When the NFL dropped a bombshell by approving the wild new kickoff rules for a one-year trial run in 2024, it may have just tossed a lifeline to Kadarius Toney‘s rocky stint with the Kansas City Chiefs. The controversial wide receiver, who was rumored to be on the chopping block, suddenly finds his elite return skills more valuable than ever with the league aiming to “get kickoffs kickin” again.

According to an NFL Notifications X post, “The #Chiefs were going to CUT Kadarius Toney, but now with the new kick-off rules he is likely to remain on the team next season.” The audacious rule changes, which passed 29-3 among owners, will overhaul kickoff formations to make it a 21 vs 1 battle royale between the return team and kicker. To spark more returns after they plummeted to just 21.7% in 2023, these amendments seem tailor-made for a human joystick like Toney, who already owns the longest punt return TD (65 yards) in Super Bowl history.

While the talent has always been evident, Toney’s on and off-field antics nearly derailed his Kansas City campaign before it could take off. A costly offsides penalty wiped out a go-ahead TD in a crucial loss to Buffalo in Dec 2023, and reports suggest he may have been unofficially suspended down the stretch due to maturity issues. But with special teams now primed to be more pivotal than ever, Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub could demand Toney sticks around to maximize the new kick return opportunities.

These rule changes essentially revived the kick return specialist position after it was fading into obsolescence. Toub and the Chiefs’ roster construction will probably emphasize different skills like blocking, shedding blocks, and navigating traffic rather than pure straight-line speed. That plays right into the hands of elusive players like Toney or running backs like Isiah Pacheco. The risks of keeping Toney’s volatile personality may now outweigh the rewards of his game-breaking ability in this reimagined kickoff era.

How the Chiefs opt to leverage Toney and tailor their special teams units could go a long way in determining their success in 2024 and beyond. But as much as these new rules provide him an unlikely reprieve, they also represent a critical career crossroads for the embattled 24-year-old’s redemption arc. The path forward starts with one simple directive…

Kadarius Toney’s roller coaster to Super Bowl redemption

While these new kickoff rules reportedly give Kadarius Toney a chance to stick with the Chiefs, his situation remains a head-scratcher. There’s buzz that Toney was low-key frozen out down the stretch last season, despite the team saying he was injured. Toney blew up on social media before the AFC Championship game, claiming he was healthy and ready to play. His online rant hinted at bad blood behind closed doors in Kansas City.

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The drama started after Toney made two huge blunders – lining up offside to cancel out a go-ahead TD against Buffalo, and a dropped pass turning into an interception versus New England. Word is, head coach Andy Reid had seen enough and might have banished Toney to the doghouse for the rest of the year as punishment, even though he looked fine at practices. Toney’s social media explosions seemed to confirm he was unfairly labeled as injured.

Andy Reid Remains Cryptic About Kadarius Toney’s Super Bowl Status, Opens Up About Jerick McKinnon’s ‘Slim’ Chances of Playing

Whether he was truly hurt, secretly suspended, or something in the middle, one thing’s for sure – Toney needs to get his act together if he wants to ball out as a return specialist with these new kickoff rules. But Chiefs fans know that crazy talent doesn’t matter if you’re a knucklehead off the field. For the 24-year-old speedster, it’s make-or-break time to prove he can be a core weapon in this kickoff revival.

Kansas City Chiefs in Double Dilemma Over Kadarius Toney Before Super Bowl; Here’s Why