Back with Chiefs, WR Mecole Hardman has made his biggest impact in one particular area
Punt returns have been an adventure for the Chiefs the past two seasons.
Muffed punts and poor decisions have contributed to losses. Big returns, like in last season’s Super Bowl and AFC Championship Game, paved the way to huge victories.
The Chiefs experienced both ends of the punt return spectrum In last week’s victory over the Los Angeles Chargers ... with the same player, Mecole Hardman.
In his first game since returning to the Chiefs after a trade with the New York Jets, Hardman didn’t attempt a return or call for a fair catch, letting a fourth-quarter punt fly over his head. The ball was downed at the 3.
“Certain times you’ve got to go back there and get it,” said Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub. “When you’re running away from the coverage you’ve got to go back there and get it.”
But later in the quarter, with the Chiefs holding a touchdown lead, Hardman turned on the afterburners and returned a punt 50 yards. That return led to a KC touchdown..
Toub said communication with Hardman between plays led to the big moment.
“The funny thing was the long one that he got was the same exact punt,” Toub said. “He went and got that one and it paid off.”
Hardman will continue to serve as the Chiefs’ punt returner. Two others have held the duty this season. Richie James started there but is now on injured reserve after suffering a knee injury. He was replaced by Montrell Washington, who was waived and returned to the practice squad when the Chiefs signed Hardman.
Hardman knows the territory. He was the primary punt return specialist in his first three years with the Chiefs. Their most recent punt return for a touchdown, at Miami in 2020, came courtesy of Hardman. Last season, Skyy Moore and Kadarius Toney were most frequently used in that role.
On Hardman’s long return last weekend, the Chiefs had their defense on the field, except for Hardman. It’s been common for the Chiefs to keep their defense on the field in punting situations. Twice this season they’ve been burned by fake punts.
Not having the usual punt return team team on the field made Hardman’s return more impressive.
“They did a really great job,” said Toub of players such as defensive linemen George Karlaftis and Derrick Nnadi, who normally wouldn’t be on the punt return team. “They’re big guys running down the field making blocks for you.”
On the drive after Hardman’s return, he caught a first-down pass on the play before a Chiefs touchdown. He’ll be part of the Chiefs’ wide receiver rotation, but the number of targets and type of routes he’ll run remain to be seen.
In his first tenure in Kansas City, the speedy Hardman generally had more success stretching the defense horizontally on jet sweeps and pop-passes, and less success vertically.
“Offense-wise there were a couple of plays in for me just to get my feet wet and work me back in,” he said. “My role will probably keep increasing a little bit as the weeks go on.
“But I’m just happy to be back out there.”