These former Chiefs are making their old team look embarrassingly wrong

Have you ever had that feeling of post-relationship regret? That feeling, after a relationship is over, of wishing things could have worked out better? Maybe if things had played out differently, you’d still be together. And if that were the case, maybe you’d be happier—perhaps even in a better situation in life.

Instead, the relationship ended. And now, a couple of months down the road, your ex is doing even better with their new significant other than they were with you. Maybe calling it off was the wrong move after all.

That’s the exact situation the Kansas City Chiefs find themselves in right now. The Chiefs broke up with two players at the end of last season: wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and edge rusher Joshua Uche. Frankly, the reason behind the breakup was simple—the Chiefs thought they could do better.

The two players they let go have made them regret that decision. Hopkins and Uche are thriving in their new situations, and they’re flaunting it too.

DeAndre Hopkins, Baltimore Ravens

Kansas City’s lasting memory of Hopkins will be a painful one: a groan-inducing dropped pass in Super Bowl LVII. It’s a ball that Hopkins catches 99 times out of 100. Maybe he could have taken it to the house, and who knows—maybe it could have sparked another epic postseason Kansas City comeback. We’ll never know.

As painful as that drop was, what makes it even worse is seeing the balls Hopkins has been reeling in for the Baltimore Ravens in his first two games since the Super Bowl.

First, there was an incredible one-handed snag against Buffalo in Week 1.

Hopkins backed that up with two more stellar plays against the Browns: a huge 43-yard catch as he was falling and another similar falling grab for a touchdown.

Overall, Hopkins has four catches on four targets for 99 yards and two touchdowns. How handy would a player like that be right now in Kansas City? The Chiefs got good, sometimes even great, play from Hopkins. But they never saw him make catches quite like this in Kansas City. Given KC’s current shortage at wide receiver and the stuttering offensive start, it’s hard not to wonder if moving on was the wrong decision.

Joshua Uche, Philadelphia Eagles

As for Uche, his early-season productivity in his new environment is perhaps even more remarkable. Uche—whom the Chiefs traded a sixth-round pick for last October—didn’t make any starts for Kansas City. He had zero sacks and just one quarterback pressure in a Chiefs uniform, and he was inactive more times (seven) than he played games (six).

Now in a new relationship with the Eagles, Uche has thrived. He has been Philadelphia’s highest-graded defensive player in both games this season, per PFF, with a grade of 93.9 against Dallas and 82.7 against Kansas City. His overall grade of 92.9 ranks first among all edge rushers in the NFL. That’s right—first.

Seeing how Hopkins and Uche have started the season, it’s easy to imagine Chiefs general manager Brett Veach asking himself the same questions that might go through anyone’s head after a breakup.

“Why couldn’t you do this while we were together?” he might wonder. “Why are the problems we had, which we couldn’t seem to work out, suddenly fixed now that you’re with someone else? Why couldn’t things have played out differently?”

Maybe it just wasn’t meant to be. Maybe it really was better to see different people, and things were never destined to work out between the Chiefs, Hopkins, and Uche. Or maybe they’re the ones who got away.