Brett Veach on End of Kadarius Toney's Time in KC: 'We're Certainly Disappointed'

Veach explained what led to the decision to waive Toney and what the future could hold for the former first-round pick.

Aug 17, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Kadarius Toney (19) watches a replay against the Detroit Lions during the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports / Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

It may not have been a surprise, per se, but the Kansas City Chiefs' decision to waive wide receiver Kadarius Toney sent a shock nonetheless. Parting ways with a former first-round pick (even if it wasn't their own) is always difficult, especially when he helped bring home a Super Bowl title.

The longer Toney's time in Kansas City elapsed, however, the more visible the writing on the wall became. Following an underwhelming training camp and preseason, the 25-year-old's Chiefs tenure came to a close on Tuesday as the champs cut their roster down to 53 players.

Speaking to the media this week, general manager Brett Veach explained the decision to sever ties with Toney.

"Look, I think we're certainly disappointed," Veach said. "I think he's disappointed. We really like the kid. I know people have different takes on Kadarius but I know in this building, he's a bright kid, he's a smart kid. I think when you look back on it, some of the stuff is a stroke of bad luck in regards to some of the injuries you can't control, like walking out the first day of training camp last year and tearing his MCL. That was something that was just unfortunate.

"Some of the things I think we talked about were sometimes, you can make some bad luck turn into good luck by just doing some little things in the offseason to take care of your body. I think that's a process he's working through and, again, it's certainly not for a lack of talent. That's a situation where I think when you move on from players like that, I think everyone feels disappointed but as far as our relationship with the kid, I really like the kid. I don't think that certainly, we've seen the end of him. I think he'll have a chance and if he's able to tighten up some of the offseason stuff and get his body right, I think he'll go out and make a ton of plays for another team."

Veach's point about Toney's injuries is legitimate. After coming over from the New York Giants via trade in 2022, he struggled to stay healthy down the stretch. Last year saw the aforementioned knee ailment during training camp, then the former Florida standout dealt with a few other injuries (including a toe issue) that limited his in-season workload. After Week 15's win over the New England Patriots, he was inactive for each remaining Kansas City outing through Super Bowl LVIII.

Despite the injuries and inconsistency on the field, Veach said he'd make the trade again without having to think twice.

"I don't think we're sitting here going for a third-straight Super Bowl had we not made that trade so from that standpoint, [we'd] do it all over again in a heartbeat," Veach said. "It's always disappointing when a player's tenure comes to an end in that situation. Meaning, you'll have players where the age catches up to them. You'll have players where maybe it's a really serious injury. And then you'll have players that you move on from where the talent just wasn't there. So I think when you have to move on from a player and the full product or finished product or un-tapping all that talent wasn't realized, there's a disappointment. And I think it goes both ways."

In two stops at the pro level, Toney has yet to justify his draft slot. He had 41 receptions as a Giant, adding another 41 as a Chief. In 32 career regular-season appearances, he has yet to crack the 1,000-yard receiving mark and he has just four touchdowns on offense. To this day, his 65-yard punt return against the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LVII remains his most impactful moment in the NFL.

Toney went unclaimed on waivers, so the Chiefs are on the hook for his $2.5 million cap charge. As of the publishing of this article, he's unsigned. While Toney awaits his next opportunity – Veach doesn't doubt that he'll get one – Kansas City is rooting for his success.

"I'm certainly sure there would be things that he would do differently in regards to just some of the offseason stuff and taking care of the body but, again, I think it's a process," Veach said. "He's a really smart kid, and I do think he'll figure it out. Again, I think he'll end up making plays for a team down the road here. But as far as our interaction and working with the kid, he was actually a lot of fun to be around. Just hoping for the kid that he can get a little good luck on his side and stay healthy."

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