Expect to see Kansas City’s rookie running back take on a bigger role to close the season.
The Kansas City Chiefs’ season will end after Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Las Vegas Raiders.
With playoff dreams long off the table for the 6-10 squad, Sunday could provide an extended look at younger players who may be counted on for larger roles in 2026. One of them is rookie running back Brashard Smith.
The SMU rookie was a bright spot in Kansas City’s 20-13 loss to the Denver Broncos on Christmas evening. Smith broke a tackle on a five-yard catch for the Chiefs’ only touchdown — his first career score. Later, he fielded a punt and returned it 44 yards to set up a Kansas City drive in Broncos territory.
Although Chiefs fans have wondered throughout the season why Smith hasn’t seen more action, offensive coordinator Matt Nagy reiterated on Thursday that the team likes what it has seen from him.
“I’m impressed with Brashard,” he said before practice. “I think that when we got him in here, it was really exciting to know what his ceiling is. He’s got a ways to go yet, but you see the flashes. You just look at that punt return he had the other day. We see it in practice — the things that he does — and hopefully he gets a few more opportunities here coming up in this game.”
Smith played running back in his only season at SMU in 2024. Before that, he spent three years on Miami’s depth chart as a wide receiver. So he still needs to learn everything that is expected of a pro running back.
“The next part for him,” Nagy predicted, “is going to be just working through some of the protection side of it as a running back — but it’s all right there. I’m really proud of him. I think the ceiling is very high for him.”
Head coach Andy Reid said Wednesday the team views Smith as both a running back and a wide receiver — and he’s eager to see what a full year in Kansas City’s system will unlock.
“[With] a good offseason of strength training and eating right — and doing all those things that you need to do to play that position over an extended period of time,” said Reid, “I think that will benefit him.”
Versatile running backs have long been a feature of Reid’s best-designed offenses. The coach said his staff has had Smith watch cutups of backs who have thrived in the scheme.
“What we try to do is try to put him in that position,” said Reid. “If we have the cutups on them, then we show it to him. He’s been a wide receiver. He’s different than the other guys, where he has actually played that position, so there [are] a few more things that you can do with him.”
But Reid stopped short of naming players who were similar to Smith.
“I don’t bring up names,” he said, “because I don’t want to insult any of those guys. They’re all great players — and [Brashard’s] just starting off here.”
Smith will also be counted on this week and beyond for his work as a returner. Assistant head coach and special teams coordinator Dave Toub said he was encouraged by the punt return against Denver, even as he sees Smith as further along on kickoffs. Still, Toub expects him to remain part of the punt-return mix moving forward.
“I think kick returner for sure,” said Toub. “Punt returner? He’s still developing. We’re always looking for new guys. That’s just the way life is with me. So in our special teams world, he’s a guy that we’re going to have that we’re excited about.”
Category: General Sports
