{"id":13962,"date":"2024-12-24T08:12:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-24T08:12:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=13962"},"modified":"2024-12-24T08:12:00","modified_gmt":"2024-12-24T08:12:00","slug":"breaking-chiefs-sign-former-aaron-rodgers-red-zone-threat-ahead-of-week-17","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=13962","title":{"rendered":"BREAKING : Chiefs Sign Former Aaron Rodgers Red Zone Threat Ahead of Week 17"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"l-article__header\"><\/header>\n<div class=\"l-article__meta\">\n<div class=\"l-article__meta-item l-article__meta-item--dates\">\n<ul class=\"c-meta c-meta--post c-meta--list c-meta--dates\">\n<li class=\"c-meta__item c-meta__item--updated\"><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"l-article__content\">\n<div class=\"c-content entry-content\">\n<div id=\"post-featured-container-id\">\n<div id=\"post-featured\" class=\"wp-caption \">\n<div class=\"h-responsive\">\n<figure class=\"h-responsive__inner\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"attachment-featured-image size-featured-image wp-post-image\" src=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Mahomes-Rodgers-e1734994558715.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=780\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 820px) 95vw, 780px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Mahomes-Rodgers-e1734994558715.jpg?quality=65&amp;strip=all&amp;w=780 780w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Mahomes-Rodgers-e1734994558715.jpg?quality=15&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1100 1100w, https:\/\/heavy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Mahomes-Rodgers-e1734994558715.jpg?quality=35&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1350 1350w\" alt=\"Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes with Jets' Aaron Rodgers.\" width=\"780\" height=\"438\" data-img-load-time=\"871\" data-dom-ready-time=\"1358\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"caption-credit\">Getty<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"c-post-image-caption-text\">The Kansas City Chiefs are bringing in a pass-catcher that made a name for himself playing alongside Aaron Rodgers.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/sports\/nfl\/kansas-city-chiefs\/\">K<\/a>ansas City Chiefs\u00a0are signing a new veteran tight end and red zone threat for quarterback\u00a0Patrick Mahomes\u00a0ahead of Week 17.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have signed TE\u00a0Robert Tonyan\u00a0to the Practice Squad,\u201d the\u00a0team relayed\u00a0on December 23.<\/p>\n<p>Tonyan first made a name for himself with the\u00a0Green Bay Packers, joining the organization as an undrafted free agent in 2018. Slowly but surely, he carved out a role for himself inside an offense led by future Hall of Fame quarterback\u00a0Aaron Rodgers.<\/p>\n<div id=\"AdThrive_Content_1_desktop\" class=\"adthrive-ad adthrive-content adthrive-content-1 adthrive-ad-cls\" data-google-query-id=\"\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/18190176,25816858\/AdThrive_Content_1\/5ad7479721520f50ab7da88e_0__container__\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"google-ad-manager-fallback-container\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Over the course of his five seasons in Green Bay, Tonyan\u00a0racked up 1,437 receiving yards\u00a0in 68 regular season appearances (18 starts). The 6-foot-5 target also developed into a solid red zone threat for Rodgers, scoring 17 touchdowns with the Packers.<\/p>\n<p>Tonyan\u2019s breakout campaign came in 2020, when he posted a career-high 586 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns.<\/p>\n<p>He spent the 2023 season with the\u00a0Chicago Bears\u00a0and parts of this year with the\u00a0Minnesota Vikings, but Tonyan has yet to recapture his Packers magic as an offensive playmaker since parting ways with both Rodgers and the NFC North franchise.<\/p>\n<div id=\"AdThrive_Content_2_desktop\" class=\"adthrive-ad adthrive-content adthrive-content-2 adthrive-ad-cls\" data-google-query-id=\"\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/18190176,25816858\/AdThrive_Content_2\/5ad7479721520f50ab7da88e_0__container__\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"google-ad-manager-fallback-container\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>As for playoff experience, Tonyan does have some. Over four postseason appearances with Green Bay, the tight end registered 8 catches for 82 yards and 1 touchdown.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Robert Tonyan Signing Supports Chiefs Tight End Room That Has Been Ravaged by Injuries<\/h2>\n<p>Tonyan should help bolster the KC tight end room, which has been devastated by injuries in 2024.<\/p>\n<p>Most recently, undrafted rookie\u00a0Baylor Cupp was placed on the practice squad injured list\u00a0for the second time this season, leaving only veteran\u00a0Anthony Firkser\u00a0inside the organization behind\u00a0Travis Kelce\u00a0and\u00a0Noah Gray\u00a0\u2014 and the Chiefs just used up Firkser\u2019s final practice squad elevation in Week 16.<\/p>\n<div id=\"AdThrive_Content_3_desktop\" class=\"adthrive-ad adthrive-content adthrive-content-3 adthrive-ad-cls\" data-google-query-id=\"\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/18190176,25816858\/AdThrive_Content_3\/5ad7479721520f50ab7da88e_0__container__\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"google-ad-manager-fallback-container\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Of course, Kansas City could elect to sign Firkser to the 53-man roster so that he\u2019s available to them against the\u00a0Pittsburgh Steeler<a href=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/sports\/nfl\/pittsburgh-steelers\/\">s<\/a>, but now they have another option.<\/p>\n<p>It typically takes new additions some time to get up to speed with head coach Andy Reid\u2019s offensive system and playbook, but it\u2019s possible Tonyan gets a trial-by-fire audition on Christmas Day. The Chiefs have consistently elevated a third tight end from the practice squad over the past several weeks, so expect either Firkser or Tonyan to be out there come Wednesday.<\/p>\n<div id=\"AdThrive_Content_4_desktop\" class=\"adthrive-ad adthrive-content adthrive-content-4 adthrive-ad-cls\" data-google-query-id=\"\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/18190176,25816858\/AdThrive_Content_4\/5ad7479721520f50ab7da88e_0__container__\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"google-ad-manager-fallback-container\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<hr \/>\n<h2>Potential Chiefs WR Target Diontae Johnson Claimed by Texans: Report<\/h2>\n<p>In other news, the Chiefs will not be claiming or signing former 1,000-yard wide receiver\u00a0Diontae Johnson\u00a0\u2014 who was\u00a0linked to Kansas City\u00a0by ESPN NFL insider\u00a0Adam Schefter.<\/p>\n<p>On December 23, NFL Network insider\u00a0Tom Pelissero reported\u00a0that the\u00a0Houston Texans\u00a0have claimed Johnson off waivers ahead of Week 17. This comes on the heels of season-ending injuries to Texans star WRs\u00a0Stefon Diggs\u00a0and\u00a0Tank Dell.<\/p>\n<div id=\"AdThrive_Content_5_desktop\" class=\"adthrive-ad adthrive-content adthrive-content-5 adthrive-ad-cls\" data-google-query-id=\"\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/18190176,25816858\/AdThrive_Content_5\/5ad7479721520f50ab7da88e_0__container__\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"google-ad-manager-fallback-container\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Johnson burst onto the NFL scene with the Steelers\u00a0in 2019. A former third-round selection out of Toledo, Johnson accumulated 391 catches and 4,363 receiving yards in five regular-season campaigns. He also tallied 25 touchdowns.<\/p>\n<p>Pittsburgh traded Johnson to the\u00a0Carolina Panthers\u00a0this offseason and his career has gone off the rails since then. After struggling in Carolina, the veteran was traded once again, this time to the\u00a0Baltimore Ravens.<\/p>\n<p>That didn\u2019t work out either, however, as Johnson was eventually suspended by the Ravens for refusing to play in a game.<\/p>\n<p>Johnson is a talented playmaker, but trouble has followed him wherever he\u2019s gone. Perhaps, the Chiefs are better off \u201cmissing out\u201d on this potential waiver claim \u2014 especially with\u00a0Hollywood Brow<a href=\"https:\/\/heavy.com\/nfl\/player\/marquise-brown\">n<\/a>\u00a0returning at wide receiver in Week 16.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Getty The Kansas City Chiefs are bringing in a pass-catcher that made a name for himself playing alongside Aaron Rodgers. The\u00a0Kansas City Chiefs\u00a0are signing a new veteran&#8230; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":13963,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13962","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hot-news","category-nfl"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>BREAKING : Chiefs Sign Former Aaron Rodgers Red Zone Threat Ahead of Week 17 - 24\/7 News America<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=13962\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"BREAKING : Chiefs Sign Former Aaron Rodgers Red Zone Threat Ahead of Week 17 - 24\/7 News America\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Getty The Kansas City Chiefs are bringing in a pass-catcher that made a name for himself playing alongside Aaron Rodgers. 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