KC Chiefs have serious injury concerns for Super Bowl LV
By Matt Conner
As the Kansas City Chiefs prepare to visit Tampa to take on the Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV, the defending champions are hoping that the two-week break provided for each competitor will be enough time for some significant injuries to heal in order to have the most talent they can on the field against Bruce Arians’ team.
The Chiefs have already gotten some key players back this postseason after enjoying a first-round bye and resting some starters in Week 17 against the L.A. Chargers. However they’ve also suffered other injuries—including the loss of left tackle Eric Fisher for the rest of the postseason due to an Achilles injury—and some players are still hurting despite being given copious amounts of rest.
Here’s a rundown of the players who are still potentially available to play and what’s at stake with their injuries for the Chiefs.
Sammy Watkins
Over the last two postseason campaigns, Sammy Watkins showed exactly what he means to the Kansas City Chiefs offense with a very productive stretch of 24 catches for 464 receiving yards and 1 touchdown in five games. This year, however, the same injury concerns that have hung over his head (and potential) like a storm cloud have plagued him once again—this time when it matters most. Watkins has played in only 10 games this season for the Chiefs overall, and he’s yet to make his postseason debut.
On the verge of the biggest game, Watkins is likely looking at his last game in a Chiefs uniform given that both sides agreed to a restructured deal last spring that makes him an unrestricted free agent in ’21. There’s still money to be made for Watkins on the open market, even with his health issues, knowing how much of an impact he can have on a game when he’s on the field. He could remind GMs around the league of how dangerous he can be with the ball in his hands with an impressive return for the Chiefs against the Bucs.