One could spot Anthony Firkser shopping at the grocery store or strolling through The Country Club Plaza and just see a tall, athletic guy. Even the most loyal of Kansas City Chiefs fans may not be able to identify the 6-foot-2, 241-pound Firkser, as he was a mostly behind-the-scenes part of the franchise’s trip to the Super Bowl in February.
Firkser, who grew up Jewish in northern New Jersey and is proud of his heritage, said it was special to be part of the 2024 Chiefs, who finished with 17 wins and three losses.
He credits his faith with staying close with his immediate and extended families. Firkser also enjoys meeting fellow Jewish players in the NFL as well as sharing his Jewish experience with teammates who may not have met many other Jewish people.
The 30-year-old tight end was released by the New York Jets on Oct. 31, 2024, and signed with the Chiefs’ practice squad two days later.
“They’ve been going to the Super Bowl for the last three years, but it was new to me,” Firkser said. “It was cool to see how dialed in everyone was in the organization. It paid off to get us there, and unfortunately, we came up short.”
Being a member of the practice squad means players do everything that their counterparts on the 53-man roster do, except dress for the games.
Firkser was elevated to the active roster for three games — victories over Las Vegas, Cleveland and Houston. He played on special teams on Dec. 21 — less than a week before Hanukkah — and registered a tackle against the Texans.
The regular season game against Houston was Firkser’s last game action, but he practiced with the team throughout the playoffs and made the trip to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, Louisiana.
“You wish that you were out there playing on that stage,” Firkser said. “It’s cool to take it all in from the sidelines after growing up watching it on television with your family and friends every year.”
Firkser said despite all of the external hoopla, teams try to treat the Super Bowl like an ordinary week of practice.
Three days after the Super Bowl loss, the Chiefs signed Firkser to a reserve/future contract.
“I hope to earn my spot and find a role again,” Firkser said. “Each year is different. You never know – I’ll train and work hard.”
New Jersey beginnings
Firkser grew up in Manalapan, New Jersey — a New York City suburb — where he became a bar mitzvah at Temple Shaari Emeth in the community in 2008.
Before he ever stepped on the gridiron, Firkser loved playing basketball. He played in the Maccabiah Games in Israel in the summer of 2013, just before he enrolled at Harvard University.
“I went to Hebrew school weekly and celebrated the bar and bat mitzvahs of family and friends,” Firkser said. “I reconnected with Judaism at the Maccabiah Games. We toured Israel and met a bunch of Jewish athletes from around the United States and around the world. We had a chance to visit Jerusalem and the Dead Sea.”
Firkser first played football as a high school sophomore, yet he set Manalapan school records for receptions, yards and touchdowns.
Firkser considered playing either football or basketball — or even both — at Harvard.
At Harvard, he ultimately chose to play football, where he finished with 99 catches for 1,559 yards and 14 touchdowns. He graduated from Harvard with a bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics in 2016.
Going pro
After a stellar career at Harvard, Firkser went undrafted in the spring of 2017. He signed with the Jets, who play just 40 miles south of his hometown.
Just after Thanksgiving 2017, he signed with the Chiefs’ practice squad. It was Patrick Mahomes’ rookie season, and he was the backup to Alex Smith.
Offensive lineman Mitchell Schwartz, who is also Jewish, was part of that 2017 team that lost to the Tennessee Titans in the AFC Wild Card round.
Travis Kelce was just in his fifth season at the time. Firkser practiced alongside Kelce in both 2017 and 2024.
“It was a unique opportunity being able to learn from Travis,” Firkser said. “You could see how he analyzes film in the meeting rooms and see how he operates on the field. You see all of the little details that make him so successful out there. He’s an awesome teammate — always rooting for everyone and getting everyone hyped up.”
After being released by the Chiefs that offseason, Firkser enjoyed the most successful stretch of his NFL career when he signed with the Titans. Firkser and his wife, Natalie, make their home in Nashville.
Firkser has caught 121 passes for 1,304 yards and seven touchdowns in his career – with more than 90% of that happening between 2018-2021 with the Titans. He even caught a touchdown pass in the 2019 AFC Championship Game loss at Arrowhead Stadium.
After the Titans, Firkser spent a season with the Atlanta Falcons; a few months with the New England Patriots; and time with the Detroit Lions — during which the Lions came within a game of reaching their first-ever Super Bowl.
After the Lions, he returned to the Jets, playing four games (all losses) for the Jets, and he had a chance to play alongside future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers.
“Rodgers’ talent is out of this world,” Firkser said. “He had a great leadership role in the meeting rooms, and you could see how much football he’s seen and played.”
Following his second Jets stint, he began his second Chiefs stint. Firkser played for head coach Andy Reid both in 2017 and 2024.
“Coach Reid is a great coach and a great leader,” Firkser said. “He’s a real intelligent offensive mind. It’s awesome hearing all of his tips and pointers and how he installs plays and how he coaches us up on the film. Everyone really respects him, and he demands a lot from his players. I am really thankful that I was part of it.”