NFC
Chiefs injury report: Tyrann Mathieu in concussion protocol
The championship game is getting ever closer and Kansas City head coach Andy Reid is hopeful that his safety can return for the Bengals clash.
The NFL Conference Championship clash between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Kansas City Chiefs is in sight. On Sunday afternoon both teams meet at Arrowhead Stadium knowing that a win secures their place in arguably the biggest sporting final in world sport, Super Bowl LVI.
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Chiefs only injury concern
The good news for head coach Andy Reid as of Wednesday is that his roster is looking pretty fit. The one real worry surrounds Tyrran Mathieu who remains in concussion protocol and wasn’t able to practice with four days to go till the big game. Mathieu took a blow to the helmet from the knee of teammate Jarran Reed's knee.
Reid spoke to the media with an update and explained that his safety was “doing very well” and said that we’d have to see how he was doing on Thursday but was optimistic, without guaranteeing, that he’d be back.
Fans of the Chiefs will certainly be keeping their fingers crossed that Pro Bowl named Mathieu does make it as he could be a real help in reducing the effectiveness of Bengals QB Joe Burrow.
Bengals protecting Burrow
And talking of their star player, Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said that they plan to spend "a lot of time" working on protection of Burrow (knee), was on the injury report. He was hit 13 times at Tennessee and sacked five times in the first half alone. Taylor said noise at Arrowhead comes with the territory, and the peripheral complications -- silent counts, Burrow calling plays due to headset challenges -- aren't easy to replicate in practice.
"Arrowhead is pretty loud," his opposite number Patrick Mahomes said. "I don't think you can get around that. I'm sure it'll be pretty loud this weekend.
"They're coming in trying to win a big football game. But I'm glad we're at Arrowhead and we're able to use our crowd to our advantage in trying to get a win."
As well as Burrow, wide receiver Tee Higgins (thumb) was also on the report, while wide receiver Stanley Morgan (hamstring) and defensive tackle Josh Tupou (knee) were limited. Defensive end Cameron Sample (groin) was a DNP.