From Park Hill to Kansas State to KC Chiefs, quite the ride for Randen Plattner
His locker was located where space was available, around other linemen but opposite his fellow specialists.
But for Randen Plattner, having any place in the Chiefs’ locker room at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium felt a bit surreal.
“If you had told me I’d be here, ever in my life, I would have told you you were crazy,” Plattner said. “This was an amazing experience.”
Plattner, formerly of Park Hill High and Kansas State — and “a Chiefs fan forever” — got his opportunity to suit up and play for the two-time Super Bowl champions Thursday as a long-snapper in the team’s 34-21 loss to the Chicago Bears.
He filled in for veteran James Winchester, who sat out the game with a shoulder injury suffered in the previous contest.
Wearing jersey No. 59, Plattner jogged onto the field for eight snaps, all to Matt Araiza, who either punted or held for kicker Harrison Butker.
All of Plattner’s snaps were on the money, or close enough. He did his job.
“I did OK,” Plattner said. “There will always be things I’m critical of.”
With scant time to prepare, Plattner took a Chiefs crash course this past week, working with Araiza, Butker and Winchester in preparation. But Plattner had been in an NFL camp before.
In June, Plattner signed with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent. He was waived Aug. 11 but kept tabs on teams’ longer-snapper situations around the NFL.
Last Saturday, he got a text from his sister who was following the Chiefs-Lions game and noticed tight end Noah Gray, not Winchester, was in at long-snapper.
“Not that you wish anything bad to happen to anybody, but being a reserve guy you’re ready to go when your number is called,” Plattner said.
His was, quickly. The Chiefs knew about Plattner and got in touch with his agent Sunday evening. The next day, Plattner found himself at the team’s facility, took a physical, signed a contract and was issued a helmet.
“All in about 20 minutes,” he said.
The week flew by. Two practices and a walk-through, and there he was on the field with the other specialists Thursday preparing for an NFL game.
Special teams coordinator Dave Toub said this week he expects Winchester to be ready for the regular-season opener on Sept. 5 against the Ravens, leaving Plattner’s future uncertain.
The NFL long-snapper community is a small one, and Plattner will continue to seek opportunities. But after five seasons and 62 career games at K-State — second most in school history — and being in camp with two NFL teams, he now has some experience as a pro ... with his hometown team.
If he doesn’t play in another game for the Chiefs, he wants to keep the jersey.
“It might come out of my paycheck for the week, but that’s all right,” Plattner said.
This story was originally published August 23, 2024 at 12:21 PM.