Chiefs' Andy Reid Defends Kadarius Toney: 'He's Not a Guy That Drops Balls'

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid still has faith in wide receiver Kadarius Toney

Toney had a difficult game in the Chiefs Week 1 loss to the Detroit Lions. He had one catch for one yard on five targets and notably had several drops, one of which turned into an interception that was returned for a touchdown.

Reid said that the drop issue was one that will not linger in the future, stating that he trusts Toney to have improved play going forward.

"That's just not his thing,'' Reid said, per Adam Teicher of ESPN.com. "He's not a guy that drops balls. He's got great hands, so we just got to keep working through it.''

Reid put the blame on himself for the drops, saying he didn't put Toney in a position to succeed. He also said that a reduction in playing time is not in the cards as he will only get better with more reps.

"The only way we're going to get him back is by playing him,'' Reid said, per Teicher. "I think you'll see better as we go down the road here from him.''

Toney was acquired via a midseason trade in 2022 and had 14 catches for 171 yards and two touchdowns during the regular season. He also had seven catches for 50 yards and a touchdown on the team's playoff run and has been viewed as a potential No. 1 receiver.

He suffered an injury in the preseason and may not have been at full health for the Week 1 matchup, which could have impacted his play.

Toney will get a shot to improve on Sunday when the Chiefs take on the Jacksonville Jaguars.