Kansas City Chiefs' Dave Toub has expansive arsenal of weapons at return specialist, but it all starts with Nikko Remigio

Kansas City Chiefs STC Dave Toub has one of the deepest groups of return specialists he has had in many years, but it all begins with the player they consider the starter.

It was a long journey for Nikko Remigio to make the 53-man roster in Kansas City, after an injury in the preseason ended his rookie campaign prematurely. The following year, he landed on the practice squad, but it was only temporary. He would be called up to the 53-man roster in December, given a chance to make his case and impress. During training camp, Remigio made it clear that he had come too far to let opportunity slip through his fingertips.

"I mean, you think about Nikko (Remigio), I mean, he's been our starter for the last eight games that we've played, he's been our guy," Toub said of Remigio. "I've gotten used to having him back there, and he just keeps getting better. And he really had a great training camp. And, you know, he's become a leader for us as far as his work ethic and everything he's about. And he's a great teammate and he's a good, good guy, really, and I'm happy he's on a team."

Through eight combined regular-season and postseason games in 2024, Remigio averaged 11.5 yards per punt return and 28.4 yards per kick return. He had the longest punt return (41) and kick return (63) in the playoffs last season, also leading the league in punt & kick return yards, as well as kick return average. While Remigio is the undisputed starter on kick and punt returns, the Chiefs do have some good alternate options in the mix.

Chiefs WR Nikko Remigio isn't the only return specialist in Dave Toub's arsenal

Remigio won't be the only player used on kick and punt returns. Whether there's an injury or the Chiefs need a change-up, Dave Toub feels there are two more options at his disposal outside of No. 81.

"Yeah, you can see, you can see Tyquan (Thornton)," Toub said. "You can see Brashard (Smith). Those are the guys that you'll see back there."

We didn't get to see too many returns from the newcomer Thornton during the preseason, but Toub says he's got the speed to be effective as a returner, along with the blocking prowess to help spring a partner on kick returns.

"I saw somebody (who) hits it fast," Toub said of Thornton. "He's got great speed. You know he's, he's a willing blocker. So that's important. I talked about that before, how important that off-returner is to be able to single block somebody. He's going to have to block somebody. Nikko does that as well if he gets the ball, and then Brashard is still working on it and getting better and better each day."

Brashard Smith is a player that Toub was critical of after the first week of the preseason, but he admitted that he liked what he saw from him as the preseason progressed. After all, the return specialist position is just as new to Smith as the running back position.

"He had a good game too, by the way, in that last game," Toub said of Smith. "So that was good to see with him. You know, we talked about getting him a lot more touches, as we did, and he showed up. So, that was good to see."