The Kansas City Chiefs bolstered the interior of their defensive line on Wednesday by bringing back a familiar face in veteran Mike Pennel.

This marks Pennel's third stint with Kansas City, and as it turns out, his prior mid-season signings have paid dividends in the past. Pennel joined the Chiefs midway through the 2019 season as Kansas City marched to a victory in Super Bowl LIV, and then in 2023 – again after signing with the Chiefs mid-season – Pennel was part of the team that won Super Bowl LVIII.

The 34-year-old Pennel – who appeared in eight games for Cincinnati this year – was also part of the Chiefs' 15-win season in 2024 that secured a third-straight AFC title, logging 17 appearances and three starts. He tallied three sacks last year, and his 320 defensive snaps ranked third among defensive tackles on the team. That experience suggests that Pennel could carve out a role on the Chiefs' defensive line sooner than later.

Additionally, among interior linemen with at least 150 run-defense snaps (a pool of 99 players), Pennel ranked 13th in the NFL last season against the run according to PFF's metrics.

Overall, Pennel was a significant contributor to a Chiefs' defense that ranked fourth in the league in scoring last season, and now back in Kansas City, he'll have a chance to pick right back up where he left off.