Dameon Pierce could be the perfect fit for the Chiefs, but only if they make the change that everyone has been begging for
The Kansas City Chiefs should only go after former Houston Texans RB Dameon Pierce if they’re ready to get real about running the football from under center.
The Houston Texans waived former 2022 fourth-round draft pick Dameon Pierce on Thursday.
Naturally, with the Kansas City Chiefs having issues at the running back position in 2025 and no clear solutions for the future, fans are clamoring for the team to claim him on waivers or add him to the practice squad. A runner-up in the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year race, Pierce recorded 939 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns on 220 carries in 13 games as a rookie in 2022. Ever since, it’s been a bit of a downward spiral in production for the 5-foot-11 and 218-pound running back Pierce. But the emergence of rookie RB Woody Marks alongside Nick Chubb and Dare Ogunbowale in 2025 ultimately led to his exit from Houston, even with Joe Mixon expected to miss the entire season.
If the Chiefs do decide to go after Pierce, it might signal they’re finally ready to eat their vegetables and lean into a specific running scheme.
Dameon Pierce’s time with the Chiefs will be Deja vu if they don’t commit to running the ball from under center
The entire reason Pierce is no longer with the Houston Texans is that he struggled to adapt to Nick Caley’s outside-zone rushing scheme. He thrived under Pep Hamilton in 2022 because they ran more gap/power concepts with frequent under-center formations and counter runs. As that style eroded from the offense, so did Pierce’s success.
If the Chiefs see Pierce and think, “Yeah, I can fix him,” they’re destined to fail. They’ve been far too reliant on RPOs, running out of shotgun, and not leaning into running under center despite having a ton of success doing so in 2025.
If they see Pierce available, add him, and adapt to the style that best suits him as a runner, they’re bound for greatness.
At this juncture of the season, adding Pierce to the 53-man roster would cost around $450K for the final seven games of the 2025 NFL season. He’s probably more of an offseason/future project for Kansas City at just 25 years old, but it feels like the type of low-cost, savvy investment that could have a big payoff down the line for a team that has no clear long-term solutions at running back.
Kansas City Chiefs News
Chiefs take two steps forward and one step backward, Colts make concerning addition to latest Week 12 injury report
Two Chiefs made progress, while another slid back. Plus the Colts’ concerning addition to the Week 12 injury report.
