Travis Kelce injury: Chiefs CEO says TE is game-time decision vs. Lions: ‘I wouldn’t bet against him’ playing

The reigning Tremendous Bowl champion Kansas Metropolis Chiefs may very well be with out one in every of their most vital gamers after they kick off the 2023 common season against the Detroit Lions on Thursday night time. 

Following Tuesday’s apply session, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid advised reporters that star tight finish Travis Kelce hyperextended his knee, however reports have since come out that Kelce is coping with a bone bruise. The Chiefs have listed Kelce as questionable for Week 1 after he didn’t apply Wednesday.

In accordance with ESPN, issues are usually not leaning within the path of Kelce playing, although he is anticipated to push to be on the sphere. The tight finish is anticipated to be at 1 Arrowhead Drive on Thursday for remedy for the knee. From there, his signs and the way properly he can carry out on the knee would be the foremost figuring out elements into whether or not or not Reid has him go well with up.

Nonetheless, Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt mentioned Thursday morning that Kelce might be a “game-time decision.” He hope Kelce will be capable of go.

“He is any individual who likes to compete, so I wouldn’t bet against him being on the sphere tonight,” Hunt said on “Good Morning Soccer.”

Kelce is the perfect tight finish within the NFL, and is coming off of a marketing campaign during which he caught a career-high 110 passes for 1,338 yards and a career-high 12 touchdowns whereas the Chiefs returned to their place atop the NFL world with a Tremendous Bowl LVII victory over the Philadelphia Eagles. In that matchup, Kelce turned the primary tight finish in NFL historical past to steer the Tremendous Bowl victor in receiving yards twice, recording six receptions for 81 yards and one landing. 

Kelce hasn’t missed a sport attributable to damage since his rookie season in 2013, the place he performed only one skilled snap earlier than a knee damage pressured him to overlook the rest of the yr. The 33-year-old has led Kansas Metropolis in receiving in three out of the final 4 seasons. If he have been to overlook opening night time, it might be fairly 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 No. 1 cross catcher, it must be huge open. Moreover, Noah Grey and Blake Bell are listed as Kelce’s backups at tight finish. Grey caught 28 passes for 299 yards and one landing final yr, whereas Bell performed in simply three whole video games.

“I used to be in on that play, so I used to be operating a route,” Moore mentioned when requested about Kelce’s knee damage after apply Thursday, via The Athletic. “I used to be speaking to any individual and he was limping, simply strolling off the sphere. It was an excellent signal to see him stand up by himself and get off the sphere.”  

Kelce leads all tight ends in receiving yards per sport since 2019 (79.8). He can change into the seventh participant in NFL historical past to report eight straight seasons with 1,000 receiving yards this yr, however Week 1 could also be unsure.

It did not take lengthy for Vegas to reply to the information, as the road has dropped 1.5 factors to Chiefs -5, in keeping with Caesars Sportsbook.