There are no farewells in Kansas City. The sentimental stuff is thrown out the window once the confetti has settled and the cap space is tight. Take Mecole Hardman Jr. as an example. Hardman, a 2019 second-round selection, gave Andy Reid five and a half seasons of twitchy speed, exceptional special-teams performance, and just enough postseason flair to make an impression. Three rings. A walk-off Super Bowl touchdown in overtime. And oh, a kick return resume that made coordinators breathe easier.
But this is what the Chiefs are doing in 2025. Re-signing JuJu Smith-Schuster. Hyping up Xavier Worthy like he’s DeSean Jackson 2.0. And Hardman? Somewhere in that rearranging of the depth chart, he received the message again. The city of Kansas City moved on. And this time, they didn’t look back.
So Hardman posted five words. Not a video. No rant. Just an Instagram story with the caption, “Anyone in KC that can Punt? ” Translation: You had me. You lost me. And you might need me now. Hardman’s timing is deliberate. Chiefs special teams coach Dave Toub made a suggestion a few weeks ago that they are still figuring out punt return duties. Hardman is gone. It might be Xavier Worthy (yes, the WR1). And Andy Reid is hoping it doesn’t get blown up on special teams. To be fair, Worthy had some flashes last year. But in the AFC gauntlet, letting your best wide receiver handle punt returns? That isn’t a strategy. That’s just desperation.
So Hardman’s Instagram post wasn’t just a flex. It was a reminder of what Kansas City had. Let’s rewind: 2024 season. After a nothing-burger stint with the Jets, Hardman got traded back to the Chiefs. With an injury in Week 13, he still ended the year with 203 punt return yards, 132 kick return yards, and that dagger TD in the Super Bowl. All that, and he didn’t even finish the season healthy.
He wasn’t just a gadget. He was Kansas City’s emergency escape button. You pressed it when the offense stalled. You used him when you needed that one return to shift momentum. And now? He’s doing a one-year business in Green Bay while Kansas City is crossing fingers on Worthy’s ankles.
Backstory: Injury & free agency falloff
Hardman’s final stretch in Kansas City was brutal. The knee injury came late. November 29 vs. the Raiders. And it yanked him out of the postseason spotlight just when it felt like another classic Hardman late-season breakout was coming. Andy Reid confirmed in January that Hardman wouldn’t return for the playoffs.
The man who literally ended Super Bowl LVIII with a 3-yard OT score against the Niners was shelved. IR’d. Forgotten by the time Andy Reid started retooling in March. And this time, there was no reunion. They let Hardman walk straight into the arms of the Packers, where he now joins a stacked WR room catching darts from Jordan Love.
So, when Hardman says that KC needs a punter? That isn’t resentment. That’s memory. When a veteran surveys his former squad, he notices a noticeable void in special teams. And he is well aware that the player who used to cover it is now in Green Bay. It also serves as a reminder of a more significant reality in the NFL: If the Chiefs win, it’s Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce. are the reason the Chiefs win. But when they struggle, it’s the little things. So yeah, maybe this time they got the message loud and clear.
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