Andy Reid turning draft bust into Super Bowl hero would be most Chiefs story ever

The Kansas City Chiefs travel to New Orleans this week to take on the Philadelphia Eagles in a Super Bowl rematch.

It's a great game on paper, with Philadelphia boasting the NFL's best running offense and a fine-tuned, tight-knit defense to counterbalance Kansas City's wealth of postseason experience. It's near impossible to bet against Patrick Mahomes at this point, but the Eagles can — and should — at least make this game interesting.

What makes the Chiefs special, however, is their penchant for clutch performances from the least expected sources. No team pulls more rabbits out of hats when it matters most. Think back to last February, when Mahomes fired the Super Bowl-winning TD pass to Mecole Hardman of all folks.

Hardman began the 2023 campaign on the outs in New York and did not record a single touchdown catch in the regular season, neither with the Jets nor the Chiefs. He had two games all season with three or more catches, and one came in Week 18, when Kansas City put Blaine Gabbert under center and benched the regular starters.

In the Super Bowl, Hardman came up with three catches on three targets for 57 yards, including the walk-off stunner in overtime.

It was a great play call from Andy Reid and an instant classic moment for this Chiefs dynasty. Mahomes has been working with a subpar WR room for a couple years now, but he can still pull off the unexpected when the lights are brightest and all cards are on the table.

Who will be this year's Mecole Hardman? Well, how about an infamous NFL Draft bust?

Skyy Moore trending toward return just in time to be Chiefs' Super Bowl hero

Chiefs third-year wideout Skyy Moore, a former second-round pick, has been on the IR since October with an abdominal injury. He was designated to return from IR on Thursday and listed as a limited practice participant.

This is a sudden but notable development for the Chiefs, who want as much firepower at their disposal as possible against Philadelphia's vaunted defensive secondary. Moore, the 5-foot-10 speedster out of Western Michigan, does not profile as an impact piece on the surface, but that's exactly what should scare Philadelphia.

Mahomes has a knack for involving his entire repertoire when the moment demands it. Philly's defense will naturally key in on the likes of Travis Kelce and Xavier Worthy, which could leave a secondary option like Moore in a favorable position. He has the quickness necessary to win one-on-one and make himself available to Mahomes downfield.

Now, it has been extremely tough sledding for Moore since arriving in Kansas City. In six games this season, he has three targets and zero catches. He just hasn't worked up much of a rapport with Mahomes, even in a "weak" WR room. And that's exactly why he'll probably come up with the biggest catch of the game on Feb. 9. You can practically feel it coming.

The Eagles need to be weary of all the tools at Mahomes' disposal. Moore does not look all that threatening on paper, but his return could set up another unexpected Chiefs highlight if Philly is not careful.