The Kansas City Chiefs‘ season is over in everything but name. Yet, that could allow the team to make some selection choices to give players visibility who otherwise would not see much playing time.
One of those people, according to head coach Andy Reid, is former Houston Texans running back, Dameon Pierce, who has “a chance” to suit up this weekend and get some meaningful snaps in on offense.
“Heâll be in there.” Reid said about Pierce during Wednesday’s press conference. “Heâll practice, and heâs been doing that gradually, working him in, making sure heâs comfortable with what weâre doing. I mean, thereâs a chance that heâd have a chance to get up there. But I gotta see that as we go here, see how he does with the rest of the practices here.”
Dameon Pierce Has Not Managed To Live Up To His Hot Start In Houston
After a rip-roaring start to his professional career as a fourth round pick out of the University of Florida in 2022, Pierce failed to continue the strong momentum of his rookie year, being demoted to the backup job behind Devin Singletary in 2023 before being placed behind Joe Mixon in 2024.
2025 saw him start as the third stringer; with both rookie fourth rounder, Woody Marks and Nick Chubb ahead of him on the depth chart; and he was released in mid-November.
Pierce was picked up by the Chiefs soon after and signed to the practice squad, before being promoted to the active roster 11 days ago.
Despite having been in and around the team for over a month, Pierce is yet to log a single snap on offense during his time in Kansas City, and currently lies fourth in the running back room behind Isiah Pacheco, Kareem Hunt and Brashard Smith.
Could Dameon Pierce Have A Major Role In The Chiefs’ Backfield In 2026?
The short answer is, unfortunately, unlikely.
Pierce will be looking for a new deal in the offseason, and given his lack of playing time with the Chiefs so far into his tenure, it would appear that his role is not set to be long term, particularly given the team still has ties to players like Hunt and rookie seventh round pick, Brashard Smith, whom the team are excited about as a prospect moving forward.
There is also a fairly likely scenario in which Kansas City decides to draft a new running back in the 2026 NFL Draft in order to get younger and more dynamic at the position.
It is by no means a far reach that Pierce could end up re-signing in KC, especially given Pacheco’s declining performance and expiring rookie contract, and the fact that Hunt will be 31 years old prior to the start of the 2026 season opener. But if he does, he will likely be stuck behind Smith and at least one other prospect, at least at this point in time.
Yet, Reid said that he would be given an opportunity to demonstrate what he can do in what is essentially a dead rubber against the Las Vegas Raiders – and if he shows up, who knows what could happen.
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