KANSAS CITY, Mo. — All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce hyperextended his knee Tuesday at practice, which could leave the Kansas City Chiefs even more short-handed as the 2023 season kicks off Thursday against Detroit.
“We’ll just see how he does going forward,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Tuesday during his final availability before the opener versus the Lions.
Kelce, the Chiefs' record-setting star and a focal point of the offense, missed all but one play of his rookie season in 2013 after knee surgery, but he's been remarkably healthy since.
Reid said Kansas City’s medical staff was still evaluating Kelce’s knee and he had no idea what his status would be for Thursday’s game.
Ian Rapoport with the NFL Network said via social media that Kelce didn't suffer a "long-term injury," but his status for the opener "is in doubt" and the team will "wait for swelling to go down and go from there."
#Chiefs star TE Travis Kelce’s status is in doubt for Thursday night’s opener vs. the #Lions because of his knee injury, but sources tell me and @TomPelissero it’s not believed to be a long-term injury. They’ll wait for swelling to go down and go from there. pic.twitter.com/pzuOYz2wt2
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 5, 2023
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Kelce didn't tear his ACL, an injury that would almost certainly be season-ending.
After tests today, the Chiefs believe Travis Kelce’s ACL is intact, per source. There is inflammation in his knee, and they will test it again Wednesday to determine his availability for Thursday night vs. the Lions.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 5, 2023
Kelce is the NFL equivalent of a unicorn and has topped 1,000 yards in seven consecutive seasons. No other tight end has ever had more than four 1,000-yard seasons.
He has finished first or second in receiving yards for Kansas City each of the last nine seasons, including a career-high 110 catches for 1,338 yards with a career-best 12 touchdowns last season.
“It happened right in front of me,” Reid said. “He hyperextended it.”
Reid, who seemed agitated, also said there had been “no progress” with respect to All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones’ contract holdout.
When pressed about Kelce’s injury, Reid said, “I’ll tell you what with the injuries. I’ll give them to you game day. If I can’t say that everybody’s good to go, you’ll see the ‘X’ when we get there.”
Kelce would be the eighth player added to the Chiefs’ injury report.
On the initial injury report of the season, Kansas City listed four players — wide receiver Richie James (knee), cornerback L’Jarius Sneed (knee), wide receiver Kadarius Toney (knee) and defensive tackle Tershawn Wharton (knee) — as limited participants after Monday’s practice.
Three others — guard Nick Allegretti (pec), cornerback Nic Jones (hand) and defensive end BJ Thompson (hamstring) — were full participants.
The Chiefs' updated injury report Tuesday afternoon had James, Wharton, Allegretti, Jones and Thompson as full participants.
Sneed and Toney remained limited along with Kelce after the injury during practice.
Cornerback Emmanuel Moseley (knee) is the only Lions players who has been limited in practice this week.
Reid expressed optimism that Sneed and Toney along with the other players who had already been on the injury report would be able to play.
“I think most guys are there,” Reid said.
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