The Kansas City Chiefs pulled off the January surprise by elevating former Clemson wide receiver Justyn Ross from the practice squad to the active roster for Sunday’s game with the Buffalo Bills which will determine who plays the NFL Champion in two weeks in the Super Bowl.
WR Justyn Ross Elevated to Active Roster
Ross was elevated on two occasions in the 2024 regular season and had one target but no catches. There is no doubt he will have some pre-game jitters as he takes the field for the most important game of his life.
In 2023, Ross saw action in 10 games and caught six balls for 53 yards. He is a raw talent who has had a difficult time getting on the field.
The #Chiefs elevated WR Justyn Ross from the practice squad to the active roster for Sunday’s AFC Championship Game vs. the Buffalo Bills. pic.twitter.com/pOGafnWJxT
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) January 26, 2025
The Chiefs are boasting an injury report with no gameday designations for Sunday’s showdown. While the team is still without players such as wide receivers Rashee Rice and Mecole Hardman, who are out for the season and on injured reserve, the entire active roster is ready, willing and able to go for Sunday’s conference championship game against the Bills.
There was some talk Hardman might be back for the playoffs. That did not happen. If this is the official acknowledgement Hardman is done, he did not play in the Divisional Round game either. The Chiefs did not lack receivers without elevating Ross.
Ross also should not be expected to take on a role on special teams, as regularly scheduled active-roster wide receiver Nikko Remigio has taken Hardman’s role as the return specialist.
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Ross is in his third season with the Chiefs and originally signed as an undrafted free agent with the club in 2022.
Ross went to Clemson where he made 39 starts for Dabo Swinney and won a national title as a freshman. He caught 158 balls for 2,379 yards and found the end zone 20 times. He had a stellar three-year college career.
He bypassed his senior season for the NFL Draft which was obviously a mistake as he went undrafted. Perhaps one more year of collegiate seasoning would have raised his draft stock and he could have been a draft choice the following season.
