Chiefs Sign Track & Field Star Tautvydas Kieras To Play Linebacker

The Kansas City Chiefs announced that they’ve signed Mississippi State track and field star Tautvydas Kieras to a contract on Wednesday.

We have signed LB, Tautvydas Kieras, Mississippi State.

— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) March 18, 2016

Kieras didn’t play football during his college career at Mississippi State, but he participate in their Pro Day on Thursday, and appears to have wowed the Chiefs with what they saw.

“Coaches were so surprised that I had never done stuff,” Kieras said, via Hail State Beat. “They’d tell me to do something, first or second try I’d do it correctly. It might not look as fluid, but then the fifth or sixth time, I look like another football player … It helped me a lot, discus. It was just a couple practices, but I felt comfortable with it. Tell me to run, I run. Tell me to knock the guy out, I knock the guy out. I felt comfortable.”

During the workout, Kieras totaled 24 reps on the 225-pound bench press, ran a 4.69 40-yard dash, recorded a vertical leap of 35” and a broad jump of 9’8”. He measured in at 6’3” and 271 pounds, so he could be an impressive player if the Chiefs can get him to show signs of development this summer.

Kieras will have to compete for a roster spot and given that he’s never played a down of football, he’ll need some time to reach his potential. However, if the Chiefs are willing to see it through with him, he could be a very interesting addition to their defense down the road.