Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Chiefs Make Defensive Move After Missing NFL Playoffs

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Chris Phelps | Last updated Feb 4, 2026 6:49 PM ET

Chris Jones and the Kansas City Chiefs did not have the 2025 NFL season they were hoping for. After three straight Super Bowl appearances, the Chiefs missed out on the playoffs altogether, finishing the season with a 7-9-1 record and ending on a six-game losing streak.

Still, despite a poor 2025 season that also saw quarterback Patrick Mahomes tear his ACL, the Kansas City defense proved to be one of the best units in the NFL. Led by Jones and Steve Spagnuolo, the Chiefs allowed just 301.5 yards per game 1(0th in the league), 105.7 rushing yards per game (9th), and 19.3 points per game (6th). And while the defense is not a major concern for Kansas City, the franchise did sign a safety ahead of Super Bowl LX.

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo talk on the sidelines during an NFL game.© Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Tanner McCalister, after his college career with Oklahoma State and Ohio State, went undrafted in the 2023 NFL Draft before he was picked up by the Cleveland Browns. The safety spent his first NFL season in Cleveland before joining the Denver Broncos for 2024, spending most of his time on the practice squad and appearing in six total games.

McCalister spent most of the 2025 season as a free agent before signing with the Kansas City practice squad in December. He was waived the following month and later rejoined the Denver practice squad.

Still, the Chiefs liked what they saw from the safety during his brief stint in Kansas City, signing McCalister to a reserve/future deal on Wednesday.

"The Chiefs have signed DB Tanner McCalister to a reserve/future deal," A to Z Sports' Charles Goldman wrote on X. "McCalister was briefly on the practice squad in mid-December and early January."

The Chiefs have signed DB Tanner McCalister to a reserve/future deal. McCalister was briefly on the practice squad in mid-December and early January: https://t.co/wK4TSKFO5C pic.twitter.com/sjgzNaXYWq
— Charles Goldman (@goldmctNFL) February 4, 2026

The Chiefs will look to continue to bolster the roster when free agency begins on March 11. Then, they will have the No. 9 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, which begins April 23.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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