The Kansas City Chiefs need a boost in their wide receiver corps.
During their Week 4 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, Rashee Rice exited the game with a hamstring injury, and Tyquan Thornton dislocated his ankle. Rice’s injury is likely short-term, but hamstring issues can linger. Thornton will miss most, if not all of the remaining regular season.
Kansas City Chiefs Interested in Bringing Back WR Justin Watson
According to a report from Pete Sweeney of the Kansas City Star, the Chiefs have interest in bringing back wide receiver Justin Watson.
Watson played for Kansas City from 2022-24 and is a three-time Super Bowl champion, having beaten the Chiefs with the Bucs before being part of their back-to-back title teams.
Watson spent the 2025 season with the Houston Texans, and was released during roster cuts back in August. He spent three seasons in Kansas City from 2022-2024. The Chiefs went to the Super Bowl in all three of those years, winning back-to-back in ’22 and ’23. In 50 games played with the franchise, he recorded 64 receptions for 1,064 yards and seven touchdowns.
Watson made two crucial catches in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LVIII that helped the Chiefs twice tie up the game. He was a solid depth piece, and a sneaky-good deep threat. Watson knows coach Andy Reid’s offense well, and is a solid run blocker — which would pay off more this year with Kenneth Walker running the ball.
Chiefs Interest in Bringing Back Tyreek Hill Becoming Murky
It has seemed like a forgone conclusion that wide receiver Tyreek Hill will return to Kansas City, and the team has already reached out to his agent about a possible reunion. However, Hill is currently dealing with a civil court case against him by his ex-wife Lakeeta Vaccaro Hill.
Hill has admitted to threatening Lakeeta, as well as pushing her in self-defense. With this situation hanging over Hill’s head, the Chiefs may be turned off from wanting to bring him back. Hill is currently a free agent and is rehabbing from the major knee injury he sustained over one year ago while with the Miami Dolphins.
It’s not out of the question that Kansas City could bring back both Watson and Hill. Watson is a natural replacement for Thornton as a deep threat, which the Chiefs will sorely miss. As for Hill, the team will have to evaluate whether or not the juice is worth the squeeze, in terms of both his injury recovery and off the-field-issues.
Chiefs Have Interest in Bringing Back 2-Time Super Bowl Champion