Kansas City Chiefs turned down chance to sign 2x Pro Bowl receiver last season

Patrick Mahomes led the Kansas City Chiefs to another Super Bowl victory last season, their third in five years. But Andy Reid’s offense wasn’t quite as potent as the ones we’ve come to know in Kansas City. They finished 15th in scoring, their worst mark since 2014 before the Mahomes era began.

Some could point to the departure of offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, who spent a year calling plays with the Washington Commanders. But he’s not the one on the field making or not making plays, nor was he tasked with calling plays in Kansas City.

Instead, many pointed to the Chiefs’ inconsistency from the wide receiver position as a big reason why the Chiefs’ elite offense suddenly wasn’t as effective. Players who were expected to be key contributors, like Kadarius Toney and Marquez Valdes-Scantling were massive disappointments, leading to the return of Mecole Hardman, and the emergence of rookie Rashee Rice.

Yet, the Chiefs reportedly had a chance to add a big-name receiver to the roster before the season even kicked off.

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Adam Thielen wanted to join Kansas City Chiefs last offseason

The Kansas City Chiefs still repeated as Super Bowl champions, but they may have had an easier path to hoisting a Lombardi Trophy had they signed one of the top wide receivers in free agency. Former Minnesota Vikings Pro Bowler Adam Thielen became a free agent after playing nine seasons with his hometown team, but it became clear that the two sides couldn’t agree on contract value while prioritizing other positions.

The Vikings later got younger while saving cap space by drafting Jordan Addison to replace Thielen, after seeing the local fan favorite sign a three-year, $25 million contract with the Carolina Panthers.

Yet, as Thielen tells it, he actually wanted to join Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in pursuit of his first chance at a Super Bowl ring. The 33-year-old recently revealed this while golfing in his downtime during the offseason.

Some may have believed the 6-foot-2 receiver was washed up when he hit free agency last season, but the Panthers were eager to sign the two-time Pro Bowl receiver, and it paid off.

• Adam Thielen stats (2023): 103 receptions, 1,014 receiving yards, 4 TD

Thielen may not have helped the Panthers be competitive, but he still recorded the third 1,000-yard season of his career and his first since 2018. The Chiefs didn’t even have a player who topped 1,000 yards last season, but both Travis Kelce and Rashee Rice came close by recording 984 and 938 receiving yards.

In the end, it didn’t matter whether the Chiefs would have signed Thielen or not. They still accomplished their goals. But perhaps having the steady veteran on hand would have given the Chiefs a smoother ride to winning a championship. We’ll never know.

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