bv. Ex chiefs 3x Super Bowl: “I Didn’t Choose to Leave the Chiefs — I Chose Not to Quit.” Bills’ New Receiver Says He Still Wants to Retire as a Chiefs
Buffalo, New York – November 11, 2025
For Mecole Hardman Jr., joining the Buffalo Bills isn’t about turning the page — it’s about keeping the story alive. The three-time Super Bowl champion and one of the NFL’s fastest men says he’s still chasing the same dream that started in Kansas City — even if he’s now doing it in Buffalo blue.
Just one days after signing with the Bills practice squad, Hardman addressed his unexpected return to the AFC spotlight with honesty and humility.
“I didn’t choose to leave the Chiefs,” Hardman said. “I chose not to quit. Life in the NFL moves fast — sometimes faster than my own 40-yard dash. But if this league has taught me anything, it’s that heart lasts longer than speed.”
The 27-year-old wide receiver, once one of Patrick Mahomes’ most trusted weapons, played a key role in three championship runs for the Kansas City Chiefs — including catching the game-winning touchdown in Super Bowl LVIII. After brief stints with the Jets, Packers, and now the Bills, Hardman admits that leaving Kansas City never felt permanent.
“Kansas City made me who I am — not just as a player, but as a man,” he continued. “Every time I lace up, I carry that red and gold inside me. I’ll play wherever I’m needed, but when it’s all said and done, I want to retire a Chief.”
In Buffalo, Hardman is embracing a new challenge alongside Josh Allen, bringing the same explosiveness that once electrified Arrowhead Stadium. Bills head coach Sean McDermott praised his professionalism, saying, “You can see the champion in him. He works like he’s still trying to earn a roster spot — and that attitude is contagious.”
Though his role with Buffalo remains uncertain, Hardman’s mindset hasn’t changed — to keep fighting, keep running, and keep proving himself.
“I’ve been to the top,” he said. “But it’s not about rings or stats anymore. It’s about finishing the right way. Wherever football takes me, I’ll always be a Chief at heart.”
For now, Buffalo is his next stop. But when Mecole Hardman Jr. looks back on his career, he hopes the final jersey hanging in his locker will still be red and gold.
