Kadarius Toney has gone from Giants draft bust to Super Bowl hero for the Kansas City Chiefs — and Odell Beckham Jr. couldn’t be happier.
The former University of Florida product, whom Big Blue drafted in the first round (20th overall) in the 2021 NFL Draft, found the end zone at a critical time for the Chiefs in Super Bowl 2023 in Arizona on Sunday. Toney walked in for a 5-yard score on a pass from Patrick Mahomes to help give the Chiefs their first lead at 28-27 with 12:04 left in the game.
Kansas City ended up defeating the Eagles, 38-35.
Following the ensuing three-and-out by the Eagles, Toney – who was traded to the Chiefs from the Giants midseason – came up with another enormous play. The 24-year-old returned the punt 65 yards down to the Eagles’ 5-yard line. It set up a 4-yard touchdown pass from Mahomes to Skyy Moore to put Kansas City ahead 35-27 with 9:22 remaining. On the return, Toney reversed the field from left to right, beating the Eagles’ defenders up the sideline and nearly taking it all the way to the house.
Toney had been pretty much a non-factor – mostly because of injuries – during his time with the Giants. He caught just 41 passes for 420 yards and no touchdowns in just 12 games for Big Blue. The Giants and GM Joe Schoen moved on from Toney in an October trade.
Fellow former Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. seemed to take a little joy in watching Toney do his thing in the big game after his old team game up on him.
“And they traded him … .. (two crying laughing emojis),” tweeted Beckham, who won last year’s Super Bowl with the Rams. “I just feel like life is ALLLL about situations.”
He hadn’t been a huge contributor for the Chiefs in the passing game for most of the season, with just 14 catches for 171 yards and two scores. He, however, did come up big in the season’s most important game for Kansas City, putting them in position to win their second Super Bowl in four years.