Head coach Andy Reid of the Kansas City Chiefs speaks to the media after the game
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The Kansas City Chiefs, coming off two straight losses, will look to get healthy against the 2-6 New York Jets Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium.
But with six players declared inactive today, health is a primary concern for the Chiefs.
To address the absences, Kansas City added a 6-foot-3, 295-pound defensive tackle just hours before the noon CT kickoff time.
Chiefs defensive tackle Marcus Harris gets his third elevation from the practice squad, with the Jets visiting Kansas City.
With rookie first-round pick Peter Woods out and Omarr Norman-Lott still sidelined, Harris steps into the rotation after playing seven defensive snaps in two games this season.
The move was first reported by NFL insider Aaron Wilson. The need is interior depth. Woods, who sustained a neck stinger from the Week 8 loss to Denver, sat out every practice and was listed out on Friday’s injury report. Norman-Lott, the second-year tackle, is also unavailable. The Chiefs’ pass rush managed a season-low 6% pressure rate against Denver last week.
Harris is the only elevation in Week 9. Kansas City left its second slot unused, according to Arrowhead Pride, even though return man Nikko Remigio was questionable with a hip injury on Friday and the team added Jacob De Jesus as insurance to the practice squad Wednesday. Remigio practiced in full Thursday and Friday.
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Marcus Harris’ Path to the Kansas City Chiefs
Harris, born on Sept. 27, 2000, is a Montgomery native and Park Crossing High graduate. As a high school senior, he recorded 51 tackles, 14 for loss, seven sacks. He spent two years at Kansas, earning academic all-Big 12 honors, then transferred to Auburn, where he posted 40 tackles, 11 for loss, seven sacks in 2023 and earned first-team Associated Press All-SEC honors. A Senior Bowl invitation followed.
The Houston Texans took him in the seventh round, 247th overall, in 2024. Over the next year and a half, Harris cycled through stops with the New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills and Texans, every one ending in a release, before Kansas City signed him to the practice squad Dec. 30. A reserve/future contract followed Jan. 5.
This summer, he led the team with 42 defensive snaps in the preseason finale against Seattle and piled up three tackles for loss. He made the initial 53-man roster Aug. 30. A day later, the Chiefs claimed Bryson Eason and Jack Pyburn off waivers and waived Harris to clear the space. No team claimed him, and Kansas City re-signed him to the practice squad Sept. 2, releasing defensive tackle Cole Brevard in a corresponding move.
Two elevations followed. The Chiefs elevated Harris for the Monday night opener against Denver Sept. 14, and he played five snaps and made one tackle. He returned for Week 2 against Indianapolis, when defensive tackle Chris Jones was questionable and Eason was only eight practices into his Kansas City career, according to A to Z Sports. Today is not his first call-up. It is his third, and the last the rules allow.
Chiefs Face New York Jets After Two Straight Losses
Kansas City opened the season 5-0, then lost 20-3 at Seattle on Oct. 25. A week later, the Chiefs led Denver 24-13 entering the fourth quarter before the Broncos scored two late touchdowns to win 28-24.
The Chiefs (5-2) return to Arrowhead Stadium after those back-to-back road defeats. The Denver loss left them behind the Broncos in the standings, with no rematch on the regular-season schedule. A third straight loss would be the longest skid of their season.
The Jets enter at 2-6 after three straight defeats, and receiver Garrett Wilson (concussion) is out, according to A to Z Sports. Oddsmakers list the Chiefs as 9.5-point favorites, according to ClutchPoints.
Harris is active against the Jets. He exhausted his allotment of standard elevations with this game, so the Chiefs must add him to the 53-man roster if they want him on the field again before the postseason.