The Chiefs cut C.J. Spiller as they trimmed the roster down to 53 players on September 2, and the move surprised a lot of people. It was even more surprising when Kansas City re-signed Spiller to the active roster the following day.
The Chiefs keep cutting and re-signing C.J. Spiller
Spiller’s been in and out of business more times than you know.
Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images
Jeanna Kelley has been covering the Falcons for The Falcoholic since 2011 and the NFL for SB Nation since 2015.
But the Chiefs weren’t done. They would go back and forth between signing and cutting Spiller in one of the more interesting storylines from the NFL season you may not have heard of.
Sept. 2, 2017: Spiller is released
Spencer Ware went down with a PCL injury in preseason that required surgery to repair. Keeping Spiller around seemed to make sense at the time, especially since Ware is likely to miss the entire season. But, no:
That left the Chiefs with just Charcandrick West and Kareem Hunt on the roster.
Sept. 3, 2017: Spiller re-signs
That’s probably why this happened the next day:
Andy Reid was asked after Ware’s injury if it made it more likely that Spiller would lock up a roster spot. “Right now, yeah, I would tell you today,” he said, via Joel Thorman of Arrowhead Pride.
Sept. 7, 2017: Spiller is released
Again!?
Little did we know that we were just getting started.
Sept. 8, 2017: Spiller re-signs
Once again, the day after getting released, Spiller is back.
He had been released hours before the Patriots’ game, and according to Arrowhead Pride, he was in the locker room after the game. So he and everyone else involved knew that it wasn’t anything long-term.
Sept. 16, 2017: Spiller is released
The emergence of Akeem Hunt doomed him.
But fear not...
Oct. 16, 2017: Spiller re-signs
Charcandrick West went down with a concussion in the Chiefs’ loss to the Steelers, so it was Spiller time yet again.
The Chiefs need a short-term solution to complement Kareem Hunt and Akeem Hunt until West’s return.
Oct. 23, 2017: Spiller is released
Spiller was in for 12 snaps against the Raiders before ultimately getting released again. It was an improvement from his other short tenures with the team, where he never saw action.
Spiller’s release came as Charcandrick West’s health improved.
Jan. 2, 2018: Spiller re-signs
Chiefs running back Akeem Hunt hurt himself in the season finale against the Broncos. They didn’t want to risk injury to Kareem Hunt before going into the postseason, and Charcandrick West was ill.
Anthony Sherman got the bulk of the carries, so perhaps this wasn’t so surprising:
It really is a Happy New Year after all. Spiller will be on the Chiefs’ roster for the postseason, it appears.
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