Florida Gators in the NFL: Kadarius Toney was One of One
Some birds just can’t be caged. Some stars shine too bright for this galaxy. Kadarius Toney has been a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. After seven years of trying to figure him out, the game of football is likely giving up for good.
Toney played what was probably his final NFL game on Sunday. Before this weekend, he had been on the Browns practice squad all season, was elevated twice, and played sparingly with just two rushes in those games. Then last week, KT was promoted and signed to Cleveland’s active roster for the rest of the season. It was a signal the Browns wanted to take a closer look at what Toney was still capable of on a football field. It did not go well.
Toney has played football with an absolute disdain for the norms in every possible way. When he came into our lives at Florida, he was listed on the depth chart as an athlete - position-less. Undefinable. Seeing him in action at UF for the first time, it seemed impossible someone could move like that on a football field. The human body wasn’t designed to start and stop so violently. He was dubbed “The Human Joystick” because this shit was straight out a video game.
From our first time laying eyes on him, we wanted more KT. Inept coaches, bad quarterbacks, an incident with an airsoft gun that got him get suspended for a game, and many, many injuries made Toney’s first three years in Gainesville just a tease. He lined up at quarterback, running back, receiver, and returner and flashed on almost every touch. But what was Toney? And how could he best be utilized? Foreshadowing can be trite, but dammit if the universe wasn’t preparing us for the frustrations that lay ahead in the NFL.
When the Toney breakout finally came in 2020, it was glorious. And even that almost didn’t happen thanks to, you know, a worldwide pandemic. But nothing could keep a talent like Toney’s down forever. He flourished into a legitimate WR1 with Dan Mullen and Kyle Trask. Maybe he was going to reach his full potential after all?
The NFL still wasn’t sold. The scouts had mixed feelings on Toney as an NFL receiver. They questioned his lack of experience, unreliable hands, unpolished route running, and long injury history. Those doubts were absolutely understandable. What wasn’t were the whispers about his lack of love for football because - gasp - he liked to rap in his spare time.
The New York Giants purchased the lottery ticket that was Toney’s electrifying skillset in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft. And in just his fifth NFL game, Toney showed the Giants and the entire league what Gator Nation had always known. He is unlike any player before him.
Toney set the Giants’ rookie single-game receiving record with 189 yards on 10 catches. And because even in greatness, Toney’s contempt for normalcy had to come out, he was ejected from his record-setting game.
The Giants soured on Toney almost immediately after that punch. By the middle of the following season, they gave up on him completely and traded him to Kansas City. But getting dealt from one of the NFL’s worst franchises of this century to one of the best was reason for optimism. The Toney hype train was back on the tracks.
The Chiefs brought Toney along slowly in 2022. He was involved in the offense but wasn’t an integral part. Most of his touches were pretty simple screens and jet sweeps. He wasn’t asked to do too much, and he never flashed much of the juice we had come to expect. Until the Super Bowl. And the greatest two plays of Kadarius Toney’s NFL career - two plays that despite what would follow guarantee Toney’s place in Chiefs and NFL lore forever.
A fourth quarter touchdown catch followed by the longest punt return in Super Bowl history to set up the game-winning score. No player in NFL history has done that. Toney is one of one.
Alas, what has followed that stunning Super Bowl performance is equally as jaw-dropping and unprecedented. How can a guy capable of the highest of highs on the biggest stage follow that up with one of the worst seasons by a receiver in NFL history?
After this past Sunday’s calamities, this may very well be the end of Toney’s NFL career. What are the reasons for Toney’s flame-out in the league? Toney’s frustrating inability to avoid dumb mistakes is the top liner. Certainly those scouts who questioned his hands were right. Damn those cursed Toney mitts. The constant injuries hindered his development as a receiver going back to Gainesville.
But you can GTFOH with the idea that Toney didn’t love or have passion for football. On every touch, he fought for every inch he could gain on the field. He took hits and kept fighting. He put his body on the line and battled through injury after injury to try to get back on the field.
If this is the end for Toney, he leaves with one of the most insane and unfathomable careers the NFL has ever seen:
Played just 35 regular season and three postseason games with three teams in four years
Caught 89 passes for 810 yards with four touchdowns
10 dropped passes including two for interceptions (one pick-six) and three fumbles
Rushed 24 times for 129 yards
1/4 passing for 19 yards
27 punt returns for 175 yards
New York Giants single-game record for most receiving yards by a rookie (189)
Longest punt return in Super Bowl history (65 yards)
Two Super Bowl rings
Was Kadarius Toney great? Was he terrible? What position did he even play? An enigma to the end. What was that streaking flash across the night sky and that huge burst of light at the end? Will we ever truly know? I just know I’ll miss watching Toney light up the game like only he could.
BEST PLAYER OF WEEK 14
C.J. Gardner-Johnson was stout for the Eagles on Sunday with six tackles and two passes defended. He also picked off one of the hottest quarterbacks in the league.
Yes, Bryce Young has been balling for about a month now. That was his first pick in four games. So despite the fact that it looks like a pretty routine interception by a deep Cover 2 safety, Ceedy Duce deserves some props for just making the right read, breaking on the ball, and making the play.
In fact, I’m tossing out more love because CJGJ doesn’t get enough shine for how good a safety he is. His mouth and the incredible trash talk it produces are usually the only things that get credit. But since entering the league in 2019, Gardner-Johnson is one of just three players to have at least 15 interceptions and at least four sacks.
Mathieu is a potential future Hall of Famer and Smith will go down as one of the best safeties of this era. Both have made multiple Pro Bowl and All-Pro teams in their long careers. CJGJ isn’t quite on their caliber, but that’s due to longevity and a couple of injuries more than performance.
BEST PLAY OF WEEK 14
Amari Burney hasn’t had regular playing time on the Raiders defense this season. In fact, Sunday was just the third time he’s played double-digit snaps. He made the most of it, though, with his first career sack and first career forced fumble on the same play.
The Raiders are headed toward one of the worst records in the league and would be wise to see if Burney can be a regular contributor going forward.
TOP 10 WEEK 14 PERFORMANCES
1 - C.J. Gardner-Johnson, DB, PHI
Week 14: INT, 15 return yards, 6 tackles, 2 PD, 60 snaps (85%)
Season: 3 INT, 55 tackles, 9 PD, 1 TFL, 1 FF
2 - Marcus Maye, S, LAC
Week 14: 5 tackles, 1 PD, 61 snaps (88%)
Season: 1 INT, 38 tackles, 1 TFL, 2 PD
Maye made his first start with the Chargers in just his second game and played well. He posted the fourth-highest Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade on LA’s defense in the near-upset in Kansas City.
3 - Amari Burney, LB, LV
Week 14: 1 sack, 1 tackle, 1 TFL, 1 FF, 1 QB hit, 19 snaps (19%), 20 ST snaps (87%)
Season: 1 sack, 9 tackles, 2 TFL, 1 FF, 1 QB hit
4 - Van Jefferson, WR, PIT
Week 14: 1 rec (1 target), 10 yards, TD, 48 snaps (74%)
Season: 18 rec (32 targets), 231 yards, 2 TD
Jefferson grabbed his second touchdown catch of the season. His only catch of the day was a nice stop-and-go route that sucked the defensive back up while Jefferson slipped by him into the end zone.
5 - O’Cyrus Torrence, G, BUF
Week 14: 60 snaps (100%), 6 ST snaps (18%)
Season: 814 snaps (99%), 71 ST snaps (21%), 5 penalties
6 - Jonathan Greenard, EDGE, MIN
Week 14: 2 tackles, 60 snaps (81%)
Season: 10 sacks, 43 tackles, 14 TFL, 15 QB hits, 3 FF, 2 PD
7 - T.J. Slaton, NT, GB
Week 14: 3 tackles, 43 snaps (54%), 11 ST snaps (39%)
Season: 1 sack, 23 tackles, 1 TFL, 3 QB hits
8 - Jawaan Taylor, RT, KC
Week 14: 69 snaps (100%)
Season: 903 snaps (100%), 11 penalties
9 - Kyle Pitts. TE, ATL
Week 14: 1 rec (6 targets), 14 yards, 58 snaps (78%)
Season: 36 rec (54 targets), 508 yards, 3 TD
Pitts had one catch on Sunday and continues to be a non-factor in the Falcons offense. Kirk Cousins enjoys throwing the ball to the other team more than he does Pitts. In the past three weeks, Cousins has seven interceptions while Pitts has two catches on 11 targets. Cousins’ final pick on Sunday was an airmailed throw over Pitts’ head.
10 - Jonathan Bullard, DL, MIN
Week 14: 2 tackles, 29 snaps (39%)
Season: 28 tackles, 6 TFL, 2 QB hits, 2 PD
THE REST OF THE FORMER GATORS
Gervon Dexter, Sr., DT, CHI
Week 14: 2 tackles, 13 snaps (21%), 2 ST snaps (8%)
Season: 5 sacks, 44 tackles, 16 QB hits, 4 TFL, 1 PD, 2 FR
Dexter injured his knee in the first quarter against San Francisco and did not return. He has not practiced this week and is unlikely to play on Sunday.
D.J. Humphries, LT, KC
Week 14: 60 snaps (87%), 1 penalty
Season: 60 snaps (87%), 1 penalty
Humphries was the Chiefs starting left tackle on Sunday Night Football with all eyes on how he’d hold up coming off an ACL. There was some clear rust in dealing with the speed and savvy of Kahlil Mack and Joey Bosa, but Humphries did fine.
The Chiefs surely knew Humphries would need some time to round back into form, but unfortunately, he might not get the chance. On the game-winning drive, Humphries injured his hamstring and missed the final nine snaps. He’ll likely miss at least this week’s game and could be out longer.
Ricky Pearsall, WR, SF
Week 14: 1 rec (2 targets), 5 yards, 30 snaps (49%)
Season: 12 rec (20 targets), 137 yards, TD, 1 rush, 39 yards, 3 PR, 13.7 avg
Pearsall snagged his first catch in four weeks, but still only has five targets across that span. After making a splash early, the rookie isn’t a weapon the depleted 49ers appear interested in using.
Brenton Cox, Jr., OLB, GB
Week 14: 2 tackles, 21 snaps (26%), 8 ST snaps (29%)
Season: 2 sacks, 8 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 FF, 3 QB hits
Ventrell Miller, LB, JAX
Week 14: 2 tackles, 18 snaps (28%), 5 ST snaps (28%)
Season: 79 tackles, 4 TFL, 2 PD, 1 FF
Marco Wilson, CB, CIN
Week 14: 1 tackle, 12 snaps (20%), 10 ST snaps (37%)
Season: 16 tackles, 1 PD
Demarcus Robinson, WR, LAR
Week 14: 1 target, 47 snaps (61%)
Season: 28 rec (54 targets), 433 yards, 7 TD
Robinson put up a goose egg for the first time this season. His only catch of the day was wiped out because of an awful pass interference call. How is this PI on D-Rob?
To add injury to insult, Robinson landed on his right shoulder and suffered an AC sprain. He has been limited in practice and appears to be a game-time decision for Thursday Night Football.
Eddy Piñeiro, K, CAR
Week 14: 1/1 FG, Long 38, 1/2 XP
Season: 20/23 FG, Long 53, 21/22 XP
After missing two field goals two weeks ago, Piñeiro missed his first extra point of the season on Sunday. I’m going to have to hack his Pro-Football-Reference and remove the Eddy Dinero nickname if this keeps up.
Brandon Powell, WR/PR, MIN
Week 14: 10 snaps (17%), 2 ST snaps (7%)
Season: 6 rec (9 targets), 59 yards, 19 PR, 7.4 avg
Jeremiah Moon, OLB, PIT
Week 14: 19 ST snaps (66%)
Season: 6 tackles
Zach Carter, DT, LV
Week 14: 6 snaps (10%)
Season: 1.5 sacks, 11 tackles, 2 QB hits
Fred Johnson, OT, PHI
Week 14: 4 ST snaps (18%)
Season: 400 snaps, 58 ST snaps, 3 penalties
Kyle Trask, QB, TB
Week 14: Did Not Play
Season: 1/1 passing, 5 yards, 2 rush, -2 yards
Kadarius Toney, WR, CLE
Week 14: 4 PR, 44 yards, 1 fumble, 1 tackle, 5 snaps (7%), 6 ST snaps (21%)
Season: 2 rush, -4 yards, 4 PR, 11.0 avg, 1 tackle
BYE WEEK
Anthony Richardson, QB, IND
Taven Bryan, DT, IND
Dante Fowler, Jr., OLB, WAS
Dameon Pierce, RB, HOU
Tommy Townsend, P, HOU
INACTIVE
Kaiir Elam, CB, BUF
Justin Shorter, TE, LV
PRACTICE SQUAD
Trey Dean III, S, CLE
Malik Davis, RB, DAL
Kingsley Eguakun, C, DET
Richard Gouraige, OT, BUF
INJURED RESERVE
Evan McPherson, K, CIN
Trent Brown, RT, CIN
Alex Anzalone, LB, DET
C.J. Henderson, CB, PIT
Stone Forsythe, OT, SEA