If you ask Kansas City Chiefs fans what they think of Kadarius Toney, a large majority would probably roll their eyes at the mention of his name. In their defense, Toney has been a frustrating player to watch since he joined the Chiefs during the 2022 season.
The Chiefs traded for Toney in 2022, just one and a half years into his NFL career. He was a first-round pick by the New York Giants in 2021 but missed time with injuries and was overall an inconsistent player. Fast forward to the trade and Toney looked to be a solid addition to the team, which was in the first year of the post-Tyreek Hill era.
Toney was mostly underwhelming during the regular season whenever he did play but he did have a brilliant return and a crucial touchdown reception in Super Bowl LVII. That being said, the touchdown isn't even what Toney is most likely to be remembered for by Chiefs fans. He had an excruciating offsides penalty called on him which wiped out what would have been the game-winning touchdown against the Bills during the 2023 regular season.
Toney didn't even suit up for the Chiefs during this past Super Bowl run and fans are pretty done with him at this point. One would think Andy Reid would stick up for Toney (as he has in the past) but he laid down the law when speaking to the media on Monday, noting that Toney needs to be on his game if he wants to make the team.
#Chiefs HC Andy Reid says WR Kadarius Toney needs to build consistency: "There's a ton of competition and you need to be on your game with that."
— Charles Goldman (@goldmctNFL) August 12, 2024
Andy Reid lays down the law with Kadarius Toney
Reid told Toney exactly what he needs to work on if he wanted to make the team and get meaningful snaps. The former first-round pick needs to be more consistent and not drop passes, something that he's struggled with during his career.
The Chiefs have bulked up the wide receiver position this offseason, which Reid also noted in regards to Toney. K.C. signed Hollywood Brown and drafted Xavier Worthy, so it's going to be even more difficult for Toney to see targets thrown his way.
Maybe this brief pep talk from Big Red will give Toney the kick in the butt that he needs and the Chiefs will soon have the wide receiver they hoped they'd traded for. If not, no one will be surprised if Toney continues to disappoint and underwhelm—and perhaps not make the final roster at all.