The Kansas City Chiefs bolstered the interior of their defensive front on Thursday by signing defensive tackle Khyiris Tonga.
Here are five things to know about the newest member of the defense.
1. Tonga appeared in 14 games for the New England Patriots last season.
The 29-year-old Tonga appeared in 14 games (with 8 starts) for New England last season, logging career-bests in snaps (337), defensive stops (13) and pressures (14).
He recorded at least 20 defensive snaps in 12 games (including the postseason), recording the top run-stop percentage (7.8%), which indicates the percentage of a player's run-defense snaps that resulted in a stop, of any interior lineman on the Patriots (when including the playoffs). For reference, that figure would have led the Chiefs defensive tackles, too.
2. He's a big man at 6-foot-2, 335 pounds.
Tonga checks in at 335 pounds, which immediately makes him the heaviest player on the Chiefs' roster. In addition to making plays himself, his imposing frame makes him an ideal nose tackle, where he can crash in over the center or guard and open up opportunities for other players – notably, defensive tackle Chris Jones – inside.
Tonga logged 181 snaps at nose tackle and 227 snaps at defensive tackle in 2025.
3. Prior to his lone season in New England, Tonga spent time with the Bears, Vikings and Cardinals.
Before joining the Patriots, Tonga appeared in 15 games for Chicago in 2021, 25 games for Minnesota between the 2022-23 campaigns, and 13 games for Arizona in 2024.
In total, Tonga has recorded 67 career appearances (with 15 starts) during his NFL career.
4. He logged 14 offensive snaps last season as a fullback.
The Patriots were creative with the 335-pound Tonga, lining him up at fullback on 14 occasions over the course of the season. He served as a lead blocker on each snap.
Simply put, Head Coach Andy Reid has a chance to have some fun with Tonga.
5. Tonga originally entered the NFL as a seventh-round pick in 2021.
A standout at BYU for four seasons from 2017 through 2020, Tonga amassed 130 tackles, 15 tackles-for-loss, 12 passes defensed, 7.5 sacks and two forced fumbles across 50 games (32 starts) for the Cougars. Interestingly, Tonga – prior to his time at BYU – served on a church mission in nearby Wichita for two years.
He was a team captain as a senior in 2020, and following his impressive career in Provo, Tonga heard his name called with the No. 250 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Tonga's journey has been a winding one, but now all these years later, he's headed to Kansas City to join Steve Spagnuolo's defense.
