KC Chiefs vs. Steelers: Travis Kelce, Pat Freiermuth among inactive players

The Kansas City Chiefs are used to running a significant portion of their offensive firepower through the tight end position given that they employ the tremendous talents of Travis Kelce. The Pittsburgh Steelers are just getting used to it with the clear potential of Pat Freiermuth.

Unfortunately, both players will be inactive when these teams face each other in Week 16.

Instead of seeing an exhibition of two of the league’s best at the position, both Kelce and Freiermuth have been ruled out coming into the contest for varied reasons. Kelce went on the Chiefs’ COVID reserve list earlier this week and couldn’t generate negative tests in time to return like his teammate Tyreek Hill. For Freiermuth, he remains in the Steelers’ concussion protocol after suffering a head injury last week.

Here are lists of inactive players for Chiefs vs. Steelers in Week 16.

It’s a big game ahead for both teams when they play at Arrowhead on Sunday afternoon and the losses on the inactives list aren’t helping either side.

For the Chiefs, they literally just earned the AFC’s top seed with three weeks left to play after last week’s overtime victory in a short week over the L.A. Chargers. They now have a two-game lead in the division but they’re chasing the rare first-round postseason bye which helps teams so much entering the last month of the season. They will now defend that with several players missing.

As for the Steelers, their backs are against the wall in an AFC North that has given them just enough breathing room to believe, but a loss against K.C. would devastate their chances of playing in the postseason. Given this is reportedly Big Ben Roethlisberger‘s final season, expect the Steelers to go all out in their attempts to make every game count from here on out.

Here’s the list of official Chiefs inactives:

• Travis Kelce, tight end
• Lucas Niang, offensive line
• Nick Bolton, linebacker
• Shane Buechele, quarterback

Here’s the list of official Steelers inactives:

• Pat Freiermuth, tight end
• Chris Wormley, defensive line
• Buddy Johnson, linebacker
• Dwayne Haskins, quarterback
• Cameron Nizialek, punter
• Pressley Hardin, punter

The Chiefs and Steelers kick off at Arrowhead Stadium at 3:25 p.m. C.T.