Why This Practice-Squad Signing Is Most Likely to Impact Games

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Robert Tonyan donned his red, No. 85 jersey and reported to practice at Chiefs headquarters on Wednesday as though nothing had happened. He went through stretching and individual drills next to Travis Kelce, Noah Gray and Jared Wiley – then caught passes from Patrick Mahomes -- like he’d never left.

He didn’t. According to Matt Derrick from Chiefs Digest, after terminating his contract on Tuesday as part of the final roster reduction to 53 players, the Chiefs re-signed Tonyan to their practice squad on Wednesday.

And when the NFL officially suspended Rashee Rice six games for violating the league’s personal conduct policy, Tonyan became a prime candidate to return to the active roster before Kansas City’s Brazil opener against the Chargers Sept. 5. Rice will be moved to the reserve/suspended list and open a roster spot.

Rice was not at practice Wednesday.

Standout game at Seattle

A former college quarterback, Tonyan showed his value on a 1-yard touchdown catch at Seattle on Aug. 15. Gardner Minshew, who started in place of Patrick Mahomes, found Tonyan in the back of the end zone for the team’s only offensive score in an otherwise dismal game.

On the touchdown, Tonyan shook his coverage with a savvy stop, hitting the brakes to create a clear passing lane for Minshew. The quarterback rolled to his right and threw back against his body to connect with Tonyan, and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy said Tonyan’s improvisational execution was notable.

“He actually did some scrambling on that,” Nagy said last week. “We told him afterward on the sideline it was a great job listening to Coach Connor (Embree) in training camp on the scramble rules. He was supposed to run a corner route, which is pretty obvious on that play, and then he just kind of saw what was happening, slipped back inside.”

Minshew agreed.

“He's a super smart player, man,” Minshew said after that Seattle game. “He has a great feel for space. Just got out there. He's working with me. It was a good play by him.”

The hurdle

Another good play by him came that night in the third quarter. Tonyan, 31, erased any residual doubts as to whether he has enough athleticism to help the Chiefs when he caught Chris Oladokun’s pass in the flat and gracefully hurdled cornerback Damarion Williams near the first-down marker.

The eighth-year veteran has more career receptions (148), receiving yards (1,549) and touchdown catches (17) than any current Kansas City tight end other than Kelce.

Tonyan entered the league the same year as Mahomes, 2017, but went undrafted and signed with the Lions. He couldn’t make the season-opening roster and spent his rookie year on the Packers’ practice squad, then earned a spot on Green Bay’s Week 1 roster the following year.

He helped the 13-3 Packers to the NFC Championship Game in 2020, when he registered 586 yards and 11 touchdowns on 52 catches, then posted another eight catches for 82 yards in the playoffs, including a touchdown in the conference title-game loss to Tom Brady and the Buccaneers.

Dec 19, 2020; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Green Bay Packers tight end Robert Tonyan (85) scores a touchdown during the first quarter against the Carolina Panthers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Tonyan had season-ending ACL surgery midway through 2021. He had 470 yards and two touchdowns on 53 receptions in 2022, his last season with the Packers. After playing every game for Chicago in 2023, he signed a one-year deal with Minnesota but was released in the final roster reduction.

Re-signed to the Vikings’ practice squad, he saw limited action over a series of promotions before the Chiefs signed him to their practice squad Dec. 23.

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