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Robert Tonyan of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrating scoring a touchdown during the second quarter of the preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks on August 15, 2025.
The Kansas City Chiefs have made some changes on their 53-man roster.
After initially releasing him and subsequently signing him to their practice squad, the Chiefs have promoted former Green Bay Packers tight end, Robert Tonyan, to the active roster.
As reported from the team’s announced transactions, via Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, Tonyan moved up whilst a notable face was subsequently added to the practice squad to replace the former Indiana State man.
Robert Tonyan Gets A Second Chance With The Chiefs
“Tight end Robert Tonyan has been promoted from the Chiefs’ practice squad to their active roster.” Florio wrote on Friday, “Tonyan initially signed with the Chiefs’ practice squad late last season, spent the offseason in Kansas City and was cut on Tuesday, but he was quickly brought back to the practice squad and is now on the 53-man roster.
The Chiefs have also added Clyde Edwards-Helaire to their practice squad. The Chiefs’ first-round draft pick in 2020, Edwards-Helaire signed with the Saints late last season and spent the offseason in New Orleans but was cut this week. He’s now back in Kansas City.”
Florio also made note of the rest of the organization’s practice squad ins and outs from the day.
“Also joining the Chiefs’ practice squad are DE Ethan Downs, DT Brodric Martin, DT Zacch Pickens, S Jammie Robinson and DE Tyreke Smith.” Florio continued, “The Chiefs released DT Coziah Izzard, Coziah and WR Hal Presley from the practice squad.”
What Does Robert Tonyan Bring To Kansas City’s Offense?
At this stage of his career, the Illinois native is hardly a world-beater, but he is not too far removed from having starting level production in the NFL.
Since departing the Packers in 2023, Tonyan has not been able to recapture the high-caliber play he put on display with the Midwest franchise, in which he managed more than 450 receiving yards in two out of three seasons between 2020 and 2022, after coming undrafted out of the 2017 NFL Draft.
An unsuccessful stint at the offensively negligent Chicago Bears in 2023 was followed a short stint in Minnesota last season, which ended in October after Tonyan put up no receiving yards in the first month of the regular season, at which point he then signed with the Chiefs’ practice squad last December.
At just 31 years of age, and with 90 games played in the league, there is likely more left in the tank for the one-time top-15 tight end in football.
How Will Robert Tonyan Rank Within The Chiefs’ Tight End Position Group
He will come in as the fourth tight end behind Travis Kelce, Noah Gray and Jared Wiley – who posted just 7 yards in his rookie season in 2024.
But given his experience and proven capability when healthy and on form, head coach Andy Reid may look to get him involved immediately on multi-tight end sets – particularly if one of Gray and/or Kelce misses time at some point during the season.
If Reid and co. feel like they can get him back to something just vaguely resembling his best years it would not be surprising, come the start of the season, if Tonyan is TE3 on the roster, and makes the first game day squad.
Daniel Arwas Daniel Arwas is a sports writer who covers the NFL for Heavy.com. Daniel began his career in sports writing in 2022 and has covered the NFL and college football for Gridiron Heroics and The Hammer. More about Daniel Arwas
