The Kansas City Chiefs‘ decision to leave wide receiver Andrew Armstrong off their initial 53-man roster brings a disappointing end to his bid to play for the team he grew up cheering for.
Kansas City announced its initial 53-man roster Sunday, August 30, and Armstrong was not among the six wide receivers who survived the final cuts.
The Chiefs kept Rashee Rice, Xavier Worthy, Cyrus Allen, Tyquan Thornton, Jalen Royals and Nikko Remigio at wide receiver.
Armstrong, 25, had made a strong final push during the preseason. He led Kansas City with seven receptions for 85 yards over three games and also contributed as a blocker.
His release makes comments he made during his time with Kansas City particularly meaningful. Armstrong had openly discussed what the opportunity meant to him as a lifelong Chiefs fan with family in the area.
Andrew Armstrong Called Chiefs His ‘Favorite Team’ Since Childhood
Armstrong signed with Kansas City in January after previous stops with the Miami Dolphins and Detroit Lions.
For Armstrong, joining the Chiefs gave him an opportunity to compete for more than another NFL roster spot.
“This has been my favorite team since I was a little kid, so, I’m not worried about the city life and things like that,” Armstrong said during the preseason, via KMBC. “I’m here to play football and being around the team and the seriousness of it all, I really want to be around this environment.”
Armstrong also embraced the coaching he received while trying to earn a place on Andy Reid’s roster.
“Just going in there, learning new things, if I mess up on anything, getting coaching from the coaches,” Armstrong said. “That’s what I really love, getting coached hard. Just being out there and being the best that I can be and doing everything I can to be successful not only for myself but for the team.”
Armstrong entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Arkansas in 2025. He originally signed with Miami but did not make the Dolphins’ regular-season roster.
He later joined Detroit’s practice squad before signing with Kansas City in early January.
Armstrong Made Final Push Before Chiefs’ Roster Decision
Armstrong gave the Chiefs plenty to evaluate during their preseason finale against the Seattle Seahawks.
The receiver caught five passes for 54 yards, leading Kansas City in both categories. His connection with rookie quarterback Garrett Nussmeier helped Armstrong finish the preseason with a team-high seven receptions and 85 receiving yards.
After the Seahawks game, Armstrong explained how he approached what could be his final opportunity to make his childhood team’s roster.
“Taking the chance that I’m given and just doing the best that I can do each play at a time,” Armstrong told KSHB reporters in the Chiefs locker room.
Armstrong also emphasized that his focus wasn’t solely on producing his own statistics.
“If I didn’t do my job for somebody else, then a play wouldn’t happen for somebody else,” Armstrong said. “So I feel like not just me, it was the whole team coming together.”
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