29-Year-Old Nose Tackle Inks Deal with the Chiefs
29-year-old nose tackle Khyiris Tonga arguably had his best season in the NFL, guiding the New England Patriots defense as they finished with a 14-3 record and made their way towards Super Bowl LX. While the Patriots were dominated by the Seattle Seahawks, Tonga made a good showing throughout the year as he looks towards free agency. He’s certainly looking for a long-term home as he’s been on four teams in his five-year career. Today, it was announced by Ian Rapoport that the 29-year-old inked a three-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs.
After playing four years at BYU, the Chicago Bears selected Tonga in the seventh round as the 250th overall pick. During 14 games in his rookie season, he recorded 24 combined tackles and a tackle for a loss of yardage. Yet, the former BYU Cougar was waived by the Bears near the start of the 2022 season. The Atlanta Falcons' practice squad picked him up; however, the Minnesota Vikings signed him to a deal. In two seasons with Minnesota, the 29-year-old nose tackle produced 43 combined tackles, two tackles for loss of yardage, a half a sack, and four pass deflections. Tonga signed with the Arizona Cardinals during the 2024 offseason. A year later, he would sign with New England.
Last season, the 29-year-old nose tackle played in 14 games for the Patriots. He posted 24 combined tackles, two tackles for a loss of yardage, and two pass deflections. During the playoffs, the former BYU Tiger had seven combined tackles, two tackles for a loss of yardage, and a sack. His best performance from the regular season came on October 12th, when Tonga had four combined tackles and a tackle for a loss of yardage in a 25-19 win over the New Orleans Saints. He’ll turn 30 in July, and with the … will look to have the best professional season of his career. Tonga’s play at nose tackle, aligned with some of the other key pieces on defense, proved vital in the Patriots' Super Bowl run. With Kansas City, the 29-year-old should find success and help the Chiefs make a deep playoff run.
