The Kansas City Chiefs were finally on a three-game winning streak, but that ended last week, dropping them to 3rd. Surely, they’ll now want a win against divisional rivals, the Broncos. But with a 5-4 record, Andy Reid’s men have been a shadow of themselves this season. To rectify this recent mentality, DT Chris Jones started a campaign to bring back a former teammate, and it has begun to pick up the mood in the locker room.

During a recent media interaction, the 31-year-old veteran requested his coach, Andy Reid, and GM Brett Veach to bring a former player and his close friend, Khalen Saunders, back into the team.

“We’ve got to get my brother back,” Jones said about Saunders.

Soon enough, this idea gained the team’s interest. Linebacker Nick Bolton explained how the 29-year-old DT was “a huge contributor” on the defensive end, especially during the franchise’s Super Bowl-winning campaigns, according to the Kansas City Star.

Saunders played for the Chiefs from 2019 to 2022 and won two Super Bowls with them. During this time, he grew into an important locker room presence. After leaving the Chiefs in 2023, he was with the New Orleans Saints before being traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars for center Luke Fortner. The 29-year-old was recently cut from the Jaguars, and now, Chris Jones’ support has led to demands for his return.

Another reason behind these demands could be to instill a winning mentality. After rookie defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott tore his ACL in mid-October, Kansas City brought back Mike Pennel as a replacement.

Though Pennel hasn’t recorded a single sack so far, his presence has been important as he brings a championship pedigree into the squad. Bringing Khalen Saunders back could create a similar impact, with the Chiefs entering an important stretch of the season, needing to climb up the standings.

If Saunders can clear his waivers with the Jaguars, Jones’ campaign might just come to fruition. But before that can happen, the Chiefs face off in an important divisional game against the Broncos. As the defense looks for a familiar face to lift spirits, the offense is facing a new challenge of its own.

Andy Reid announces unfortunate injury update

The Kansas City Chiefs are coming out of their Week 10 bye and could still be without a major offensive weapon ahead of their all-important divisional battle. As revealed by head coach Andy Reid, the Super Bowl runners-up have ruled out RB Isiah Pacheco for their clash against the Broncos. Pacheco suffered a knee injury late in Kansas City’s win over the Washington Commanders in Week 8.

Subsequently, the Chiefs confirmed that Pacheco suffered an MCL sprain, which then ruled him out against the Bills. Despite the RB resting up all through the bye week, Reid confirmed that he won’t suit up against the Broncos, as confirmed by Adam Schefter.

Before turning the page to their backfield concerns, the Chiefs were already discussing the unique challenge of playing in Denver. Travis Kelce recently admitted that the high altitude at Empower Field makes it harder to breathe and recover between drives, forcing players to manage their energy more carefully throughout the game. With that additional obstacle in mind, Kansas City now faces an even tougher task as the team prepares to play without its starting running back.

The 26-year-old has been a vital cog in Kansas City’s offense this NFL season. Pacheco has led the team in carries (78) and rushing yards (329). He also has one rushing touchdown across eight appearances. With Pacheco’s absence, Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes will need to pull off a determined performance to get back to winning ways.