KC Chiefs: Tyrann Mathieu remains out of Thursday’s practice

With each day that creeps forward in the week without Tyrann Mathieu in practice, the chances of the team’s star safety suiting up for the K.C. Chiefs goes down in an important Week 1 game against the visiting Cleveland Browns.

After being surprisingly placed on the COVID/reserve list a week ago, Mathieu continues to sit out of practice, which means he’s yet to put together two negative tests spaced 24 hours apart—the requirements set forth by the National Football League for the coming season.

Mathieu has been the single biggest question mark for the Chiefs all week long given his importance on defense. He’s the ultimate chess piece on whom defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has learned to rely, a versatile player who can shut down the slot or align at various safety roles in order to help mask coverages and make plays on the ball. Even more important is the fact that he’s such a strong emotional core to the team, an ultimate leader in the secondary who helps everyone else line up correctly and communicate what they see.

Tyrann Mathieu is missing practice once again due to COVID-19.

Missing practice on Thursday doesn’t mean he’s out for sure, but it’s going to come down to the wire for the Chiefs as to whether or not they have to face a very talented Browns offense without him. It’s a unit that features Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt out of the backfield to go with receivers like Jarvis Landry and a healthy Odell Beckham, Jr., among others.

As for Mathieu, he’s the only Chiefs player missing in practice which means that’s good news elsewhere. Even Austin Blythe, the team’s backup center, is back at practice after missing significant time in the preseason following surgery for a sports hernia. That also means that running backs like Clyde Edwards-Helaire and Darrel Williams are in the clear, as is wide receiver Mecole Hardman.

The Chiefs host the Browns at 3:25 p.m. C.T. on Sunday, September 12 to kick off the season.