The Kansas City Chiefs expect to get All-Pro defensive lineman Chris Jones back in the lineup after his holdout for Week 2 against the Jacksonville Jaguars but Travis Kelce’s injury status is still up in the air with head coach Andy Reid noting the tight end went through a walkthrough and would test his knee during practice on September 13.
Kelce also offered a status update during the latest installment of the “New Heights” podcast with his brother Jason Kelce.
“Things are looking up,” Kelces said on the episode which premiered on September 13. “I feel good feel a lot better than I did last week felt like an absolute a****** not being able to play in that first game.
“I did run [Tuesday], and it feels like I might be able to play this week.”
Chiefs’ Travis Kelce Injury Update: ‘Things Are Looking Up’
Travis Kelce Felt Like an A******
The Chiefs fell to the Detroit Lions 21-20 at home on their banner-raising night.
That’s not how they wanted to start their title reign, and it happened with Jones and Kelce sidelined for different reasons. Both players were in attendance, though, with Kelce joining teammates on the sidelines while Jones watched from the stands (he was not permitted to be on the sidelines amid his holdout, per league rules.)
Reid’s update on Kelce’s progress is certainly a step in the right direction. And hearing good things from the player himself never hurts.
“You gotta be very fortunate to play this game,” Kelce said. “I take a lot of it to heart, being able to be out there every single week. … I love to put that on my shoulders, on my resume. That I make myself available every single week.”
Jason Kelce certainly believed his brother would be able to bounce back in time for last Sunday.
Travis Kelce’s Brother Offers Insight Into Chiefs Star’s Injury
Kelce – who had not missed a game due to injury since 2013 as a rookie – explained the injury.
“A non-contact injury. … I was literally running a route and stuck my foot in the ground, and hyperextended my knee,” Kelce went on to explain of the injury suffered during practice on September 5. “The last practice going into the first game, I got a little lazy on some of my movement and … offed myself and couldn’t play in the first game.”
He did joke that he believes the injury was a bit of karma for teasing sister-in-law Kylie Kelce and comedian Kevin Hart for trying things “they shouldn’t be because they’re too old”.
He vowed never to make fun of anyone else.
Travis Kelce ‘Had Absolutely Nothing’ to do with Chris Jones Ending Holdout
“I get my friend back in the building, man. Get my dog back, man,” Kelce said of Jones’ holdout coming to an end. “Freaking, it’s Baby Shaq. You just miss that guy’s aura when he’s not around, you know what I mean?”
Kelce went on a previous episode of his podcast and tried “bargaining” with Jones to rejoin the team, albeit to no avail.
“I had absolutely nothing to do with this s***,” he said while laughing when asked if he could take credit. “All I heard was that we got Chris Jones back for a year. And, hopefully, they can figure something out after this season to keep him here as long as I’m here. Other than that, it was a tough one, man.”
Travis Kelce (knee) and Chris Jones back together on the #Chiefs practice field today @KSHB41 pic.twitter.com/TdW6h3zZg4
— Aaron Ladd (@aaronladdtv) September 13, 2023
With the absence of Jones – who led the team with 15.5 sacks last season – the Chiefs brought down Lions quarterback Jared Goff just one time and pressured him just four times in 35 dropbacks.
They did, however, limit what is expected to be an explosive Lions offense to just 14 points with the other touchdown coming from an interception of quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
“Defense played really good.”
With Jones back in the mix, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo will be able to do more things with his defense and the unit as a whole should look much better, especially when it comes to getting after the quarterback. But Kelce also noted that the drops that plagued the wide receiving corps won’t go through that again, saying, “Don’t get caught up in Week 1, man.”
Main Photo: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
