The issues facing the Kansas City Chiefs in the rushing game are no secret at this stage of the 2025 campaign. This makes the fact that the Dameon Pierce experience has yet to really get off the ground in Kansas City that much more concerning.
However, comments from special teams coordinator Dave Toub on Thursday only raise the alert level in regards to this group.
"It's just a matter of getting ready and learning for offense, Toub stated, via Charles Goldman of A to Z Sports. "For me, he could probably play, but he's just not there yet."
Dameon Pierce Already Falling Short of Expectations in Kansas City
Given their 6-6 record and the team's upcoming schedule, time is of the essence for Andy Reid and the Chiefs. With Pierce not appearing to be any closer to making his debut for Kansas City, it is hard to assume he will ultimately provide anything of use during this stretch run.
If Pierce couldn't come in and contribute right away, the Chiefs would have been better suited going after a back who was already familiar with their system. Or they could have tried relying on the little-used Elijah Mitchell, who has been with the team since training camp but only has one target in his lone appearance this season.
Given how an understanding of the playbook is crucial to playing time decisions made by this staff, there is no way that Reid, Matt Nagy, and the rest of the coaches on the offensive side will consider elevating Pierce from the practice squad until he's ready.
That makes this addition all that much more confusing, though, as KC is in must-win mode. The team has to run the table to have even a chance to make the playoffs, so using extra resources and dedicating precious practice time to a player who's not an immediate contributor could turn out to be a humongous waste for a squad with little margin for error.
Maybe Reid and co. thought Pierce would be a quick learner. Or perhaps he's just not the guy they expected to get and that's why they're stuck developing a player who may not even see the field until 2026. Regardless, it's clear this addition isn't paying off immediately for Kansas City, and that's a problem with their season hanging in the balance.