The Kansas City Chiefs announced on Thursday that the club has released tackles Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz.
"I have a tremendous amount of respect for both Eric and Mitchell," General Manager Brett Veach said. "With Eric, obviously he was the very first player that we drafted when we got to Kansas City, and we were able to watch him grow into a solid tackle for us for many years. With Mitchell, his durability and toughness is remarkable and he certainly left his mark on our team. These decisions are never easy, especially with guys like these, but both of these players will forever be a part of our history."
"I'd like to thank Eric and Mitch for all of their contributions over the years," Head Coach Andy Reid said. "Every day both of these men came to work with the right attitude, ready to grind, both on the field and in the classroom. These guys are both dirty tough, but beyond that, they're good people and I enjoyed coaching them. I wish them the best as they continue their careers."
Fisher (6-7, 315) originally entered the NFL as the first overall selection of the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2013 NFL Draft. In eight seasons with the Chiefs he played in 117 games (113 starts), starting 11 postseason games with the club, including the team's Super Bowl LIV victory following the 2019 season. Fisher was selected to two Pro Bowls while in Kansas City (2018, 2020). He was named the club's Ed Block Courage Award winner following his return from injury during the 2019 season.
The Rochester, Michigan, native was the second player in team history to be drafted number one overall by the Chiefs in either the AFL or NFL Draft. KC drafted Pro Football Hall of Fame DT Buck Buchanan first-overall in the 1963 AFL Draft. Fisher played collegiately at Central Michigan and became the first-ever MAC player to be drafted into the NFL with the first pick.
Schwartz (6-5, 320) has played nine seasons in the NFL, including the last five with the Chiefs (2016-20). He joined Kansas City after four years with the Cleveland Browns (2012-15). Schwartz originally entered the NFL as Cleveland's second-round pick (37th overall) in the 2012 NFL Draft. He's started 134 regular season games (70 in KC) and seven postseason games, including the team's victory in Super Bowl LIV.
The Pacific Palisades, California, native played 7,894 consecutive offensive snaps to begin his NFL career. He started 134 consecutive games on the offensive line prior to being placed on injured reserve in Week 7 of 2020. Schwartz earned All-Pro honors in three consecutive seasons with the Chiefs (2017-19). He played collegiately at the University of California.
