KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The question swirling around Travis Kelce’s availability has been answered.
He will be inactive for the Kansas City Chiefs’ season opener Thursday night against Detroit at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter and other reports.
Kelce, who hyperextended a knee Tuesday at practice, was listed as questionable Wednesday on Kansas City’s final injury report. He was the only Chiefs player to carry an injury designation into the game.
Kelce reportedly was a game-time decision, according to NFL Network reporter Tom Pelissero.
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Kansas City elevated tight end Matt Bushman from the practice squad and he is active for the game, giving the Chiefs three tight ends.
Schefter also reported that Bushman will be active for the game along with Noah Gray and Blake Bell, the other tight ends on the 53-man active roster.
Kelce’s injury isn’t believed to be a long-term issue, but Kansas City clearly didn’t want to take any chances.
As a rookie, Kelce played one snap before undergoing knee surgery, which cost him the rest of the 2013 season.
He hadn’t missed a game due to injury since, a span of 143 games, in building a first-ballot Pro Football Hall of Fame résumé.
Kelce has posted seven straight 1,000-yard seasons. No tight end in NFL history has more than four 1,000-yard seasons.
With 814 catches for 10,344 yards and 69 touchdowns, he’s 102 catches, 596 yards and seven touchdowns shy of the Chiefs’ franchise records.
Kelce is second in each category to Tony Gonzalez, who had 916 receptions for 10,940 with 76 touchdowns during his 12 seasons in Kansas City.
Gray is expected to get the bulk of the first-team work with Kelce sidelined.
Bell is primarily a blocking tight end, while Bushman provides insurance and still allows the Chiefs to use three-tight end sets.
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