14 June 2023
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs want several young stars at the receiver position.
Kadarius Toney stole the show in his second year in the NFL with his seven-game sample size of athletic feats and impressive plays after being traded from the New York Giants. Skyy Moore had a bit of a different story in his rookie season.
He was used sparingly on offense to start the season and was mostly known for his fumbles and muffed punts as a punt returner before Toney was traded to the team and took over the role. But Moore always emerged from his special teams mishaps making clutch catches and plays for the offense.
And just like irony, Moore’s most impactful play came as a punt returner in the AFC Championship game when his 29-yard punt return set the offense up in prime field position before their final drive.
But he also had another huge play in the Super Bowl when he lined up on the wrong side of the formation but was wide open to catch his first pro touchdown pass. That ball is now in his living room.
After a tumultuous year that ended with a Super Bowl, Moore feels refreshed and adjusted in Year 2 which sees countless pundits tabbing him as the Chiefs’ offensive X-factor.
Just a guy who just wants to keep rowing and getting better. Um, you know, just goes to work, making plays, man.
“I’d say last year was a lot of… getting here, knowing the culture, knowing the playbook, and getting a hang of how people do things around here,” Moore said Wednesday.
“Now I get to show my natural ability and just show why they drafted me.”
Throughout his struggles last year, the organization was patient with Moore. That’s why they kept giving him chances on offense and special teams and he has shown tremendous strides from being drafed last year to being a sophomore in minicamp now.
“For him to go out and, and do what he did last year and get thrown in the fire at every position, kick return punt return, kind of just having to do it all,” receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling said. “It just shows the faith that they have in him as a player and just him taking that next step and growing as a man and just understanding, you know, what his responsibilities are ow as a second-year guy [as] opposed to a first-year guy, you can see him really starting to take those next steps.”
Head Coach Andy Reid said earlier in the offseason that Moore and quarterback Patrick Mahomes are on the same page with their timing in the offense. Mahomes’ yearly offseason camp in Texas is a big reason for that.
“You get that time to talk,” Moore said. “Well, I can run a route and be like, okay, what did you like or what did you not like about that route? Versus when we’re running routes on air, he [sic] don’t got time to talk to me about that.”
The 22-year-old said he doesn’t shy away from the hype, he just goes to work every day to get better; something you hear often from anyone in the Chiefs organization.
His mindset is free from the clutter of rookie season and he’s ready to attack his sophomore year.
“I feel like last year was knowing the playbook and everything. Now I’m gonna give it my best shot, and then next year I worry about personal goals and everything.
“I just wanna give it my best shot this year and do anything the team needs me to do.”