Chiefs Re-Sign Mike Pennel

Mike Pennel’s transaction history is longer than Andy Reid’s list of favorite cheeseburgers. The journeyman nose tackle added another line to that history on Monday, re-signing with the Chiefs as an unrestricted free agent, the team announced.

Pennel, who turns 34 in May, provides important depth on Steve Spagnuolo’s defensive line behind Chris Jones, especially against the run. A 6-4, 330-pound veteran out of Colorado State-Pueblo, Pennel has a limited injury history and has proven himself reliable and available throughout this NFL career.

Not only did Pro Football Focus rank Pennel as the Chiefs’ top defensive tackle against the run last season, he’s also appeared on an NFL injury report only once in his career.

That NFL career includes two stints with the Chiefs. He first signed with Kansas City midway through the 2019 season and helped the franchise win its first Super Bowl in 50 years. After helping the Chiefs to another Super Bowl berth in 2020, he played for Atlanta in 2021 and Chicago in 2022, then returned to Kansas City in 2023 in time for two additional Super Bowl appearances.

Last season, Pennel started seven games and one playoff contest for Kansas City and recorded a career-best three sacks. Playing in all 17 games, he saw action on 30 percent of the Chiefs’ defensive snaps in 2024.

Out of college, Pennel signed as a non-drafted free agent with the Packers in 2014 and quickly proved his NFL value. He spent three years in Green Bay (2014-16) and two years with the Jets (2017-18) before initially joining the Chiefs in 2019. He also spent training camp with the Patriots in 2019.

Earlier this month, the Chiefs also signed veteran Jerry Tillery to add depth in their defensive-line rotation, and they’ll surely look to the draft for more. That’s because this year’s crop of defensive tackles is rated by many as one of the deepest in NFL history.

Pennel, who helped Grandview High School to a Colorado high school championship in 2007, has played in four Super Bowls and 17 total postseason games over his 11-year NFL career.

He’s the latest of eight free agents or potential free agents the Chiefs have re-signed this offseason, following wide receivers Hollywood Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster, guard Trey Smith, running back Kareem Hunt, defensive end Charles Omenihu, linebacker Nick Bolton and long-snapper James Winchester.