Andy Reid’s always had a soft spot for the ones who stumble. Not because he’s soft—but because he knows what a second chance can do when it lands in the right hands. Ask Kareem Hunt, who went from YouTube headlines to playoff touches in a Chiefs uniform after Reid welcomed him back with that familiar calm nod: earn it. Now? The big man in red might be dusting off that same playbook again.

Word around the league is that another former Chief—once written off, now legally cleared—could be next in line for Reid’s redemption carousel. A Super Bowl ring, a dropped lawsuit, and a 286-pound frame built for trench warfare? Sounds like the kind of low-cost, high-upside gamble that’s become a Kansas City tradition. After all, the Chiefs don’t rebuild. They reload. And sometimes, they rehab.

“People deserve a second chance,” Reid once said, his voice a gravelly blend of wisdom and Wyoming pragmatism. Those four words became a mantra for the Kansas City Chiefs’ culture—a culture that turned Kareem Hunt from a discarded Pro Bowl RB into a redemption story. Now, as storm clouds part over former Chiefs DT, Reid might just have another reclamation project brewing.

Let’s rewind. In 2018, Hunt was cut by KC after a hotel altercation went viral. But Reid, ever the maestro of messy human symphonies, brought him back in 2024, saying, “He’s got a knack for [short-yardage].” Fast-forward to today: Isaiah Buggs, the 286lbs Alabama alum with a Super Bowl LVIII ring and a rap sheet longer than Patrick Mahomes’ pre-snap audibles, is suddenly a free agent after animal cruelty charges against him were dismissed.

The parallels? Both players stumbled publicly; both need a coach who sees grit beneath the grime. As The Wire’s Stringer Bell famously quipped, ‘You’re not killing them yourself… that’s survival.’ For Buggs, survival now means lacing up where second chances thrive.

Here’s the skinny: In May 2024, cops found two malnourished dogs at a Tuscaloosa rental linked to Buggs. But after a jail stint, gallbladder surgery, and a plea deal, the case crumbled when a friend admitted, “I didn’t take care of the dogs.” Buggs’ attorney Greg Gambril shared a statement: “The State noted evidence that exonerated Mr. Buggs.”

Suddenly, the DT’s phone might buzz like Travis Kelce’s post-Taylor texts. KC’s D-line? Thin as Reid’s patience for kickers. Buggs’ 89 career tackles and 2.0 sacks? Suddenly juicy for a team that “wanted him last year,” per insiders.

KC’s Redemption Reid Rodeo

Let’s not kid ourselves—Reid’s locker room isn’t a daycare. It’s a Succession-style boardroom where production trumps pedigree. Hunt earned his comeback with 47 career TDs. Buggs, meanwhile, brings baggage but also a 6’5″ frame that clogged gaps for Detroit in 2022. His $1.3M Chiefs deal was peanuts, but his upside?

Let’s just say KC’s D-line coach Joe Cullen probably still has his number saved. “I’m focused on moving forward,” Buggs vowed post-dismissal, sounding more determined than a Mahomes 4th-quarter drive. With Chris Jones aging and the AFC West arms race heating up, Buggs could be Reid’s low-risk, high-reward wildcard.

Sports love a good redemption arc—think Michael Vick’s post-prison glide or Josh Gordon’s fleeting flashes. For Buggs, the road back starts with humility. Hunt’s resurgence wasn’t just about stats; it was about owning his missteps. “I did a nice job in Cleveland,” Hunt shrugged, his 2024 Chiefs return a testament to growth.

Buggs, now 27, must mirror that grind. Reid’s system thrives on reinvention: remember when Jerick McKinnon went from practice squad to playoff hero? Buggs’ path could mirror that—rotational snaps, locker room leadership, and maybe a clutch tackle in January.

The Chiefs aren’t charities. They’re dynasties. Signing Buggs isn’t about warm fuzzies—it’s about depth charts and cap hits. But under Reid, even misfits find rhythm. As Buggs texts his agent and KC’s front office side-eyes the market, remember: this is the team that turned a seventh-round QB into a legend. If anyone can spin a DT’s doghouse drama into a Disney+ doc, it’s the guy who made “corn dog” a playcall. To quote Friday Night Lights,: Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose. And in KC, redemption’s always on the menu.