The Kansas City Chiefs are in the midst of tough battle with the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium in Week 5, but the primary concern here for Chiefs Kingdom is not about the results of this particular game but the status of All-Pro tight end Travis Kelce.
With less than two minutes left to play in the first half, the Chiefs received the ball after falling behind for the first time and hoped to put up a quick drive enough to score points and come away with some momentum before halftime. Instead, they saw Kelce go down with a very scary fall that had everyone watching worried and waiting.
What happened to Travis Kelce?
In case you missed, the Chiefs were trying to convert a short 2nd-and-1 play and then this happened:
Travis Kelce hurt his right foot/leg on this play, a non-contact injury, and then headed to the locker room: pic.twitter.com/ogfEu6iIOB
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 8, 2023
Just like that, a collective gasp could be heard all over the stadium and likely in your neighborhood. That sort of fall never looks good, but we can also hope and pray that it was only a slip and that Kelce will be okay.
What's the latest on Travis Kelce's injury?
Incredibly, Travis Kelce not only returned to the sidelines with his helmet on for the second half, but he's in the midst of making several important catches on the second drive of the second half. What an incredible return. We will be waiting to see what Andy Reid says after the game.
Who is up next if Travis Kelce is injured?
At his position, the Chiefs will turn to Noah Gray to occupy the TE1 role. Gray is a third-year tight end out of Duke who was a former fifth-round pick with very good hands. He can still occupy a valued role as a pass catcher for the Chiefs, and that's a good thing given how little proven trust or experience there is among the wide receivers on the roster. That said, there's no way to replace Kelce's chemistry, intelligence, and impact and the Chiefs will have a tough time moving the chains for the rest of the afternoon.
Has Travis Kelce been injured before?
Before this season, Travis Kelce was an ironman of sorts as his position. The only games missed in nine previous seasons were late-season games in which the Chiefs chose to rest their starters before the postseason. However Kelce did miss Week 1 of this season with a bone bruise suffered in practice shortly before the Chiefs hosted the Lions. It should be noted that's the only loss of the season for KC so far.