Former Ohio State Safety Tanner McCalister Released by the Kansas City Chiefs

Former Ohio State safety Tanner McCalister was released by the Kansas City Chiefs on Tuesday, according to the NFL transaction wire. The move marks yet another turn in a journeyman professional career that began with a single productive season in Columbus — a career defined less by long-term stability and more by persistence across multiple NFL organizations.

Tanner McCalister’s Standout Season at Ohio State

McCalister, a 5-foot-11, 191-pound defensive back from Rockwall, Texas, transferred to Ohio State from Oklahoma State ahead of the 2022 season specifically to reunite with new Buckeyes defensive coordinator Jim Knowles. The move paid off immediately. McCalister started 12 games that season, finishing with 24 tackles while leading the team with three interceptions, including a pair against Iowa and another pick against Wisconsin.

Those contributions were a meaningful part of a defense that helped power Ohio State to an 11-2 regular season and a trip to the Peach Bowl. McCalister brought more than just production, too — his existing scheme familiarity from playing under Knowles at Oklahoma State allowed him to step in and contribute right away, and he also earned a finance degree during his time at Ohio State.

Tanner McCalister’s Winding Road Through the NFL

McCalister went undrafted in 2023 but quickly found a home, signing with the Cleveland Browns and appearing in three games as a rookie, primarily on special teams. His path since then has taken him through several organizations: three more games with the Denver Broncos in 2024, a stint with the New York Jets, and multiple practice-squad rounds with the Kansas City Chiefs.

Kansas City signed McCalister to a reserve/futures contract in February 2026 after he had spent the tail end of the 2025 season with the organization. He was waived during Kansas City’s final roster cuts in late August, only to be immediately re-signed to the team’s practice squad. Tuesday’s release closes out that latest chapter with the Chiefs.

What Tanner McCalister’s Journey Says About Ohio State’s NFL Pipeline

For Buckeye fans, McCalister represents a familiar and respected archetype: the late-arriving transfer who produces immediately in his lone season on campus, then spends years fighting for every available NFL opportunity afterward. Ohio State’s secondary has sent a steady stream of talent to the league over the years, and while McCalister never became a household name like some of his more decorated teammates, he delivered timely, winning-caliber production exactly when the Buckeyes needed it most.

His college tape reflected a physical, versatile defensive back capable of playing both safety and nickel, with a clear understanding of complex coverage concepts — traits that made him a valuable piece of Ohio State’s 2022 defense, even without the flashier recruiting pedigree of some of his position-group peers.

Tanner McCalister’s NFL Production Hasn’t Matched His College Impact

The NFL has been considerably less kind to McCalister statistically. Across six career regular-season appearances, he’s recorded just three tackles and no interceptions. Practice-squad life — elevations, releases, and re-signings — has largely defined his professional career to this point, a common reality for defensive backs who carve out NFL careers as depth and special-teams contributors rather than as full-time starters.

Why This Release Isn’t Necessarily the End of the Road

Releases like Tuesday’s are a routine part of the NFL calendar as teams continue adjusting their rosters after Week 1. Kansas City, for its part, opened the season with a 31-10 win over Denver and continues fine-tuning its depth chart accordingly. At 26 years old, McCalister remains a free agent who can be claimed off waivers or signed to another team’s practice squad. Players with his profile — proven college production, positional versatility, special-teams value — often bounce between organizations for years before an injury elsewhere on a roster or the right scheme fit finally opens a more permanent door.

What’s Next for Tanner McCalister

Ohio State fans have seen this story play out before: a former starter who keeps showing up, keeps grinding, and waits patiently for the next opportunity to call. Whether that next call comes later in 2026 will likely come down to the same qualities that made McCalister valuable in Columbus in the first place reliability, versatility, and a genuine willingness to contribute wherever a coaching staff needs him. For now, another former Buckeye finds himself back on the open market, but Ohio State’s broader pipeline to the NFL continues moving forward, even as individual careers like McCalister’s take the long, uncertain path to try to stick.