KC Chiefs Sign Defensive Tackle Mike Pennel to Practice Squad

Kansas City reunites with an old friend who helped play a role in the team making a run at two Super Bowls.

The Kansas City Chiefs are currently preparing for a Week 8 matchup against the Denver Broncos but on the fringes of the team, general manager Brett Veach is making some moves. 

Initially pointed out by Charles Goldman of A to Z Sports and confirmed by the Chiefs' official online roster listing and the NFL transaction report, Kansas City is signing veteran defensive tackle Mike Pennel to the practice squad. In a corresponding move that has yet to be reflected on the team website as of the publishing of this article, wide receiver Daniel Arias is being released. 

The Beast is Back!

The #Chiefs are signing DT Mike Pennel to the practice squad. Pennel won a Super Bowl ring with Kansas City in 2019.

In a corresponding move, they released WR Daniel Arias.

— Charles Goldman (@goldmctNFL) October 24, 2023

The Beast is Back!

The #Chiefs are signing DT Mike Pennel to the practice squad. Pennel won a Super Bowl ring with Kansas City in 2019.

In a corresponding move, they released WR Daniel Arias.

Pennel, a native of (somewhat) nearby Topeka, KS, turned 32 in May. The former 2014 undrafted free agent has played in regular-season games for five different franchises, including the Chiefs in 2019 and 2020. Over the course of 22 contests in Kansas City, he logged 53 tackles, three quarterback hits, two tackles for loss and a sack. 

Many remember Pennel for his contributions during the Chiefs' 2019-20 championship run, as he arrived in October of that season and played a contributing role along Steve Spagnuolo's defensive line. He then played 13, 24 and 15 snaps in three playoff games, recording a tackle and a pass broken up in Super Bowl LIV against the San Francisco 49ers. The following year, even after being suspended for two games to open the season, he remained active during the regular season and logged a combined 49 postseason snaps. Eighteen of those came in a Super Bowl LV loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Last week, Pennel worked out with the Indianapolis Colts but was unable to secure a contract with the club. The 332-pound lineman joins the likes of Truman Jones among the ranks of the Chiefs' practice squad defensive linemen.

Read More: Chiefs’ Defense Ranked as NFL's Second-Best by Bill Barnwell