07 September 2023 , 14:54
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Travis Kelce could make a sensational recovery from his knee injury sustained on Monday to play in the Kansas City Chiefs’ opening game against the Detroit Lions on Thursday night (8:20pm ET, 1:20am BST).
Kelce is the star offensive weapon for the Chiefs and is considered one of the greatest tight ends in NFL history. He’s an eight-time Pro Bowler and four-time first-team All-Pro selection, holding the NFL record for most overall seasons with 1,000 yards receiving by a tight end.
The 34-year-old limped out of practice on Monday with many fearing the worst, but tests revealed his ACL remains intact. Kelce reportedly avoided a major knee injury, although there is swelling and inflammation,
While he did not suffer a season-ending injury, Kelce could still miss the clash with the Lions to open the 2023 NFL season with the NFL Network reporting he suffered a bone bruise. He was listed as questionable on Kansas City’s final injury report of the week.
However, Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt is clearly confident the superstar tight end will take to the field alongside quarterback Patrick Mahomes when the defending Super Bowl champions kick their season off on Thursday. According to GMFB, Hunt said: “I wouldn’t bet against him being on the field tonight.”
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The Chiefs will put Kelce through a workout to test his knee and determine if he’ll be able to play in the opener or if it’s wise to wait and have him return in the future. If the swelling does not subside enough and Kelce is ruled out, Noah Gray could assume a substantial target share for Kansas City as the second tight end on the depth chart.
Blake Bell could also see some targets for the Chiefs as the backup to Gray, while receivers Kadarius Toney and Skyy Moore are expected to see plenty of action. Moore has received plenty of praise and buzz throughout the offseason as he hopes to excel and further build his chemistry with Mahomes.
Remarkably, Kelce will want to play against the Lions to maintain his ironman streak. He has not missed a game due to injury in a decade; back in his rookie season of 2013, Kelce played just one professional snap before a knee issue forced him to miss the remainder of the year.
Travis Kelce is considered the gold-standard for tight ends in the NFL (AP)Earlier this year in Super Bowl LVII, Kelce and brother Jason - center for the Philadelphia Eagles - made NFL history as being the first brothers to face off against each other in a Super Bowl. Jason shares Hunt’s optimism over Kelce’s health, suggesting swelling will dictate whether the tight end plays or not.
“I’ve done something similar when you just plant, and your knee hyperextends,” Jason said on the WIP Morning Show in Philadelphia. “I know he’s got some swelling going on, but it sounds like as long as they can get that down, he’s gonna have a chance to go.
“The ligaments and everything are intact. Structurally, from what we know right now, his knee is fine, so really it’s about getting that swelling down and then seeing how bruised that bone is because if you have ever had those, they can be pretty painful.”
Kelce’s Chiefs take on the Lions at Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday Night Football to kick off the 2023 regular season.