While the term “journeyman” may be one of the most over-used clichés in sports, it’s hard to think of any other way to describe Kyle Orton’s NFL career.
Orton has been with three teams in his seven seasons and despite posting respectable numbers, he seems poised to move onto his fourth team after filling in for the injured Matt Cassel in the Kansas City Chiefs’ final three games.
After beating the Denver Broncos, the team he started the season with, Orton’s tenure with the Chiefs is most likely over and another team will sign the solid quarterback.
Orton was asked if he thought he would be back in Kansas City next year after the game and he had this to say in a report from Adam Teicher of the Kansas City Star:
“I don’t know. I’m going to step away. I know they’ve got a great quarterback in Matt Cassel. Matt’s a good friend, he’s a great teammate and he’s a great quarterback. As I look at it, it’s his team. We’ll see what happens.”
No matter what happens in the offseason, Orton’s stay in Kansas City was a positive experience and he stepped in a stabilized a team that was in turmoil after four awful starts by Tyler Palko and the firing of Todd Haley.
“I thank the Chiefs for giving me an opportunity to get a fresh start,” Orton said. “I really enjoyed playing with those guys in the locker room. I think they’ve got a solid group of character guys. I appreciate them letting me come in and finish this season on a strong note.”
Orton went 59 for 96 passing for 799 yards one touchdown and two interceptions in three starts for Kansas City.
