Kansas City, Mo. ? As excitement builds in Kansas City and the Chiefs inch closer to their first playoff appearance since 1997, Tony Gonzalez has a big regret.

His buddy, Donnie Edwards, is not here to share in the fun. Instead of making his sideline-to-sideline tackles for the 10-1 playoff-bound Chiefs, the former Kansas City linebacker is plugging away with the 2-9 San Diego Chargers.

Edwards played for the Chiefs the first six years of his standout career and was one of the most popular athletes in town. But then when Dick Vermeil came in as head coach and installed Greg Robinson as defensive coordinator, issues arose. There was a salary-cap problem that needed to be resolved.

Plus, Edwards did not feel at all comfortable in the role designed for him in Robinson’s scheme. So he moved on to San Diego, his hometown, and was reunited with another former Kansas Citian, coach Marty Schottenheimer.

His old friends in Kansas City wish him well and wish he still was wearing Chiefs gear.

“He should have been part of this, and I’ll say that in public,” said Gonzalez, the Chiefs’ Pro Bowl tight end. “He’s one of my best friends, and I know he’d have liked to have been part of this. But things didn’t work out; that’s the NFL for you.

“I know he’s happy out there, especially when they started out well last year, and he made his first Pro Bowl. Everything seemed like it was working out for him. It’s gone down this year, but it will come back.”

Edwards led the Chiefs in tackles for four years.

“We’re making progress,” he said. “We’ve got five games left, and we’d like to start something that will give us momentum going into next year.”

A victory over Edwards and the Chargers combined with a loss to Oakland by Denver would give the Chiefs their first AFC West title since Schottenheimer’s 1997 team went 13-3.