Chiefs HC Andy Reid discusses Kadarius Toney after nightmare game vs. Lions

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid remains confident that wide receiver Kadarius Toney will put his nightmare performance during this past Thursday's 21-20 loss to the Detroit Lions behind him. 

"That's just not his thing,'' Reid said about Toney on Monday, per Adam Teicher of ESPN. "He's not a guy that drops balls. He's got great hands, so we just got to keep working through it.''

Toney joined the Chiefs via a trade from the New York Giants during the 2022 regular season and ultimately recorded a touchdown catch and the longest punt return in Super Bowl history during the win over the Philadelphia Eagles in February. However, the 24-year-old committed several costly drops in Thursday's defeat, including one that resulted in a pick-six that flipped the momentum in favor of the Lions. 

Reid said Monday that Toney will take the field for this coming Sunday's matchup at the Jacksonville Jaguars because "the only way we're going to get him back is by playing him." 

Toney dealt with multiple injury issues during his Giants tenure that began when that franchise made him a first-round draft pick in the spring of 2021. More recently, he required surgery during the summer to address a torn meniscus in his knee and missed all of training camp and the preseason. 

Reid suggested Monday he rushed Toney back into action too soon. 

"I thought him getting in the game was important, but to be fair I've got to kind of look in the mirror on that one,'' Reid added about Toney. "I probably didn't put him in the best position there because he doesn't drop the ball. That's just not his deal. He's a very, very secure catcher." 

As of Monday afternoon, OddsChecker listed the Chiefs as the favorites (-140, -2.5) to defeat the Jaguars in Jacksonville this Sunday. Reid will want to avoid starting the season at 0-2, so one can't help but wonder if Toney will find himself on a short leash at EverBank Stadium.