The Kansas City Chiefs have confirmed the difficult decision to release Mike Danna, who had been with the team since 2020 and developed under head coach Andy Reid alongside the defensive staff. During his tenure, Danna also celebrated back-to-back Super Bowl titles with quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
Danna departs after a season in which he played 15 games, starting 14 of them, in a campaign slightly shortened by a quadriceps injury. “Two-time Super Bowl champ, thanks for everything,” the Chiefs wrote in a farewell message on X (@Chiefs).
As a defensive lineman, Danna was a key presence in the trenches. He became a full-time starter beginning in the 2023 NFL season, when he recorded 50 combined tackles, his best mark with Kansas City, along with 13 quarterback hits. His defensive production dipped in 2025.
Why did the Chiefs release Danna?
The exact reason has not been officially disclosed, as neither the Chiefs, Reid, nor Mahomes have commented publicly. However, several analysts have pointed to financial considerations, suggesting the team is looking to create salary cap flexibility to pursue other moves.
“Indeed, Mike Danna has been released… The business side is it saves about $11 million in cap hit. The personal side is he was one of the top guys in the locker room, always accessible and had plenty of good moments on the field. Certainly will succeed with another team,” wrote Harold R. Kuntz of Fox 4 Kansas City on X (@haroldrkuntz3).
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With finances clearly in focus, parting ways with a veteran is a calculated risk. According to Ari Meirov, the Chiefs could now have more than $50 million in available cap space for next season, with additional roster moves potentially on the horizon.
“The Chiefs restructured Patrick Mahomes’ contract, creating $43.56M in cap space. Now they released Mike Danna to clear another $8.9M. They are now close to being cap compliant, with more moves coming as a big offseason looms,” Meirov wrote on X (@MySportsUpdate).
