Travis Kelce, Charvarius Ward join four other KC Chiefs on COVID list

Things aren’t exactly trending in a positive direction for the Kansas City Chiefs as their next opponent creeps closer on the schedule. The total number of players on the team’s COVID reserve list has now crept up to six as of Monday night with the addition of three new faces, including All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce.

Kelce was placed on the COVID reserve list on Monday, per head coach Andy Reid, along with cornerback Charvarius Ward and kicker Harrison Butker. That’s two starters and their only kicking specialist, each of which would be big blows to the team as they face the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 16—their first test since inheriting the No. 1 overall seed in the AFC.

The Chiefs already won a hard-fought battle against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 15 on a short week of rest without three players on the COVID reserve list. Defensive tackle Chris Jones, linebacker Willie Gay Jr., and wide receiver Josh Gordon all were forced to sit out that key AFC West matchup, but the Chiefs still squeaked by with a 34-28 overtime victory at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

The K.C. Chiefs have six players on the COVID reserve list, including Travis Kelce.

Gordon, Gay, and Jones all remained on the reserve list into a new week which now brings the total to six players out. There are reasons to believe some of these players will be back in time to play and maybe even practice later this week, given that symptoms are minor, per reports.

If the Chiefs were to lose Kelce for the contest, it would be a major blow to the Chiefs offense given his centrality to the unit. Kelce had a career-high 191 yards and 2 touchdowns on Thursday night against the Chargers and has been a staple for the offense since his second season in the league back in 2014. So far this season, Kelce has 83 catches for 1,066 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns.

Losing Ward would cripple a defense that’s already without Jones and Gay at the other levels of the defense. If L’Jarius Sneed remains out for a third consecutive game, the Chiefs would have trouble even against a fairly unimpressive Steelers offense on Sunday.

Watch AA for more updates on the Chiefs’ COVID situation as the week unfolds.