The Kansas City Chiefs hoped that Skyy Moore could fill the void left by Tyreek Hill after the latter left following the 2021 season. On paper, it made sense, as Moore was a speedy and electric playmaker who looked like a perfect fit as one of quarterback Patrick Mahomes' downfield threats. That never happened.
Moore was used mostly on special teams during his days with the Chiefs, but he wasn't much of a factor, averaging just 6.1 yards per punt return and 18.6 yards per kickoff return during his days in Missouri. The lack of production is why Kansas City had no issue trading him to the San Francisco 49ers in a deal that involved multiple draft picks back in August.
Now, watching Moore thrive in a special teams role with the 49ers is yet another indictment of ST coordinator Dave Toub's shortcomings.
Skyy Moore's Surge Shows Dave Toub is Clueless
Moore just had a huge game in the San Francisco 49ers' 26-8 road win over the Cleveland Browns in Week 13. Despite the bad weather, he still had an electric 66-yard punt return to set up a one-yard touchdown run by Christian McCaffrey. The performance had Chiefs fans wishing that they could get that sort of performance out of current K.C. returner Nikko Remigio.
Remigio is averaging just 7.3 yards per punt return and 25.9 yards per kick-off return this season, and the Chiefs haven't gotten a single big or explosive play out of him. That's after getting him to replace the former second-round pick they traded for late-round draft selections.
Moore had already shown flashes of this ability. He had an 88-yard return in the preseason against the Seattle Seahawks, and Toub tipped his hat to him and made it sound like he was going to be a big part of their plans:
“His punt return ability and kick-return ability has really gotten better over the years, and it showed right there,” Toub said via SI’s Zach Gilbert. “I mean, he’s solid there, on that part of it. The other part is just the mental, I think, with him, and it’s just about getting over that hump. He’s definitely an NFL player, whether he’s on our team or not on our team. I think the return helped him. He’s a good football player.”
Granted, Moore wasn't always consistently productive, and he was rarely a factor on offense. Still, watching him flourish somewhere else while the Chiefs still have the same issues they had when he was on the team only shows that it's not a personnel issue; it's all about coaching.
For reference, the 49ers own Pro Football Focus' second-best special teams grade this season (91.4), while the Toub-led unit ranks 10th (90.1). Being in the top 10 is still great, but it also shows Kansas City is far from the best in the NFL.
There has been plenty of chatter about whether the Chiefs should run it back with the same coaching staff next season. And judging by the way things have fared for this team, Toub's job shouldn't be safe at all, especially if they end up missing the playoffs.