Former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman is remembered for catching the game-winning touchdown to win Super Bowl LVIII.
According to a report from ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter, Hardman signed with the Indianapolis Colts‘ practice squad on Tuesday.
The Chiefs defeated the Colts in a thrilling 33-30 overtime matchup in Week 2. It seems unlikely the two will meet again in the postseason considering Indianapolis is 2-4 and just fired its general manager Chris Ballard — who was an executive with Kansas City from 2013-2016.
Mecole Hardman Had His Ups and Downs With the Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs selected Harman in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft. He fit the mold of what they like in their wide receivers, possessing blazing 4.3 40-yard dash speed. Hardman made a solid impact as a rookie, catching 26 passes for 538 yards and six touchdowns.
The best season of his career came in 2021, when he recorded 59 receptions for 693 yards and two touchdowns. In the final year of his rookie contract in 2022, Hardman was hampered by an abdomen injury that cost him nine games. Kansas City elected to let him walk after the season.
Hardman had a brief five-game stint with the New York Jets in 2023, then returned to the Chiefs in a mid-season trade. He was relatively quiet as a contributor, but did post three catches for 57 yards and the game-winning touchdown in overtime of Super Bowl LVIII. Hardman returned to Kansas City in 2024, but caught just 12 passes for 90 yards as he was buried on the depth chart.
Chiefs Are Still Trying to Develop Young WRs
Kansas City has largely struggled to develop receivers since the days of Tyreek Hill. Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy have had their moments, but have been inconsistent overall. Worthy has put together impressive back-to-back outings as of late, and Rice is sidelined with a hamstring injury.
The Chiefs have a lot of youth within their WR corpse, such as second-year players Jalen Royals and Andrew Armstrong, as well as rookie Cyrus Allen. They had a golden opportunity to put them on display during last week’s win over the Los Angeles Chargers, but instead played it safe and leaned on Worthy and tight end Travis Kelce.
Chiefs’ Super Bowl Hero Signs With Colts