Kelby ZendejasFormer Ole Miss quarterbacks Jordan Ta’amu and Chad Kelly are continuing to pursue careers in the NFL as Ta’amu signed a reserves/future contract with the Kansas City Chiefs on Friday and Kelly tried out for the playoff-bound Buffalo Bills earlier this month.
Ta’amu previously signed with the Chief’s practice squad this season only to be promptly cut after contracting and returning from COVID-19 protocols. He then signed with the Detroit Lions practice squad in December where his contract ended in January. The quarterback then decided to sign a reserves/future contract with the Kansas City Chiefs after being cut once again and brought back during the week of Jan. 13.
One thing to note: Ta’amu will be competing for a back-up position against the other two quarterbacks already on the Chief’s practice squad.
As for Kelly, the former Denver Bronco and Indianapolis Colts quarterback managed to secure a Buffalo Bills try out after his Colt’s contract ended in late September of 2020. It seems as though Kelly is being considered for a roster spot next season, not in the current playoffs.
While both quarterbacks graduated from Ole Miss, they started at junior colleges. Kelly came from Eastern Mississippi Community College where in one season he won a Junior College National Championship. Ta’amu played two years at New Mexico Military Institute before coming to Oxford.
Ta’amu left Ole Miss after his senior year in 2018, breaking the school record for the most 400-yard passing games, tied Kelly’s Ole Miss record for 300-yard passing games at 12.
A couple of years prior, Kelly graduated in 2016 and holds the record for 22 consecutive games with a passing touchdown.
