After the Kansas City Chiefs provided the offense with a boost by taking a big-time swing to start free agency, it was the defense’s turn to sign an experienced starter to a three-year contract.
NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo shared that the Chiefs have agreed to a contract with former
New England Patriots’ defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga worth $21 million over three years. Tonga’s agents told Garafolo that there is $14 million in guaranteed money.
Tonga will turn 30 years old in July, coming off one of the most impactful seasons of his five-year NFL career. On the Patriots’ defense that finished the 2025 campaign as a top-5 unit, Tonga led the defensive line in A-gap snaps, signaling his usage as a hole-plugging nose tackle.
That has been the case for Tonga’s entire career. He has only half of a sack to his name, but he has carved out a role of taking up space in each interior defensive line rotation that he has been a part of. According to Pro Football Focus, 48% of Tonga’s 1,349 career snaps have started aligned over the A-gap.
Looking further into PFF’s premium statistics, Tonga filled up the 2025 box score with career-high marks in pressures (17), quarterback hits (3), tackles (20), tackles that constitute a “failure” for the offense (17), and total snaps (415).
Tonga took the field with the Patriots’ offense for 14 snaps during the 2025 season. He blocked from a fullback or tight end alignment each time.
Immediately, Tonga projects to start next to defensive tackle Chris Jones in the base front of the Chiefs’ defense, and will likely be replaced on the field in passing situations.
This move may signal the end of the line for veteran nose tackles Derrick Nnadi and Mike Pennel. Both have contributed to filling the role of plugging the A-gap in recent years, but the investment in Tonga marks his ability to handle that himself.
