The reigning Tremendous Bowl champion Kansas Town Chiefs may well be with out considered one of their maximum noteceable gamers once they kick off the 2023 habitual season in opposition to the Detroit Lions on Thursday night time. Famous person tight finish Travis Kelce injured his knee in observe on Tuesday, and is formally indexed as questionable to fit up this night. According to ESPN, Kelce is pleading with head teacher Andy Reid and teacher Rick Burkholder to play games within the season opener.
Following Tuesday’s observe, Reid informed newshounds that Kelce hyperextended his knee, however reports have since come out pronouncing that Kelce is coping with a bone bruise. He didn’t observe Wednesday.
Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt mentioned Thursday morning that Kelce can be a “game-time decision.” He hopes Kelce will be capable to proceed.
“He’s somebody who loves to compete, so I wouldn’t bet against him being on the field tonight,” Hunt said on “Good Morning Football.”
Kelce is the most efficient tight finish within the NFL, and is coming off of a marketing campaign through which he stuck a career-high 110 passes for 1,338 yards and a career-high 12 touchdowns era the Chiefs returned to their playground atop the NFL international with a Tremendous Bowl LVII victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. In that matchup, Kelce turned into the primary tight result in NFL historical past to top the Tremendous Bowl victor in receiving yards two times, recording six receptions for 81 yards and one landing.
Kelce hasn’t neglected a tournament because of trauma since his rookie season in 2013, the place he performed only one skilled snap sooner than a knee trauma compelled him to omit the residue of the 12 months. The 33-year-old has led Kansas Town in receiving in 3 out of the closing 4 seasons. If he have been to omit opening night time, it could be relatively the chance for this unproven huge receiving corps.
Skyy Moore, Kadarius Toney, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Rashee Rice, Richie James, Justyn Ross and Justin Watson are all preventing for touches on this offense, and with out Patrick Mahomes’ solidified Deny. 1 go catcher, it will have to be huge distinguishable. Moreover, Noah Grey and Blake Bell are indexed as Kelce’s backups at tight finish. Grey stuck 28 passes for 299 yards and one landing closing 12 months, era Bell performed in simply 3 overall video games.
“I was in on that play, so I was running a route,” Moore mentioned when requested about Kelce’s knee trauma then observe Thursday, via The Athletic. “I was talking to somebody and he was limping, just walking off the field. It was a good sign to see him get up by himself and get off the field.”
Kelce leads all tight leads to receiving yards in step with tournament since 2019 (79.8). He can turn out to be the 7th participant in NFL historical past to report 8 directly seasons with 1,000 receiving yards this 12 months, however Presen 1 could also be in hesitation.
It didn’t jerk lengthy for Vegas to reply to the inside track, because the order has dropped 1.5 issues to Chiefs -5, consistent with Caesars Sportsbook.
