Getty Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Nikko Remigio (#27).
There has been no shortage of Kansas City Chiefs wide receivers standing out during training camp this summer. But one undrafted rookie is standing out so much that The Athletic’s Nate Taylor believes he deserves to be promoted within Kansas City’s offense.
“All right, I’ve seen enough: It’s time for Nikko Remigio to get more repetitions with the 2nd-team offense,” Taylor wrote on Twitter, which was recently rebranded to “X”, on August 2.
All right, I’ve seen enough: It’s time for Nikko Remigio to get more repetitions with the 2nd-team offense.
Taylor isn’t the only media member giving glowing reviews of Remigio this summer.
Charles Goldman of AtoZ Sports published an article on August 2 in which he comped Remigio to former undrafted rookie and Chiefs receiver Stephone Paige, who played nine seasons in Kansas City, is eighth all-time in Chiefs history in catches (377) and yards (6,341), and sixth all-time in touchdowns (49), per Pro Football Reference.
“Paige became known for making the most improbable, acrobatic, highlight-reel catches during his career. Now, Remigio is gaining attention by making some acrobatic catches during Chiefs training camp practice,” Goldman wrote.
Nikko Remigio
What to Know About Nikko Remigio
Nikko Remigio, 23, spent his final collegiate season at Fresno State after four years at Cal. Standing at 5-foot-9 and weighing 187 pounds, Remigio registered 1,591 all-purpose yards during his lone season with the Bulldogs (852 receiving yards, 480 kick return yards, and 259 punt return yards, per the team’s website).
Despite the all-around production, Remigio went undrafted in April but signed with the Chiefs not long after Day 3 of the draft wrapped up.
As it stands, Remigio is part of a receiver room in Kansas City that includes Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Kadarius Toney, Skyy Moore, Rashee Rice, Richie James, Justin Watson, Justyn Ross, Ihmir Smith-Marsette, Ty Fryfogle, Ty Scott, and Jerrion Ealy.
MVS, Toney, Moore, and Rice are locks to make the team’s 53-player roster. That leaves potentially 1-2 open spots for the remaining players at that position to make the regular season roster. Even though Remigio is on the roster bubble prior to the preseason starting, his prowess as a returner could be what keeps him in Kansas City come September.
If injuries weren’t a concern for Kadarius Toney, then he would be the team’s primary punt returner. But he has already shown early on in camp that being the returner this year shouldn’t be an option if the Chiefs want to keep him as healthy as possible. That opens a role for Remigio to potentially fill.
Then there’s the kick returner role, which was primarily held by running back Isiah Pacheco during the 2022 season. But being the clear-cut RB1 for Kansas City in 2023 means the team should not make Pacheco the primary kick returner again the season. Enter, Remigio.
The defending Super Bowl champions are just about to reach the midway point of training camp and still have three preseason games to play. But based on what we have seen thus far, Remigio is making a strong case to be on Kansas City’s regular season roster.
Social Media Users React to Nate Taylor’s Post
Users on Twitter reacted to Nate Taylor’s post about Nikko Remigio.
“Keep him instead of [Jody] fortson. Maybe even instead of [Blake] bell. Great depth as a returner and we have injury history concerns in our wr room,” one user wrote.
@ByNateTaylor @Arrowhead_Adam Keep him instead of fortson. Maybe even instead of bell. Great depth as a returner and we have injury history concerns in our wr room.
“It was only a matter of time b4 his name started buzzing,” another user wrote. “Nate just opened the floodgates!!”