Chiefs News 5/12: Bills sign ‘outside linebacker’ Mike Danna

Thomas was a top-25 player on my final board, so this was great value for the Chiefs to stay patient and land him. What he lacks in size (6-foot-2, 249 pounds), he makes up for with juice. He’s a blur coming off the edge, with strong first-step quickness and active, combative hands.

The Chiefs needed to find pass rushers who major in getting home quick to take the burden off Chris Jones. Mission accomplished. **Which 2026 NFL Draft picks were the best values, according to ‘The Beast’? | The Athletic** **QB: Garrett Nussmeier, Kansas City Chiefs (pick No. 249)**

**“The Beast” rank: No. 82 (third-round grade)**

There were pretty obvious health concerns with Nussmeier, and most teams preferred to take chances on other QBs ahead of him. But of all the potential future NFL backups in this draft class, I thought Nussmeier was the only one with a real shot to someday earn a starting job. There is plenty of Tony Romo in Nussmeier’s game. **Arrowhead Stadium transforms into ‘Kansas City Stadium’ for 2026 FIFA World Cup | WIBW** Crews are installing a soccer pitch inside the stadium and removing hundreds of signs as the venue prepares to become “Kansas City Stadium” for the tournament. The Kansas City Chiefs will hand over the symbolic keys to FIFA officials on Sunday.

**Stadium changes underway**

About 3,500 seats have been removed to make room for FIFA’s media and broadcast setup, reducing capacity to between 65,000 and 68,000 for World Cup matches. Workers are removing or covering hundreds of signs throughout the stadium, including major sponsorships, as FIFA’s sponsors take priority.

Even the Ring of Honor will carry FIFA branding during the tournament. The Hall of Fame will remain in place.

“We’ve started the clean site work already. You can see some of the signage has been removed,” said Matt Kenny, Chiefs executive vice president of operations and events. “You will see a little bit of a transformation with respect to the signage and the branding that you’re accustomed to for Chiefs matches.”

**Field modifications**

Crews are rebuilding the field from scratch using Bermuda grass, the same variety used for Chiefs games. Workers will weave synthetic fiber into the turf to meet FIFA standards for ball bounce and playability.

“The crown of the field for a FIFA pitch is different than what it is for NFL football,” said Brandon Hamilton, Chiefs vice president of stadium operations and facilities. “We are also going to be installing a synthetic fiber into the pitch. It is a requirement that FIFA has to help reinforce the turf.” **Chiefs Single-Game Tickets Set To Go On Sale Friday | The Mothership** With the 2026 Kansas City Chiefs schedule set to be released on Thursday evening, single-game and group tickets for all home games at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium will go on sale Friday, May 15.

Tickets may be purchased at www.chiefs.com by the public beginning at 11 a.m. Friday. Season Ticket Members will have an exclusive online presale beginning at 10 a.m. Friday. The club will notify Season Ticket Members via email with instructions on how to purchase single-game tickets.

In continuation of the team’s long-standing policy, the taxpayers of Jackson County, Missouri, will have a presale opportunity to purchase tickets for the 2026 season beginning at 8 a.m. Friday. The Jackson County taxpayer presale will take place online only and purchasers must use a credit card with a billing zip code within Jackson County to participate. **2026 Offseason Report Cards for Every NFL Team | Bleacher Report** **Grade**: C+

The Kansas City Chiefs’ decision to immediately sign running back Kenneth Walker III at the onset of free agency signals a shift away from the team’s overreliance on Patrick Mahomes, particularly after the quarterback suffered a torn ACL to end his 2025 campaign.

Walker and fifth-round rookie Emmett Johnson can change the Chiefs’ offensive approach, with a heavier emphasis on the run game. Kansas City should snap its eight-season streak without a 1,000-yard rusher.

Conversely, the Chiefs’ approach at cornerback is counterintuitive. The team traded a former first-team All-Pro in Trent McDuffie to the Los Angeles Rams for a first-round pick, then used its earlier first-round pick, plus a trade-up, to select the incoming class’ best corner, Mansoor Delane.

Kansas City’s second-round selection of R Mason Thomas could produce a greater impact by providing much-needed juice to the defense’s pass rush. **Chiefs won’t have Christmas game for first time in 3 seasons, and more predictions about the 2026 NFL schedule for Kansas City | A to Z Sports** **The Kansas City Chiefs will play an international game for the second consecutive season**

The NFL is trending towards international games becoming a fixture of every team’s schedule. The Chiefs have been making an aggressive push to play in Spain this year, per Team President Mark Donovan, and they’re actually a realistic option. The Atlanta Falcons are the home team for this season’s Spain game, and they’re on K.C.’s list of away opponents in 2026. The only way I see this not happening is if the NFL schedules the Spain game for early in the season when the status surrounding Patrick Mahomes is in question.

**Around the NFL**

**Sources: Chargers, TE David Njoku agree to one-year deal | ESPN**

Njoku, 29, became a free agent after his contract voided on Feb. 10. Over the entirety of his nine-year career, all in Cleveland, Njoku ranks second in Browns history in touchdown catches (34) and receptions (384) for a tight end, only trailing Hall of Famer Ozzie Newsome.

However, Njoku has missed 11 games due to injury in the last two seasons. His production also dipped in 2025; although he caught four touchdown passes, he recorded 33 catches for 293 yards. Njoku’s 8.9 yards per reception were the lowest in a season since he was limited to four games in 2019 because of injury.

Njoku joins a Chargers tight end group headlined by Oronde Gadsden, who had 49 catches for 664 yards and three touchdowns as a rookie last season. Los Angeles also has blocking tight end Charlie Kolar on its roster. **NFL schedule release news, rumors, live updates: Cowboys face Eagles on Thanksgiving, Giants on ‘SNF’ opener; Lions-Bills set for ‘TNF’ Week 2 | Yahoo! Sports** We got our first taste of this week’s schedule release trickle on Monday, when we learned the Dallas Cowboys will not only face the New York Giants in Week 1 on “Sunday Night Football.” They’ll also host the Philadelphia Eagles on Thanksgiving Day.

We also know the Cowboys will face the Baltimore Ravens in Rio de Janeiro in Week 3, and that the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams will open the season against each other in Melbourne, Australia on Thursday, Sept. 10.

Then on Sept. 17, the Buffalo Bills will host the Detroit Lions in the Week 2 “Thursday Night Football” matchup on Amazon Prime. That game will mark the debut of Buffalo’s new stadium.

**In case you missed it on Arrowhead Pride**

**Chiefs announce R Mason Thomas’ jersey number change to No. 51**

The change was necessary, given that Thomas is listed as a defensive end and ***not*** an outside linebacker. According to NFL Football Operations, defensive linemen are only permitted to wear jersey numbers between 50-79 and 90-99, while linebackers are allowed to wear numbers 0-59.

On Monday, the team officially announced the change: Thomas will no longer wear No. 34 in red and gold, opting instead for No. 51, which was last worn by defensive end Mike Danna over the past six seasons.

Coincidentally (it has to be, right?), the change is announced on the same day that the Buffalo Bills signed Danna to a one-year deal after hosting him for a workout last week.

The change was necessary, given that Thomas is listed as a defensive end and ***not*** an outside linebacker. According to NFL Football Operations, defensive linemen are only permitted to wear jersey numbers between 50-79 and 90-99, while linebackers are allowed to wear numbers 0-59.

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