Travis Kelce hands Chiefs and Mahomes worry ahead of NFL season opener

05 September 2023 , 20:53

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Travis Kelce has suffered a knee injury in practice

Travis Kelce has hyperextended his knee and could miss the beginning of the new season.

The Kansas City Chiefs tight end and go-to pass catcher for Patrick Mahomes suffered the injury in their last session in pads ahead of their season opener against the Detroit Lions on Thursday.

The Chiefs head coach Andy Reid confirmed the injury and that Kelce will undergo tests to determine the extent of the injury.

Reid told reporters: "He hyperextended it. So we'll see how he does going forward. They're looking at it now. We'll just see how it goes." He added: "The next guy steps in and we roll. That's what you do if he doesn't play.

Wide receiver Skyy Moore had been running a route when he saw Kelce go down, before he grabbed his knee. He said: "He was limping when I saw him, like just walking off the field. It was a good sign to see him get up by himself and get off the field."

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Kelce has been far-and-away the best tight end in the NFL for several years, putting up numbers unseen before by any player at the position with seven straight years of over 1,000 yards.

The 33-year-old has not missed a game due to injury since 2013, only being rested for certain games throughout his career. The Chiefs cannot afford to be without Kelce for an extended period of time, after losing their two starting wide receivers from last year with JuJu Smith-Schuster and Mecole Hardman leaving the team.

The extent of the injury is not yet known

Mahomes is set to have a have his most inexperienced supporting cast around him this season, with rookies and second-year players set to start at wide receiver and two new starting offensive tackles.

The Chiefs come into the season as big favourites to return to the Super Bowl after winning it last season, but have lost a number of key players on the defensive side, as well as those mentioned on offense, and could struggle without Kelce.

The Chiefs other tight ends on the roster are Noah Gray and Blake Bell - who had 28 catches and one touchdown between them last season, as Kelce had 110 and 12 touchdowns.

Charlie Wilson