Everything you need to know about new Chiefs QB Jordan Ta'amu
The Chiefs officially introduced former XFL and University of Mississippi quarterback Jordan Ta’amu on Wednesday in a move that had been publicly anticipated since March 23, when the St. Louis BattleHawks tweeted support for their former quarterback.
In his first official day as a Chief, the 22-year-old from Hawaii participated in a teleconference call with media members and recorded a message for Chiefs Kingdom.
Ta’amu’s signing makes him the most recent young, low-cost quarterback to be brought into head coach Andy Reid’s offense to compete for a roster spot. Before the 2019 season, rookie undrafted free agent and former Vanderbilt quarterback Kyle Shurmur beat out second-year UDFA and former Marshall quarterback Chase Litton for the third QB spot. Kansas City is a logical place for any young free agent quarterback to sign, due to the career of quarterbacking success that Reid has helped produce, and Ta’amu discussed that advantage on Wednesday.
“I felt like the Chiefs were in my alley just the way the offense is, all the great things I’ve been hearing about coach Reid and his offense and the quarterback room,” Ta’amu said in his introductory teleconference. “Me and my agent felt like this would be the best opportunity for me to stick, for me to learn and keep going.”
Ta’amu started his collegiate career at New Mexico Military Institute for two seasons before transferring to Ole Miss. He entered Oxford, Mississippi, in 2017 as the backup to Shea Patterson. Ta’amu started the final five games of the season due to an injury to Patterson.
With Patterson transferring to the University of Michigan in 2018, the starting role was given to the 6-foot-3 Ta’amu. In his senior season, Ta’amu threw for 3,918 yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He also rushed for 342 yards and six touchdowns.
He finished the year second in passing yards in the conference, behind Alabama's Tua Tagovailoa, who played in three more games.
Ta’amu went undrafted in the 2019 draft then signed with the Houston Texans in early August, but was released by the end of the month. Ta’amu was allocated to the XFL’s St. Louis BattleHawks in October and was the first player on the new team’s roster.
“I think what scared a lot of coaches was that I was young and didn’t have much experience,” Ta’amu said. “I think the XFL helped me a lot, to get that experience playing with a bunch of professional guys and show that I can hang with the bigger guys and I can move and throw and be accurate at the same time.”
Ta’amu helped St. Louis to a 3-2 record in its shortened season as he threw for 1,050 yards and five touchdowns. The Throwin' Samoan, as he was called by fans, completed 72 percent of his passes with a passer rating of 101.3 as he started in all five of the BattleHawks contests.
“I sure liked what I saw on tape and on TV from him,” Reid said. “He looks like he’s a talented kid and I look forward to getting him on board. I think all three guys will help us and give us good depth.”
Reid said general manager Brett Veach looked at him out of last year’s draft but no serious talks happened according to Ta’amu.
Along with the probable competition with Shurmur, Ta’amu will enter a quarterback room with Super Bowl LIV MVP Patrick Mahomes and 11-year NFL veteran Chad Henne. Ta’amu said he hopes he can improve on reading coverages and can pick the brains of Mahomes and Henne in an attempt to grow his mental game.
“I’m just glad I have this opportunity with the Chiefs,” Ta’amu said. “I’m just grateful they’ve gave me the opportunity. They see something special in me and they believe in me so I’m going to give them my 100 percent and continue to write my story, my journey.”
