Kansas City Chiefs are among the few NFL teams sending multiple players to the NFPLA’s 2026 Rookie Premiere event
The Kansas City Chiefs are one of four NFL teams sending three or more players to the NFLPA Rookie Premiere event in Los Angeles in mid-May.
41 incoming players will attend the NFLPA’s annual Rookie Premiere event in Los Angeles, California, from May 14 through May 17.
The Kansas City Chiefs are one of just three teams to have three players set to attend. The Baltimore Ravens and Philadelphia Eagles are also sending three players to the event. The New York Jets are the only team sending more players to the event, with four draft picks set to attend.
This marks the first time during the last seven years that the Chiefs have sent multiple players to the event.
Chiefs to send three draft picks to the NFLPA’s Rookie Premiere event, with one notable difference
The Chiefs will send CB Mansoor Delane, RB Emmett Johnson, and QB Garrett Nussmeier to the upcoming NFLPA event. Delane, the No. 6 overall pick, is one of just six defensive players who will attend the event. Johnson is one of seven running backs invited, while Nussmeier is one of seven quarterbacks.
This is a departure from the norm, not only because they’re sending multiple players, but because they’re not sending a wide receiver. Fifth-round pick Cyrus Allen’s non-attendance will end a streak for Kansas City. The Chiefs have sent wide receivers to the NFLPA Rookie Premiere event for five straight years with Jalen Royals (2025), Xavier Worthy (2024), Rashee Rice (2023), Skyy Moore (2022), and Cornell Powell (2021).
NFLPA Rookie Premiere Event Facts
This event is a launching point for rookies to learn about some NFL off-field nuances. Players get a crash course in marketing, endorsements, passive income, and how to manage the brand they may create for themselves during their time in the league. They’ll get an orientation led by NFLPA union leadership, including a new session on building on their NIL experiences from college. They also get hands-on opportunities with brands such as…
- Panini America
- EA Sports
- Fanatics
- New Era
- Microsoft
- Nike
- Sony
- Oakley
- Gatorade
- & more
The NFLPA selects which rookies participate in this event based on position, draft status, college performance, and projected marketability. You’ll notice that the vast majority of players set to attend are offensive players. They don’t have any offensive linemen attending, and only a select few elite defenders are invited annually. There is no actual correlation between performance and attending the NFLPA Rookie Premiere event, but it certainly can’t hurt their chances of becoming contributors down the line.
