No one would fault Elijah Mitchell for causing a scene.
Underneath the surface, Mitchell should be seething. The Kansas City Chiefs have once again slighted Mitchell going into game day, another confusing (and rather indefensible) decision on the part of an organization that says one thing and does another when it comes specifically to Mitchell.
In the larger scheme of things, the Chiefs' treatment of Mitchell is small potatoes. The organization is 5-5, fighting for its playoff life after several years of running the table in its own conference, let alone division. Nine straight division titles. Setting up a permanent home in the AFC championship game. The building is on fire and the Indianapolis Colts are in town with petrol in tow.
But Mitchell's situation is still worth mentioning, because shortly before Week 12's visit from Indy, the Chiefs had once again made the most befuddling decision: to promote running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire from the practice squad. The only decision to do that is if the team wants to leave Mitchell inactive on game day once again.
Why does this matter so much? When the Chiefs signed Mitchell to a one-year deal in free agency, they did so with a fairly sizable bonus factored into the equation. Not only did Mitchell get $1.35 million guaranteed but he also got plenty of playing time incentives in the deal. Even more than that, Mitchell could have earned $750K in bonus money just for being active on game day.
The Chiefs' decision-making process when it comes to the backfield is quite confusing on all levels.
Let's reiterate and emphasize this point: Mitchell could earn 55 percent more than his guaranteed salary just by being available to back up the likes of Isiah Pacheco and Kareem Hunt. That's $47,500 for every game he's active—except he's not most weeks.
That the Chiefs went with Brashard Smith from the outset as RB3 wasn't a big deal. In fact, it was a positive development for the long-term sake of the roster. The seventh-round rookie will need all the playing time he can get from coaches after transferring to running back from wide receiver in '24 while playing for SMU.
However, from there, things get silly on the Chiefs' part. The tandem of Pacheco and Hunt has been uninspired for most of the regular season, and things are even more depressing ever since Pacheco hit the shelf with a knee injury. The Chiefs' lead back has been sidelined since leaving the team's Week 8 win over the Washington Commanders. In that time, the Chiefs have lost to the Buffalo Bills, had a bye week, and then lost again to the Denver Broncos.
Pacheco is out for yet another game in Week 12 (another subject for another time as to why he's not on injured reserve), but Mitchell at least had a good stretch in front of him, one in which he could expect to become active and make an impact—or at least cash some bonus money. Instead, the Chiefs have kept him on the sidelines as a healthy scratch even after losing Pacheco, save for a single game.
In fact, the Chiefs promoted Clyde Edwards-Helaire from the practice squad for the second time this season in the wake of Pacheco's status for Week 12. That's the same Edwards-Helaire who was ineffective for several seasons as a former first-round pick, yet K.C. keeps turning to him for reasons unknown (likely because of system familiarity) for the two carries he will earn. Somehow Mitchell, who has been with the team since March, does not know what he needs to know.
Here's what's even more maddening: the Chiefs keep insisting that Mitchell has value. Andy Reid has affirmed his presence and value to the team when pressed by reporters about the lack of playing time. However, the Chiefs keep leaving him on the bench, waiting like a middle schooler leaning against the wall at his first dance.
If Edwards-Helaire is the better play for what the Chiefs are wanting to do offensively, then just promote him permanently and give Mitchell a chance to catch on elsewhere. Edwards-Helare only gets so many promotions before needing a permanent place on the active roster, so perhaps the Chiefs have a master strategy in mind to use CEH in key matchups and will lean on Mitchell later. It's just hard not to imagine Mitchell is more than upset at the loss of so much possible money (and oppotunity) in the wake of a major need in the Chiefs backfield.