Chiefs rumors: Jerick McKinnon will miss complete postseason after surgery

The Kansas City Chiefs have been taking things week by week without Jerick McKinnon in the backfield as they wait for him to heal up from a groin injury that's lingered for longer than anyone could have originally predicted when it first arose earlier this season. Now after two separate stints sitting on the sidelines, the rumors are churning that McKinnon is actually not coming back to the Chiefs roster this year.

Matt Derrick of Chiefs Digest has a source saying that McKinnon underwent core muscle surgery just after New Year's Day and will be out for the rest of the postseason.

Specifically, Derrick notes that McKinnon had surgery to repair not only the core muscle injury but also a fractured pelvic bone.

Matt Derrick has word that Jerick McKinnon will not return to the roster again this season.

McKinnon has played sparingly for the Chiefs this season even when healthy but most fans assumed it was about saving McKinnon for the postseason. Given that he's in his early thirties and his fairly extensive injury history, it made sense for K.C. to take it slow with him until he could shoulder more responsibility down the stretch and into the postseason—where he's been a star performer for the Chiefs in the past.

The Chiefs placed McKinnon on injured reserve with three regular-season games left to play, so a timeline of returning to the roster following the Wild Card round—in which the Chiefs host the Miami Dolphins—was a possibility until now. Now the Chiefs can put aside any distractions about his availability and look at his long-term projections when the season is over.

The Chiefs did play La'Mical Perine for the entire game on Sunday in Week 18 against the Los Angeles Chargers while rotating young players at nearly every other position. That makes more sense now in light of McKinnon's injury since the team likely knew that Perine would need as much playing time s possible to fill his shoes.

McKinnon finished the 2023 season with 252 yards from scrimmage. He had 25 catches for192 yards and 4 scores through the air and another 21 carries for 60 yards and 1 rushing touchdown. This was his third season in Kansas City.