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Chiefs Place Rookie Safety on IR With Designated to Return to Treat PTSD After Heartbreaking Loss of Girlfriend

Chiefs' Andy Reid on new NBC in-game interviews: 'I've got to do it ... but  don't expect much' | AP News

Kansas City, MO – August 28, 2025 – Chiefs training camp is usually about battles for roster spots, but this year one storyline has overshadowed football. A tragedy far from the field has changed everything for one rookie.

The sadness spread quickly after news broke of Lina Bina, a beloved online creator known as MissJohnDough, passing away at just 24. Complications from a third cosmetic surgery left her community and the NFL world in shock.

Inside Arrowhead’s locker room, the news weighed especially heavy. Coaches and players who had seen a rookie fight for every snap now realized he faced a different kind of struggle — one no playbook could prepare him for.

That rookie is Will Brooks, an undrafted safety from Tennessee. On Tuesday, the Chiefs placed him on Injured Reserve with a designation to return, citing PTSD linked to the heartbreaking loss of his longtime girlfriend.

Brooks’ path to Kansas City was defined by resilience. A defensive leader in the SEC, he led Tennessee in interceptions in 2024 and earned his shot with the Chiefs despite being overlooked in the draft. Teammates recall how Lina’s presence fueled his drive.

“She worked so hard so I could keep my focus on football. She believed in me through every setback. But by the time I finally made it… she was already gone,” Brooks said quietly, surrounded by teammates offering support.

Head coach Andy Reid and GM Brett Veach made it clear that Brooks’s health comes first, reminding everyone that Kansas City’s culture is about more than just winning. “Family is always part of this team,” one coach noted.

The Chiefs will miss Brooks’s speed and potential in the secondary early this season, but the decision ensures he has the space to heal. For him, every return to the field will be about more than football — it will be about love, loss, and resilience.

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BREAKING: Chiefs Officially Sign Veteran WR 3 Hours After Surprise Seahawks Release
Kansas City, MO — The Kansas City Chiefs wasted no time bolstering their wide receiver corps, making a decisive move just hours after a surprise roster cut in Seattle left a proven veteran on the market. With injuries and suspensions testing Andy Reid’s depth chart — Rashee Rice suspended and Marquise Brown nursing a minor hamstring issue — the Chiefs acted quickly to secure immediate help. They landed an experienced vertical threat with championship pedigree. That player is Marquez Valdes-Scantling, the 30-year-old veteran released by the Seahawks on August 26. Within three hours, Kansas City swooped in and finalized a deal, despite competition from Pittsburgh and Buffalo. Valdes-Scantling’s résumé speaks for itself. Across seven NFL seasons, he’s posted 205 receptions, 3,566 yards, and 20 touchdowns. Known for his vertical speed, he once led the NFL in yards per catch with Green Bay in 2020. 🚨 BREAKING: The Chiefs are signing veteran WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling 🚨Valdes-Scantling, 30, was released by the Seahawks on Tuesday.In 2024, he recorded 19 catches for 411 yards and 4 touchdowns. His playoff pedigree is undeniable. Valdes-Scantling owns 24 postseason receptions for 406 yards and five touchdowns — including a 16-yard TD in Super Bowl LVIII with the Chiefs, helping secure back-to-back Lombardi Trophies for Kansas City. After stints with Buffalo and New Orleans in 2024, he revitalized his career with 385 yards and four touchdowns for the Saints, highlighted by a two-score explosion against Atlanta that reminded fans of his big-play flair. Seattle added him this past spring, but roster youth and cap considerations pushed him off the depth chart during final cuts. His release instantly made him one of the most intriguing late-August free agents. For Kansas City, this move represents both urgency and familiarity. With Patrick Mahomes needing reliable vertical threats while the receiver room stabilizes, bringing back a 6-foot-4 target who already knows the system could prove to be one of the savviest late-summer signings of the season.