The Kansas City Chiefs playing a divisional playoff game in January is hardly the most unexpected story line of the current NFL season. The Back2Back Champs produced another dominant regular season & expect nothing less than to cement their legacy as the first 3-Peat Champions in NFL History.…. A more unpredictable narrative involves the Chiefs former tight end, Irv Smith Jr., and his journey back to Arrowhead Stadium for Saturday’s frigid battle to advance one step closer to the Lombardi Trophy.
Irv’s career catapulted during his 3 year stint at Alabama University, under the tutelage of Nick Saban as well as the abundance of future NFL stat stuffers he called teammates. Irv solidified himself as a promising talent too many NFL organizations. His success on the field in Tuscaloosa delivered him to the land of 10,000 lakes as one of the Vikings top picks in the 2019 Draft. For the next four years, Irv experienced the usual ups & downs of a young professional athlete. Navigating a new city, fighting for a starting position, managing injuries & looking past the constant scrutiny that comes with the territory.
After Minnesota, Irv landed in the midwest with the promising young core of the Cincinnati Bengals. Fresh off a Super Bowl appearance, Bengals nation had big dreams for the 2023 season, that ultimately fell short with a failure to advance to post season play. Irv & the Bengals struggled to find a rhythm, with a season that was plagued by injuries & inconsistent play. In the blink of an eye, Irv was now a free agent looking for a new field to call home.
That’s when the Kansas City Chiefs picked up the phone….They signed Irv to a one year deal with intentions of strengthening their TE depth chart and allowing Irv to sharpen his iron with arguably the greatest tight end to play the game, Travis Kelce. Then as life always does, Irv was thrown a curveball. He was released from the team as a part of final roster cuts prior to the regular season. In a time where Irv could have folded, his true character was revealed. He put his head down, & kept working. He began traveling around the country trying out for other NFL Teams - New England Patriots, New York Jets…. Irv quickly became a NFL Journeyman.
Just under a month after being released by the Chiefs Irv was picked up by the Houston Texans & signed to their practice squad where he would spend the majority of the regular season. Until he was promoted to the active roster on December 20th prior to Week 15th’s matchup against the…. “you guessed it” Kansas City Chiefs. In a hard fought game, the Texans fell short spoiling the picture perfect story for Irv’s return. Irv has since remained on the Texans active roster. After a solid end to the regular season & a Wild Card Playoff victory in last weeks matchup, against the LA Chargers, the Texans will have a unique second chance, to visit Arrowhead Stadium & walk out with a W. And for Irv Smith Jr., he’s back where his season began. Except in a Texan’s jersey with a golden opportunity to add another chapter to his story, & make certain the Chief’s Kingdom remembers his name.