KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid provided more clarity on why wide receiver Kadarius Toney and running back Jerick McKinnon missed Sunday’s win at Las Vegas and provided a hopeful update on another injured star during a video conference Monday with reporters.
After Mecole Hardman Jr. hurt his thumb in a loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Toney stepped in at punt returner, but that duty also is the reason Toney wasn’t available against the Raiders.
“He runs so hard and tough that he kept getting banged up in there,” special teams coordinator/assistant head coach Dave Toub said last week. “His hand got hurt and his foot; it’s all different things.”
Officially, Toney suffered hip and ankle injuries, which left him sidelined in Las Vegas.
“I’m not sure he could have taken a hit, and that was what it came down to,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid explained Monday. “We thought we’d give him time — we had a short week — give him as much time as we could to progress there.”
Meanwhile, McKinnon has been battling the groin injury for several weeks.
“He’s kind of pushed through it, but he was at the point where he was going to have a hard time working at the level he wants to work at there and be safe,” Reid said.
But the news was better with respect to starting middle linebacker Nick Bolton, who suffered a dislocated wrist Oct. 22 against the Los Angeles Chargers and needed surgery.
The original timelines called for Bolton to miss six to eight weeks.
“I think we’ll be able to get some work from Nick,” Reid said of the expectation for preparation to play Sunday night at Green Bay. “I mean, he’s wanted to go here even before this but you’re just trying to make sure he’s right.”
Linebacker Drue Tranquill has been solid, at times spectacular, in Bolton’s place.
Hardman landed on injured reserve with the thumb and will miss at least three more games before he’s eligible to return.
The Chiefs at Packers game kicks off at 7:20 p.m. and can be seen on KSHB 41.
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