<\/p>\n
The Kansas City Chiefs brought back a familiar face this week, trading with the New York Jets to re-acquire defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi. It was something the veteran lineman didn\u2019t see coming.<\/p>\n
\u201cHonestly, it was a little bit of a surprise,\u201d Nnadi told reporters on Wednesday. \u201cI was getting my body right for the next day at work \u2014 and then the GM called me and said, \u2018Hey, just want to let you know, we traded you back to KC.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Nnadi had signed with the Jets in March after seven seasons in Kansas City. While in New York, he recorded five total tackles during three preseason games before being dealt back to the team that drafted him in 2018.<\/p>\n
During the Jets\u2019 training camp, Nnadi noticed the contrast with what he experienced at Chiefs\u2019 camps in St. Joseph.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was completely different,\u201d Nnadi explained. \u201cIt hit me when I got there \u2014 like, \u2018I\u2019m not in St. Joe any more.\u2018 Part of me missed being in the dorms, being out and away from it all, seeing that nice little dude on the field. It\u2019s a different change of pace. It was definitely different [with the Jets] \u2014 but every team does things differently.\u201d<\/p>\n
However, what he missed most wasn\u2019t the dorms or the drills. It was the bonds he built over years in Kansas City\u2019s locker room.<\/p>\n
\u201c[I missed] the camaraderie with my teammates,\u201d said Nnadi. \u201cWhen I first got to the [Jets], I always thought like, \u2018Man, I miss my D-line room. I miss the fellas. I miss the guys in the locker room.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
The welcome back has been warm \u2014 especially from fellow defensive lineman Chris Jones, who was the first one to call Nnadi once the trade was announced. That set the tone for the rest of the team.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt does mean a lot having my guys be so happy to see me from yesterday and today and the day before,\u201d Nnadi said, clearly gratified. \u201cA lot of guys have been happy to see me back: players, coaches and everybody. Even the janitorial crew \u2014 like my dog Pistol Pete? Everyone\u2019s just happy to see me back.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nnadi has learned, however, that NFL business can move fast. What looked like a new beginning on another team has come full circle, landing him right back in Kansas City. But regardless of how he got here, Nnadi knows all that matters now is putting in the work \u2014 and showing he belongs on the team\u2019s roster once again.<\/p>\n
The 29-year-old knows what he brings to the Chiefs\u2019 defensive line. He played in 115 games with Chiefs, collecting 222 tackles and 5.0 sacks. Last season, he suited up for all 17 games, finishing with 11 tackles while adding four more in the playoffs.<\/p>\n
\u201cGetting traded \u2014 of all things \u2014 is part of the business,\u201d Nnadi said. \u201cBut at the same time, I\u2019ve got to focus on my <\/em>business. For me, I have a bit of a chip on my shoulder because I was gone and I came back. They\u2019re bringing me back for a reason \u2014 so in my mind, I\u2019ve just got to stay focused on what I\u2019ve got to do.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the words of a great speaker, \u2018Be where your feet are.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n 7 Comments<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The Kansas City defensive lineman returns after an offseason in New York.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":94537,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-94533","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"\n