He left Chiefs for a year, then decided to come back. Here’s why he fits with KC
Safety Mike Edwards is a member of the Kansas City Chiefs again, and he says there’s one main reason for that:
Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo.
Edwards, who agreed to a one-year deal with KC last week, said he’s remained in touch with Spagnuolo throughout this past year — a time when he played for three different NFL teams.
“I feel like he’s just a great, great coach,” Edwards said during an interview with reporters Wednesday, “and he’s going to have everybody in the right spot where they need to be.”
Add the 28-year-old Edwards back into that mix, as he reunites with the team after also playing for KC during its 2023 Super Bowl season.
His role will be different this time. The Chiefs lost veteran Justin Reid to free agency, meaning Edwards will now be a veteran on the back end alongside three other top safeties still on their rookie contracts: 25-year-old Bryan Cook, 24-year-old Chamarri Conner and 22-year-old Jaden Hicks.
Edwards, however, says he’ll feel comfortable speaking up and being a leader if the team needs that. His confidence comes from the fact that the last time he was with the Chiefs, he believed he had the respect of teammates and coaches.
“Trying to get on that role as best as I can,” Edwards said of being a potential leader. “So as soon as I get there, Day 1, I’ll try to take on that role for sure.”
Edwards was productive as a third safety during his previous season with the Chiefs. He played in all 17 regular-season games and even stepped in as a starter late following a season-ending injury to Cook.
He had memorable plays as well. Perhaps the most notable was during a game against the Miami Dolphins in Germany, as Edwards scooped up a fumble by receiver Tyreek Hill, then lateraled to his teammate Cook while getting tackled.
The team-defense sequence eventually resulted in a 59-yard touchdown return for Cook in the Chiefs’ 21-14 victory.
Edwards had a turbulent last season. He signed a one-year offseason contract with the Buffalo Bills before briefly joining the Tennessee Titans and then moving on to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played eight combined games with two starts, logging 12 tackles with no interceptions.
The experience, he said, made him appreciate this new opportunity with the Chiefs while entering his seventh pro season.
“I would just say it definitely humbles you,” Edwards said of the past year. “You definitely have to stay humble, stay grounded and just appreciate what we’re gifted.”
Spagnuolo isn’t the only Chiefs staff member with great admiration for Edwards. KC also hired Matt House as a senior defensive assistant this offseason; House was Edwards’ defensive coordinator when he played in college at Kentucky.
Edwards said House is “one of my favorite coaches I’ve ever had in my life,” and in a 2021 social media post, the safety went as far as to say that he loved House “like a father.”
“Coming back and having him coach me, that’ll be a good thing,” Edwards said. “We already had a great relationship, so with him and Spags and (defensive backs) coach (Dave) Merritt, I feel like it’ll be a great thing to have them coaching me.”
Most exciting for Edwards, however, is getting back together with Spagnuolo. The 5-foot-10, 205-pound safety believed he fit well with Spagnuolo’s scheme because of his versatility.
It also helps that Edwards believes the Chiefs defensive coordinator knows how to play to each individual’s strengths.
“Spags is a real creative guy,” Edwards said. “He’s a mastermind behind how all this works.”
Though Edwards hadn’t talked with the Chiefs specifically about a role for next season, he was pleased the team reached out to him early in free agency.
Now, he gets to return to a familiar place.
“Whatever they want me to do, I’ll be ready for it,” Edwards said. “That’s all I can say.”
This story was originally published April 11, 2025 at 6:30 AM.
