The Kansas City Chiefs announced that they have signed veteran tight end Robert Tonyan to their practice squad.
Tonyan is an eight-year NFL veteran who entered the league with the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent. He signed with the Green Bay Packers in 2018, and had a breakout season in 2020 with 52 receptions for 586 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Tonyan’s 11 touchdown catches in 2020 tied Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce for the most at the postion that year. Tonyan was off to another solid start in 2021, but his season ended prematurely with a torn ACL in Week 8. He bounced back in 2022 with 53 catches for 470 yards and two touchdowns.
The Packers let Tonyan walk after the 2022 season, and he landed with the Chicago Bears on a one-year deal. He played second fiddle to Cole Kmet, catching just 11 passes for 112 yards. Tonyan then signed with the Minnesota Vikings in 2024, appearing in four games but recording no statistics.
The Vikings released Tonyan on November 29. He’ll look for a fresh start in Kansas City, which has Travis Kelce, Noah Gray, Anthony Firkser, and Peyton Hendershot at tight end. The timing of Tonyan’s signing is curious since the Chiefs just designated Hendershot to return from injured reserve on Monday.
It’s possible K.C. moves on from Firkser in favor of Tonyan. It’s also possible that the Chiefs just want to see if the veteran Tonyan has anything left in the tank. He is instantly the second-most experienced player in the tight end room behind Kelce, and makes for solid depth if nothing else.
