KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Knile Davis never reached his potential as a running back for the Kansas City Chiefs, but his place in franchise history is secure.
Davis made the biggest play of the Chiefs' first playoff win in 22 years last January when he returned the opening kickoff against Houston 106 yards for a touchdown. The Chiefs went on from there to claim a 30-0 victory.
For that, the Chiefs owe him plenty of gratitude. Davis turned the game their way early in Houston and helped the franchise shed the ugly and cumbersome burden of an eight-game playoff losing streak.
Otherwise, Davis’ time with the Chiefs was a disappointment, which is why he was traded to the Green Bay Packers. The Chiefs picked Davis in the third round of the 2013 draft, their first with general manager John Dorsey and coach Andy Reid, with the thought he could be Jamaal Charles' eventual replacement.
The idea seemed logical at the time. Davis is almost 230 pounds, and he’s fast and certainly he looked the part.
It turned out that Davis was never a fit in Reid’s offense, where backs have to be able to handle the passing game both as a receiver and blocker. Davis was unable to adequately handle either area. He improved over the years, but never to the point where he could be trusted.
Davis also averaged 3.3 yards per carry as a runner. That was troubling given the much bigger numbers being posted by Charles and Spencer Ware in the same offense. Davis also had problems with fumbles, none being bigger than the one in the playoff game in New England last year.
It became obvious last season he wasn’t long for the Chiefs when he was leap-frogged on the depth chart in the wake of Charles’ knee injury by Ware and Charcandrick West. The end certainly looked near in Oakland on Sunday when Davis was inactive with the three other backs healthy and ready to play for the first time.
Davis even lost his job in the one thing he’d done best, as the kickoff returner. He was replaced by rookie Tyreek Hill, who looks like he might accomplish some big things in that role for the Chiefs.
But he probably won’t ever deliver a kick return as big as the one Davis provided in January in Houston.