The Kansas City Chiefs have reached into the free-agent market to sign veteran center Austin Blythe to a one-year contract, moving the University of Iowa product back to the Midwest after he spent the past four seasons with the Los Angeles Rams.
A key cog of the University of Iowa’s offensive line in the Hawkeyes 2015 run to the Rose Bowl, Blythe was a Rimington Award finalist in his senior season, awarded to the top center in the nation.
It took Blythe a year to find footing at the professional level, as he was cut by the Indianapolis Colts after playing only eight games in 2016, his rookie season. Picked up soon after by the Rams, he played guard from 2017-2019 before moving to center last season.
Blythe’s signing with coach Andy Reid continues the rebuilding of the Chiefs offensive line, moves necessitated by the release of starting tackles Mitchell Schwartz and Eric Fisher. In response, Kansas City signed guards Joe Thuney and Kyle Long, brought back tackle Mike Remmers, and tendered Andrew Wylie.
The National Football League, on Tuesday, officially expanded the regular-season schedule to 17 games, starting this fall. In 2021, the AFC will have home-field advantage in the “extra game” on the slate, with the Green Bay Packers visiting Arrowhead Stadium in that contest. The NFC North will play at the AFC West in the Week 17 contest, with the other games being Minnesota at the Chargers, Chicago at Las Vegas, and Detroit at Denver.
Kansas City’s home opponents for 2021 will be Denver, Las Vegas, the L.A. Chargers, Buffalo, Cleveland, Dallas, Green Bay, the New York Giants, and Pittsburgh. Kansas City will travel to Denver, Las Vegas, and the L.A. Chargers, in addition to Baltimore, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Tennessee, and Washington.
Photo credit – All-Pro Reels / Wikimedia Commons / Landover, MD
