The Kansas City Chiefs will officially be down one familiar face next season after sending defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah to injured reserve on Monday. The former 2023 first-round pick is currently hampered by a hamstring injury, and the ailment has head coach Andy Reid unsure of when Anudike-Uzomah will return to action.
"I can't tell you how long it's going to be, but any time is disappointing for him," Reid said on Monday afternoon, per CBS Sports' Cody Nagel. "I know, because he works so stinkin' hard."
Even though his career hasn't unfolded as planned, potentially losing Anudike-Uzomah for the 2025 campaign isn't something Chiefs fans wanted. Having said that, it's the reality the team must deal with now, leading Kansas City to reunite with a familiar face ahead of Friday's preseason finale.
We have signed Free Agents DE Owen Carney and LB Xander Mueller.
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) August 18, 2025
We have place DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah on Reserve/Injured.
We have waived RB Elijah Young. pic.twitter.com/DdSCV10L6y
Chiefs Reunite with DE Owen Carney After Felix Anudike-Uzomah News
The Chiefs made a handful of moves in the wake of Anudike-Uzomah's injury placement, including a reunion with pass rusher Owen Carney. The 26-year-old defensive end spent parts of the 2022 and 2023 seasons with the Miami Dolphins and Cincinnati Bengals, respectively, before joining the Chiefs last summer.
Carney didn't end up playing any meaningful action for the Chiefs last season, as he was a part of the team's final preseason roster cuts. Still, Reid & Co. clearly saw something in the 6-foot-3, 275-pound disruptor, or else they wouldn't have brought him back for another look.
Limited to only exhibition action since going undrafted, Carney has tallied seven solo tackles and 3.5 sacks in nine preseason contests split between the Dolphins, Bengals, and Chiefs. He finished the 2024 preseason with a respectable 73.8 tackling grade on Pro Football Focus, leaving it up to Carney to prove he can pick up from where he left off despite having yet to make his 2025 exhibition debut.
This door wouldn't have opened if it weren't for Anudike-Uzomah's injury, so all eyes will be on Carney to see if he can capitalize on his fresh start.
In the meantime, Anudike-Uzomahwill likely turn his focus to the 2026 campaign, which will be a crucial time for him. He desperately needs to prove his worth to the front office after back-to-back disappointing seasons, and securing a new contract (or even having his fifth-year option picked up) won't be easy if he can't get back onto the field soon.
It's been a rough start to Anudike-Uzomah's NFL career, and things will only look worse if Carney steals his job as he helplessly watches from the sidelines.