Nikko Remigio Eyeing Bigger Role With Chiefs in 2026: 'Everything to Gain'

For the first time this decade, it's the year of the underdog for the Kansas City Chiefs to a degree. While national media is hesitant to put Patrick Mahomes and company back on a pedestal and many betting markets agree, those inside the building are confident in their ability to rebound and prove the doubters wrong.

It's been an offseason of change in K.C., yet some familiar faces remain and are firmly entrenched in battles for either a roster spot or depth chart positioning. Wide receiver Nikko Remigio is no stranger to either, and he finds himself in familiar territory at training camp this summer.

Now entering year No. 4 in the NFL and with the Chiefs, Remigio is a veteran of sorts in the receiver room and on special teams. The latter realm is how he's made his bacon, but he's looking to establish his name in multiple regards in the 2026-27 campaign. His relentless approach and chip on his shoulder are squarely intact.

Speaking to the media this week at camp, the former Cal and Fresno State standout broke down how he's looking at the opportunities in front of him.

“My mindset doesn’t change at all," Remigio said. "I consistently stay in a place of having everything to gain and nothing to lose. I'm a firm believer in that, and I stood up here in front of you guys last year and told you that my mentality was that undrafted free agent that barely got a shot to make it and I'm scratching and clawing, and I stand by that. So that's where my mentality is at.”

Production for Remigio across the 2024 season was limited, as he played all of 39 snaps on offense and another 42 on special teams. Last year was his first real shot for an extended period, seeing him play in 14 games and more than double his special teams workload under coordinator Dave Toub. He returned more punts (25) than all but eight players, and his 29 kickoff returns were tied for 15th.

Maximizing those chances was another story. Remigio averaged just 7.6 yards per punt return, well below the league average mark of 10.2 among qualified players. His 25.6 yards per kickoff return followed a similar trend, sitting 24th out of 31 listed men. According to Pro Football Focus, out of 76 players with 15 or more returns on the year, his 72.4 overall return grade ranked 26th.

Offensively, Remigio sparingly got reps. On 31 snaps, he was targeted only once in the receiving game and had a 21-yard conversion in Week 2's loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. He now enters the preseason with at least the trio of Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy and Tyquan Thornton ahead of him on the pecking order, and that's without even considering tight end Travis Kelce.

Remigio seems well aware of that, but he's also part of an unproven end-of-room group at wideout. That's where he's aiming to capitalize, on top of continuing to progress as a special teamer.

“Yeah, I don't think there's one particular place," Remigio said of where he wants to improve. "I think it's obviously expanding to try to get a bigger role on the team, getting some more reps on offense, becoming more of a factor in that scenario. And then most importantly, my role as a returner, just being the best returner that I could possibly be, and the goal is to be the best in the NFL. So that's where I'm at.”

With Cyrus Allen (shin) still banged up and Jalen Royals failing to separate himself from the pack at training camp, Remigio has an opening to emerge as WR4. That isn't much of a glamorous role, yet it'd be the biggest break of his Chiefs tenure on that side of the ball.

If he doesn't end up achieving that, it won't be for a lack of preparation or trying.

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