When they face the Detroit Lions to open the 2023 regular season on Thursday night, the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs might be without one of their most crucial players.
Travis Kelce, the top tight end for the Chiefs, hyperextended his knee during practice on Tuesday, according to head coach Andy Reid, but further reports indicate that Kelce has a bone bruise. After missing practice on Wednesday, the Chiefs have categorized Kelce as doubtful for Week 1.
Although Kelce is anticipated to push for a playing role, ESPN reports that the odds are not in his favor. On Thursday, the tight end is anticipated at 1 Arrowhead Drive for knee treatment. The primary deciding factors in whether Reid has him suit up after that will be his symptoms and how well he can perform on the knee.
Kelce, though, will be a “game-time decision,” according to Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt on Thursday morning. Kelce could be able to go, he hopes.
Hunt noted on “Good Morning Football” that because of his passion for competition, “I wouldn’t bet in opposition to him being on the field tonight.”
The best tight end in the NFL, Kelce, just finished a season in which he caught a career-high 110 catches for 1,338 yards and a career-high 12 touchdowns, helping the Kansas City Chiefs win Super Bowl LVII and reclaim the top spot in the NFL. With six receptions for 81 yards and a touchdown, Kelce made NFL history as the first tight end to twice lead the Super Bowl champion in receiving yards.
Since his rookie season in 2013, when he played only one professional snap before suffering a knee injury that forced him to miss the rest of the year, Kelce hasn’t missed a game due to an injury. In three of the previous four seasons, the 33-year-old was Kansas City’s top receiver. This inexperienced wide receiving corps would have a great opportunity if he were to miss opening night.
Without a dependable No. 1 pass catcher for Patrick Mahomes, this offense should be wide open with players like Skyy Moore, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Kadarius Toney, Richie James, Rashee Rice, Justyn Ross, and Justin Watson competing for touches. As Kelce’s tight end back-ups, Noah Gray & Blake Bell are also listed. Bell appeared in just three games last season while Gray grabbed 28 catches for 299 yards and one touchdown.
Upon being questioned about Kelce’s injury to his knee after practice on Thursday, Moore responded, “I was in on the play, so I was running a route,” according to The Athletic. “I was talking to someone when I noticed that he was limping and leaving the field. Seeing him stand up by himself and leave the field was encouraging.
Since 2019, Kelce has averaged 79.8 more receiving yards per game than any other tight end. This year, he has the opportunity to become the 7th player in NFL history to log 1,000 receiving yards in eight straight seasons, but it may not happen after Week 1.
It didn’t take long for Vegas to react to the news; according to Caesars Sportsbook, the line has already reduced by 1.5 points to Chiefs -5.