NFL
Will Travis Kelce play on Thursday Night’s season opener game after sustaining an injury at Chief’s practice yesterday?
One of the most prolific Tight Ends of the NFL suffered a complicated injury during practice and is now questionable for the game on Thursday.
During Tuesday’s practice, the tight end Travis Kelce hyperextended his knee, as confirmed by head coach Andy Reid. According to NFL Network insiders Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero, Kelce is believed to have suffered a bone bruise. However, the good news is that he avoided a long-term knee injury. His participation in the upcoming game on Thursday is questionable. Once swelling in Kelce’s knee decreases, his status for Week 1 will become clearer.
Travis Kelce has proven himself a reliable player since his debut in 2013. Remarkably, he has never missed a game due to injury, having only sat out three games in total. These absences were due to rest and COVID-19 protocol. Notably, since 2018, when Mahomes became the primary quarterback for the Kansas City team, Kelce has played almost 200 more offensive snaps than any other player in the NFL.
Despite Kelce’s impressive track record, his hyperextended knee injury during practice on Tuesday could pose a significant challenge for Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid, and the entire Kansas City Chiefs team. This is especially concerning since the reigning Super Bowl champions are set to open the season against the Detroit Lions in just two days.
Kelce’s 2022 season was nothing short of impressive, with 110 receptions (third-most in the NFL), 1,338 yards (eighth-most), and 12 touchdowns (second-most). Since Patrick Mahomes took over as quarterback in 2018, Kelce has amassed 493 catches and 6,298 receiving yards, the most by any QB-pass catcher duo. These accomplishments have earned Kelce eight consecutive Pro Bowl appearances, and led the Chiefs in receptions in six of the past seven seasons.