The Kansas City Chiefs are coming off their worst season in the Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid leading their team. A 6-11 finish resulted in a third place finish in their division and missing the playoffs entirely.
This off-season has been predicated around the team getting back to a championship caliber roster. However, on Friday it was announced that the team will not be extending one of their Super Bowl champions.
Chiefs Don’t Extend Super Bowl Champion – Report
Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk reports that the Kansas City Chiefs have declined the fifth-year option on pass-rusher Felix Anudike-Uzomah’s rookie contract.
In spite of being a former first-round pick, Anudike-Uzomah is still trying to find his niche in Kansas City’s defense. He has only played in sporadic spurts under veteran defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo:
While Anudike-Uzomah will still be under contract with the Chiefs for the coming season, his rookie contract will expire at the conclusion of Kansas City’s 2026 campaign.
Now set to become a free agent in 2027, Anudike-Uzomah has an opportunity to earn his first major NFL payday if he can elevate his level of production later this year.
Several other first-round picks from the 2023 NFL Draft have also had their fifth-year options declined, and Kansas City’s decision not to exercise this quirk in Anudike-Uzomah’s rookie contract isn’t necessarily a sign that the Chiefs are definitively disinterested in a long-term partnership with the young pass-rusher.
Felix Anudike-Uzomah Full NFL Career
Anudike-Uzomah was the 31st overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Thus far in his career he has accumulated:
- 34 games played
- 3 total starts
- 2 forced fumbles
- 1 fumble recovery
- 3.0 sacks
- 41 total tackles
- 24 solo tackles
- 8 tackles for loss
- 14 QB hits