A former Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver who helped the franchise capture back-to-back Super Bowl titles has landed with an AFC rival.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers’ practice squad, the team announced via its official social media account. The move places the veteran speedster with a division opponent of the Chiefs in the AFC.
Valdes-Scantling spent the 2022 and 2023 seasons in Kansas City after signing a three-year, $30 million contract in free agency following four years with the Green Bay Packers. He was part of the teams that won Super Bowl LVII over the Philadelphia Eagles and Super Bowl LVIII against the San Francisco 49ers.
During those two seasons, the deep threat recorded 63 receptions for 1,002 yards and three touchdowns across 33 games, according to league statistics. His role centered on stretching defenses vertically for quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
The wideout’s time in Kansas City was not without issues. He battled drops throughout his career, including a high-profile miss against the Eagles in November 2023 that would have given the Chiefs a late lead in a Monday night loss. Still, the organization captured championships in both of his years with the club.
After departing Kansas City, Valdes-Scantling has moved frequently. He has appeared with or signed to the rosters of eight different NFL teams since leaving the Chiefs, including stints with the Buffalo Bills, New Orleans Saints, San Francisco 49ers, and Los Angeles Chargers before this latest stop in Pittsburgh.
His most productive stretch after Kansas City came in 2024 with the Saints, where he posted 17 catches for 385 yards and four touchdowns. Overall, the 32-year-old has amassed 221 receptions for 3,708 yards and 21 touchdowns in 119 career games.
The Steelers announced the addition simply: “We have signed WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling to the Practice Squad.” For Chiefs observers, the news carries a familiar mix of appreciation for past contributions and recognition of his inconsistent hands.
Valdes-Scantling’s career began as a fifth-round pick of the Packers in 2018 out of South Florida. He developed into a reliable vertical option in Green Bay, totaling 123 catches for 2,153 yards and 13 scores there before heading to Kansas City.
Now with the Steelers, he joins a practice squad that could elevate him if injuries create openings. Pittsburgh has dealt with absences at the position this season, giving the veteran a potential path to the active roster.
From the Chiefs’ viewpoint, the signing means a player who once contributed to their title runs is now affiliated with a potential playoff opponent. The two teams have met in recent seasons, and any future matchup would place Valdes-Scantling on the opposite sideline.
His legacy in Kansas City remains tied to those two championships despite the drops that frustrated fans at times. Championship rings tend to outweigh individual miscues in franchise history.
The move also highlights the transient nature of many NFL careers. Valdes-Scantling has bounced between teams seeking opportunities as a deep threat, and Pittsburgh represents the latest stop in that journey.
Chiefs fans will likely remember the big plays and the rings more than the misses. Yet the fact that an AFC rival has added him keeps the former contributor in the conference spotlight.
At 6-foot-4 with proven speed, Valdes-Scantling still offers the traits that once made him a fit in Kansas City’s offense. Whether he sees significant snaps in Pittsburgh remains to be seen, but the practice-squad deal keeps him in the league.
For now, the story is straightforward for Kansas City: a Super Bowl contributor from the recent dynasty era has signed with an AFC opponent. The rings stay with the Chiefs, while the player moves on.
