The Kansas City Chiefs are making a change in the backfield, parting ways with a veteran running back after a disappointing season while giving another a promotion from the practice squad.
The Chiefs announced on December 20 that they made a flurry of roster moves, including waiving running back Elijah Mitchell. The Chiefs also signed back Dameon Pierce from the practice squad, giving him a chance over the final three games of the season.
Chiefs Strike Out on Elijah Mitchell Signing
The Chiefs went into the last offseason needing some help in the backfield and looked to address it by signing Mitchell to a one-year, $3.5 million deal. But Mitchell never made an impact on the field, dressing for just one game and getting one target and no carries.
As Charles Goldman of AtoZ Sports noted, Mitchell’s release gives room for the Chiefs to hold an audition of sorts for Pierce.
“In a corresponding move, the Chiefs signed RB Dameon Pierce to the 53-man roster to take his place,” Goldman wrote. “Pierce was signed to the practice squad in late November after being released by the Houston Texans. He seems to be on a collision course for his debut snaps in Kansas City in these final three weeks of the season as the team looks to figure out the future of the running back position. This could very well be an audition to be a part of that.”
The Chiefs will be able to look at Pierce in a low-pressure context, having been eliminated from the playoffs with last week’s loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Chiefs lost quarterback Patrick Mahomes to a season-ending torn ACL in the loss, so they will also be auditioning journeyman backup Gardner Minshew. The Chiefs could start the 2026 season without Mahomes, and Minshew’s contract is up at the conclusion of the season, so they may take an extended look to see if they want him back.
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