L'Jarius Sneed is in the clear.
The former Kansas City Chiefs cornerback had all criminal charges against him dropped Friday, according to his attorney Michael J. Todd, bringing a resolution to a legal case that had been hanging over Sneed for more than a year. The case stemmed from a December 2024 incident in suburban Dallas that initially carried far more serious implications.
The case against Sneed explained
Two plaintiffs alleged that they were shot at from a Lamborghini that Sneed and his personal assistant, Tekonzae Williams, were in. Williams was indicted on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Sneed was originally charged with aggravated assault as well, but a grand jury reduced it to a misdemeanor (failure to report a felony). The charge was that he witnessed a shooting yet failed to report it to law enforcement, but per Todd's announcement, that has been dismissed.
Those charges came to light while Sneed was on injured reserve with the Tennessee Titans (quad), his second straight season on IR in two seasons with the franchise. The Titans issued a statement acknowledging the "legal matter" and said they were in contact with NFL security. Sneed publicly stated he was no longer associated with Williams.
Sneed entered the NFL as the Chiefs' fourth-round pick out of Louisiana Tech in 2020 and immediately stepped into a starting role due to injury. From there, he not only cemented himself as an important long-term contributor for a franchise that won multiple championships in his four seasons, but he also developed a reputation as a lockdown corner. That's why Tennessee not only paid the Chiefs a third-round pick to acquire his rights after being tagged but they also rewarded him with a lucrative four-year deal worth up to $76.4 million.
What this means for the Chiefs now
Sneed was released by the Titans at the start of the new league year and remains a free agent—and this is where it becomes interesting for Kansas City.
The Chiefs have been busy trying to restock the shelves of a completely plundered secondary. Free-agent shoppers wiped out everything that remained after the Chiefs dealt Trent McDuffie to the L.A. Rams. Jaylen Watson also signed with L.A., while Joshua Williams left for Tennessee, and safety Bryan Cook is in CIncinnati trying to help turn around the Bengals' defense. Given that Nazeeh Johnson is also a free agent, the entire defensive backfield looks new for 2026.
Leading the rebuild is the first-round pick invested in LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane, who immediatley becomes the centerpiece of the secondary. Kristian Fulton and Nohl Williams are in place as potentially impactful holdovers. Kader Kohou was signed away from Miami, and Jadon Canady was drafted in the fourth round. Both should compete for slot corner reps in McDuffie's absence.
Still, that's a very young secondary and the Chiefs now have an experienced player on the open market with whom they are very familiar who is also newly freed from any further legal concerns. Does that mean Sneed's return is in the cards? Is he damaged goods? Has the franchise moved on entirely? It's hard to say.
The Chiefs have always been open to second chances. Andy Reid is the man who gave Michael Vick a second chance, so no one is too far gone. That said, K.C. might like the young corral of talent they've assembled this spring—which includes a reclamation project in Kaiir Elam, an undrafted Kevin Knowles who earned more time than expected last season, and new rookie free agents like DeShon Singleton to move the meter as well.
There are several layers at work here, all related to the internal faith of the unit as put together, Sneed's ability to stay healthy at this point in his career, and the potential public relations concern of signing Sneed. But it wasn't that long ago that Sneed was the Chiefs' best pass defender, and a homecoming certainly makes sense on paper. Perhaps the main hurdle has been cleared with the announcement of the dropped charges.
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