The headlines in free agency always belong to the standout player with massive deals. This year, that is Alec Pierce of the Indianapolis Colts or Raiders center Tyler Linderbaum. The Chiefs snagged running back Kenneth Walker, who’s just coming off a Super Bowl MVP trophy.
But often under-the-radar moves make the difference come September. Walker will stand next to a former Viking, a two-way player, in fact. Defensive tackle/fullback Khyiris Tonga was signed alongside him.
Formerly an emerging depth player on the 13-win Vikings team in 2022, Tonga has bounced around since and he played a nice role in New England’s Super Bowl run, playing on both sides of the ball. It remains to be seen whether the Chiefs also send him out there in both phases, but his skillset and experince at least provides them with the option.
Tonga signed a nice contract, scheduled to make $21 million over the next three seasons.
Zak Gilbert of Kansas City’s SI division wrote, “Shortly after nailing down Walker on Monday, the Chiefs agreed to terms with Tonga, a player who lined up opposite Walker in the Super Bowl. Per multiple reports, Tonga has agreed to a three-year deal worth up to $21 million. His addition solidifies the center of the Chiefs’ defensive line, a clear upgrade over run-stoppers Derrick Nnadi and Mike Pennel (both of whom are free agents).”
The Chiefs have an uncertain near future, as superstar Patrick Mahomes is recovering from a torn ACL. If he’s limited early in the season, they can now just hand the ball to Walker. Their bread-and-butter over the last few seasons has been a strong defense, led by excellent draft classes this decade as well as standout tackle Chris Jones. Tonga will line up next to him.
“Furthermore,” Gilbert noted, “Tonga’s addition should help alleviate some of Chris Jones’ double-team blocks on the interior of the line, and allow Steve Spagnuolo a bit of flexibility to move Jones around the front and capitalize on one-on-one matchups.”
Tonga, 29, has played in 67 career games, playing for the Bears, Vikings, Cardinals, and Patriots, with 15 starts. On his NFL scorecard are 113 tackles.
He has not yet touched the ball on offense but occasionally functioned as a lead blocker for the Patriots last season: “But the most fascinating development with regard to Tonga is his ability to play offense. Former Chiefs linebacker Mike Vrabel immediately saw Tonga’s potential in the Patriots’ run game, using him on 14 offensive snaps in 2024. Tonga, who turns 30 in July, does not have an NFL carry but did score on a 3-yard touchdown run as a junior in 2019 with BYU.”
Tonga initially entered the league as a Bears 7th-rounder in 2021. The BYU alum appeared in 15 games as a rookie but was waived ahead of his second season and placed on Atlanta’s practice squad. The Vikings snatched him a few weeks into the 2022 campaign.
In 2022 and 2023, Tonga was employed by the Vikings and he appeared in 25 games. After an exciting first season in which he looked like a hidden gem, he couldn’t develop into the difference-maker folks hoped he might be able to. His snaps dropped from 276 to 188 and the Vikings allowed him to depart in 2024. They didn’t use him on offense.
He then headed to Arizona and ultimately, to New Enland in 2025, where he played a career high 337 defensive snaps in Mike Vrabel’s front. He’ll now hope to stop the opposing running game for the Chiefs.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.
