The Kansas City Chiefs continue to make moves. Even after drafting seven players in the 2026 NFL Draft, they kept an eye on undrafted free agents to increase the depth of their roster.

The Chiefs held a rookie minicamp from May 1 to 3, and one name that stood out: EJ Warner, son of Hall of Famer Kurt Warner. Sports journalist Matt Foster shared a glimpse of Warner during the tryout workout on X on Sunday.

”Fresno State QB EJ Warner -- the son of NFL Hall of Fame QB Kurt Warner -- was a tryout this weekend at #Chiefs rookie mini camp.” 

This rookie minicamp gives EJ a chance to put his best foot forward with the Chiefs. As the son of Hall of Famer Kurt, he brings a familiar football background into camp. The team has already added Garrett Nussmeier. If they sign Warner, too, it will deepen the QB room for the Chiefs.

The Senior Warner had built one of the strongest quarterback careers in the NFL, winning the league’s MVP award twice in 1999 and 2001 and earning Super Bowl XXXIV MVP honors. He also threw more than 200 touchdown passes and finished with a 93.7 passer rating.

On the other hand, EJ finished his college career with more than 10,000 passing yards and a 61.6% completion rate. Despite this strong football IQ and production, he went undrafted.

The 22-year-old is not the only rookie arriving at Chiefs minicamp with a well-known football name and something to prove.

Another Familiar Football Name Enters Chiefs Minicamp

The Kansas City Chiefs continue to look for new options, and another well-known football name has now entered the Chiefs’ roster.

Soon after the 2026 NFL Draft ended, Running Back EJ Smith, son of Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith, announced that he had signed with the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent through Instagram.

“Excited to officially sign with the Kansas City Chiefs as a free agent. Nothing is given. Everything is earned. I’m ready to work, learn, and prove myself every single day.” 

The senior Smith built one of the most successful careers in NFL history, finishing with 18,355 rushing yards, 164 touchdowns, and three Super Bowl titles. Now his son is getting ready for his shot with the Chiefs.

As per NBC News, there had been early discussion about the Dallas Cowboys because of his father’s history there, but Smith chose a different way for himself.

Now, with the Chiefs, it would be interesting to see how he is going to make his place in the Andy Reid system.

What do you think of EJ Warner's chances of being signed by the Chiefs?

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Written by

Shreya Mishra

Edited by

Zaid Quraishi