Breaking: Player Who Helped Chenal Seal Win Earns Active Roster Spot
The Kansas City Chiefs made a lone practice squad elevation for Week 11 against the Buffalo Bills. The elevation is a clear extension of the outcome of last week’s game against the Denver Broncos.
The Chiefs opted to elevate LB Cole Christiansen for the second consecutive week, leaving him with one more standard elevation from the practice squad for the 2024 NFL regular season. This will mark Christiansen’s eighth game played so far this season. He was on the 53-man roster from Week 3 onward, but he was released ahead of last week’s game and re-signed to the practice squad. He hasn’t played a single snap on defense yet, but he’s played 108 special teams snaps, good for roughly 49% of the team’s special teams snaps this season. He’s a multi-phase special teamer and a leader in that phase of the game. His current status as a practice squad player doesn’t matter in the slightest.
When LB Leo Chenal blocked a field goal with seconds remaining in Week 10’s game against the Broncos, it was the first time they’ve had a game-winning field goal block under special teams coordinator Dave Toub. They’ve had game-winning kicks, but never game-winning blocks. The whole scenario was a reminder of how impactful special teams can be for Kansas City.
“Today we watched it and I think they have the energy now to go and do something else,” Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub told reporters on Thursday. “You know, they want to do it again. They know they can do that now, but we have to get it up. Maybe it’s a punt block or a big return from Mecole (Hardman). Something. They understand how important each and every play is.”
Kansas City is a rare club that will elevate players just for what they bring on special teams. On any given play, any given player can be the one to make the big game-changing play that lifts this team to another victory. You never know, this week, it could be a key play from Christiansen on special teams.
