Five notable connections to the Chiefs in the NFL’s Wild Card Round this weekend
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Wild Card opens without the Chiefs for first time in a decade; five links remain
- Turk Wharton returns from hamstring injury after five seasons and 13.5 sacks
- Joe Thuney traded to Bears; Chiefs flipped picks while pursuing corner Nohl Williams
The NFL playoffs begin Saturday with a three-day Wild Card round. It’s the first time the postseason will be without the Kansas City Chiefs since 2014.
The league sees plenty of turnover from year to year, which means you’ll recognize some familiar faces this weekend.
Here are five notable connections to the Chiefs in the Wild Card Round:
Early Saturday: Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Turk Wharton
The playoffs kick off Saturday with the Los Angeles Rams visiting the Carolina Panthers, now home to former Chiefs defensive tackle Turk Wharton. Wharton signed with Kansas City as an undrafted free agent in 2020 and grew into an important contributor along the defensive line.
He logged 72 regular-season appearances in five seasons with the Chiefs, finishing with 13.5 sacks. The two-time Super Bowl champ’s production in KC led to a lucrative three-year deal with Carolina, but he hasn’t played since late November because of a hamstring injury. He’s been a full participant in practice this week, however, and is expected to return to the lineup this weekend.
Saturday night: Chicago Bears left guard Joe Thuney and kicker Cairo Santos
With a payday looming for fellow guard Trey Smith, the Chiefs traded Joe Thuney to the Bears for a 2026 fourth-round pick.
Kansas City has already sent that pick to the New England Patriots as part of the package to acquire cornerback Nohl Williams. Meanwhile, Pro Football Focus graded Thuney as the top pass-blocking guard in the league.
Between his time with the Patriots and Chiefs, Thuney is going for his fifth ring in nine seasons. His teammate (and another familiar face), Cairo Santos, is going for his first. Santos caught on with Kansas City as an undrafted free agent in 2014 and spent three seasons as the team’s kicker before he was cut in favor of Harrison Butker. Santos bounced around for a bit before finding a home in Chicago in 2020.
Midday Sunday: San Francisco 49ers receiver/returner Skyy Moore
The Chiefs used a second-round pick on wide receiver Skyy Moore in 2022, but he could never find consistent footing with the offense. With a crowded wide receiver room, Kansas City traded Moore for a swap of late-round picks ahead of this season. Moore doesn’t play much on offense, but he ranks top-10 this season in both yards per punt return (11.6) and yards per kick return (27.5).
Monday night: Pittsburgh Steelers receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling
Marquez Valdes-Scantling has bounced around since spending two Super Bowl championship seasons with the Chiefs.
In 2024, he made pit stops in Buffalo and New Orleans. In 2025, he failed to make Seattle’s roster out of training camp; he joined the 49ers in September and was released in October.
In November, he reunited in Pittsburgh with his original quarterback from Green Bay, Aaron Rodgers. The Steelers play host to the Houston Texans on Monday night.
