Chiefs’ Pass-Rush Unit Could Return a Sneaky Weapon From Injury Soon

Much has been made of the Kansas City Chiefs' defensive line failing to record a sack in each of the past three games. However, Steve Spagnuolo's unit could be getting a huge boost in the upcoming weeks.

Following Kansas City's bye, the Chiefs will finally be eligible to get 2025 second-round pick Omarr Norman-Lott back on the field. He's been on the PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) list since training camp and was required to miss the opening four contests of the year, but Week 6 marks the first point at which he can return to game action.

The University of Tennessee product tore his ACL in Week 7 of last season and has been rehabbing ever since. There was hope he'd progress to full health and participate in offseason sessions, but the front office elected to place him on the PUP list to allow him extra time to recover.

Omarr Norman-Lott Eligible to Return Next Week

It's been almost a full year since Norman-Lott suffered the injury. Barring any setbacks, it shouldn't be too long before we see him active again. Of course, every ACL tear is different, and not everyone can make a nine-month return like Patrick Mahomes did.

Head coach Andy Reid alluded to Norman-Lott "potentially" returning after the bye in late September. It was the first positive injury update the Chiefs had received on him in quite some time.

Andy Reid also says Chiefs DT Omarr Norman-Lott is a possibility to return from IR after the bye week. Reid says he’s doing more and getting closer to a return.
— Matt Derrick (@mattderrick) September 23, 2026

The Chiefs certainly won't be in any rush to bring Norman-Lott back from a serious knee injury at 4-0. Once they open his 21-day practice window, KC must either activate him during that span or transfer him to the IR for the remainder of the season.

As a rookie, Norman-Lott played sparingly but was an effective interior lineman. Across five contests, he finished with one sack, four solo tackles, and one tackle for loss, earning a 54.2 Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade.

While Norman-Lott plays on the inside, his profile is more as a pass rusher than a run defender. He's extremely explosive for his size and has a relentless motor when getting after the quarterback, boasting an impressive 18.9% pass-rush win rate as a senior in college.

Oct 19, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott (55) is helped off the field by quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) and and cornerback Nohl Williams (20) after an injury against the Las Vegas Raiders during the third quarter of the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As we've noted in recent days on Chiefs at SI, the pass rush hasn't really been as invisible as it seems. It especially started to come alive in the second half of the victory over the Las Vegas Raiders. However, Norman-Lott's return to the squad could open up a plethora of possibilities for the defensive line rotation.

The Chiefs drafted another defensive tackle early in this year's draft, selecting former Clemson standout Peter Woods with the No. 29 overall pick. He and Khyiris Tonga have split snaps throughout the season, with both playing a little under 50% of the defense's reps. Norman-Lott could slot in during passing downs to rush the quarterback alongside Chris Jones on the inside.

When Coach Reid speaks to the media on Monday, we could get more clarity on Norman-Lott's status. It's been quiet on the injury front for ONR lately, but the Chiefs could have a secret weapon in the pass rush ready to deploy when he's healthy.

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