The Kansas City Chiefs head into their first preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday night with many interesting position battles. One position Chiefs Kingdom must keep an eye on is defensive tackle. Kansas City needs to see who stands out at defensive tackle, so they can be paired with Chris Jones.
That said, one former Chiefs defensive tackle recently tried out with one of Kansas City's biggest NFC rivals. According to NFL Trade Rumors, the San Francisco 49ers hosted Siaki Ika for a tryout on Wednesday. Though Ika didn't do anything in Kansas City, his potentially joining the 49ers would still feel like a betrayal between teams who have battled twice in the Super Bowl.
Former Chiefs DT Siaki Ika Could Join the 49ers
Over the past six seasons, the Chiefs and 49ers have met twice in the Super Bowl. On both occasions, Kansas City came out victorious, leaving 49ers fans upset. When the two franchises met for their second Super Bowl matchup in 2023, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan reportedly didn't understand the postseason overtime rules, causing San Francisco to lose.
Ika, 24, joined Kansas City's practice squad in December of last season. While he never saw the field, the Chiefs did sign him to a reserve/futures deal after the season. Unfortunately for Ika, on June 11, he was cut.
Prior to his short tenure with the Chiefs, Ika spent time with the Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles. Cleveland selected the 24-year-old with the 98th pick in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft. However, he never saw the field in Cleveland. Then, with the Eagles, Ika spent a total of two weeks on their practice squad.
Now, if Ika is signed by the 49ers, he will have a long way to go to make their roster. To be considered a fifth defensive tackle for San Francisco, Ika would have to beat out players like Kalia Davis, Evan Anderson, Bruce Hector, and Sebastian Valdez. That won't be easy, especially since the 24-year-old was unable to make an impact in a desolate Chiefs defensive tackle room.
Still, the fact that San Francisco is even giving Ika a look adds a bit of fuel to the fire between the two franchises. Although Ika likely wouldn’t be a major factor on the field if signed, the optics of a former Chief trying to stick with the 49ers mid-camp aren’t something that will sit well with Chiefs Kingdom. It’s yet another reminder that in the NFL, rivalries extend far beyond game day.