistic lens. There are two sides to the Wylie coin when it comes to Chiefs Kingdom and it would be an atrocity to not acknowledge both lines of thinking that were prominent during his playing days, when it comes to his departure.

When you look at Wylie’s time in K.C., you have to remember that there were not only two schools of thought on the often beleaguered right tackle, but also two very different emotional reactions and two very different levels of performance displayed by the player himself. Those who knew the truth about Wylie—that he was actually an NFL guard playing out of position at right tackle based strictly on need—tended to respect the continued effort he showed up with day in and day out.

Some had trouble seeing that, specifically during this past regular season when Wylie surrendered 9 of the Chiefs’ 26 sacks on the season, good for the third most by an individual player in the NFL. Wylie seemed to show up the least in games that were the most polarizing in 2022. In a two-week stretch during the 2022 regular season, Wylie had his lunch stolen from him in front of the entire school by Von Miller and Maxx Crosby. Numerous times over the course of the season we collectively yelled from our seats at Arrowhead or our couches imploring “WHAT ARE YOU DOING, WYLIE?!” That is a version of Andrew Wylie that we will gladly send off to Washington.

Having said that, one very important thing also needs to be acknowledged: Andrew Wylie was a gamer. Specifically in the 2022 postseason, Wylie showed up bigger than anyone could have expected him to. A natural guard playing right tackle at the sport’s highest level on the game’s biggest stage. A position that is equally if not more susceptible to pressure from elite pass rushers than their counterparts on the left side, who are paid much more handsomely. If not for the existence of interior offensive linemen, right tackle would be the most thankless of overlooked positions in the entire game. Wylie did not care.

Wylie showed up to work every day with a dog mentality. Is he as gifted as Lane Johnson or Penei Sewell? No, absolutely not. Whether he believes that or not doesn’t matter, because he apparently just doesn’t care. Without Wylie’s incredible performances against not only the Eagles but the Bengals and Jaguars as well, the Chiefs are likely staring down the barrel of another off-season loaded with questions surrounding whether or not they’re wasting Mahomes’ prime. Instead, the team just celebrated the one-month anniversary of their second Super Bowl title in four seasons.

Andrew Wylie was never the feature presentation in the Chiefs’ offense during his time in Kansas City. He had zero Pro Bowl appearances and was not close to making any All-Pro lists. In fact, the only individual honors you’ll find on his rap sheet are a 2016 Third Team All-MAC nod. And, oh yeah, he was a two-time Super Bowl champion.

Best of luck to you in Washington, Andrew Wylie. The Kingdom should remember you fondly.