Following the conclusion of the XFL season, few players were in higher demand than quarterback Jordan Ta’amu. The Ole Miss product spent a small portion of 2019 with the Houston Texans before gaining relative fame with the St. Louis Battlehawks. In his five starts, Ta’amu completed 72% of his passes for 1,050 yards, five touchdowns, and two interceptions. He was arguably the best passer in the league and had multiple teams seeking his services. However, he decided the best course for his future was to sit behind Patrick Mahomes and learn from the great Andy Reid.
Jordan Ta’amu on Why He Chose the Kansas City Chiefs
At first glance, it seems somewhat strange for someone like Ta’amu to join a team with an entrenched superstar quarterback. Barring absolute calamity, Ta’amu is never going to play a meaningful snap for the Kansas City Chiefs. However, Ta’amu believes the opportunity to learn behind one of the greats was too valuable to pass up.
When speaking to the press on April 2nd, Ta’amu said that he “felt like the Chiefs were in my alley just the way the offense is, all the great things I’ve heard about Coach Reid and his offense and the quarterback room”. Ta’amu understands he still has a lot to learn, saying that he looks forward to picking the brains of Patrick Mahomes and Chad Henne.
One of the biggest fans of the signing is Ta’amu’s XFL coach, Jonathan Hayes. According to Ta’amu, his former coach reached out and said “[t]he Chiefs are going to take care of you, they are a great business, a great team, great coaching staff and my love for them is over the roof.” With all the support, it’s no wonder that Ta’amu saw this as the best option for his NFL future.
Andy Reid Weighs In
Of course, it takes two to tango, and Ta’amu wouldn’t be on the Chiefs if Andy Reid didn’t think he could play. While addressing the press, Reid noted that he “liked what he saw” during his time in the XFL and is “looking forward to getting [Ta’amu] on board”.
Reid went on to note that Ta’amu was on their radar in the 2019 NFL Draft, but they didn’t feel like they had enough information to bring him aboard. Noting how Ta’amu “moved around a little bit”, Reid implied that it was hard to get a read on Ta’amu’s actual talent level. However, thanks to the XFL, Reid and company felt more comfortable with his tools and felt he was worthy of an offseason roster spot.
Even though COVID-19 shortened the inaugural XFL season, Reid still believes that the developmental league is perfect for players like Ta’amu. “You saw it with the Temple quarterback [P.J. Walker]…but he ended up signing with Carolina…and it did the same thing for Jordan [Ta’amu].” Reid says that the ability to learn from professional coaches and seeing how players like Ta’amu react to said coaching was the biggest benefit to the XFL and ultimately why Ta’amu is currently on an NFL roster.
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