The Kansas City Chiefs are expected to be one of the top teams in the NFL this season but it doesn’t mean that everyone’s job is safe. OTAs are a challenging time for young players and veterans alike as they look to lay the groundwork for securing a starting job or just a spot on the team in the weeks leading up to training camp.
With that being said, there’s one position battle unfolding that Chiefs fans didn’t expect coming into OTAs and it could be something that goes all the way to the start of the season.
Chiefs Special Teams Coordinator Admits There’s a Battle at Punt Returner
According to Charles Goldman of A to Z Sports, Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub told reporters on Wednesday that there will be a battle at punt returner ahead of the upcoming season. While he stated that Nikko Remigio has been improving, he also added that rookie running back Brashard Smith and wide receiver Xavier Worthy will also spend time at the spot.
“It’s going to be a great battle at that punt return spot,” Toub said.
Chiefs STC Dave Toub says that Nikko Remigio at punt returner keeps improving, but adds Brashard Smith and Xavier Worthy (!!) will compete at that spot: "It's going to be a great battle at that punt return spot."
— Charles Goldman (@goldmctNFL) June 4, 2025
Remigio was part of a return group that included six different players last year. While Mecole Hardman returned 20 punts for 203 yards (10.2 yards per return) last season, Remigio was the next man up with 11 returns for 104 yards (9.5 yards per return). With Hardman departing for the Green Bay Packers this offseason, Remigio figured to be the front runner but the additions of Smith and Worthy are intriguing.
Smith was a seventh-round pick by the Chiefs in April’s draft and the former SMU running back has plenty of experience with 53 kick returns for 1,295 yards and a touchdown during his career. But Smith has had limited opportunities to return punts with five returns for 22 yards.
Then there is Worthy, who is the more exciting option to Chiefs fans. Worthy was the Texas Longhorns’ primary punt returner in his final two collegiate seasons, leading the nation with 371 return yards and leading the Big 12 with 16.9 yards per return during the 2023 season. While Worthy didn’t return punts during his rookie season in Kansas City, his 4.21-second time in the 40-yard dash suggests it could be fun to find out.
That’s probably why the Chiefs are leaving no stone unturned when it comes to finding Hardman’s replacement and it could be an exciting battle that takes place over the next several months.