Skip to main content
Arrowhead Addict
FanSided

Travis Kelce's injury scare underscores his importance to Chiefs offense

After the Chiefs' Week 6 win against the Chargers, Travis Kelce may prove to be more important than ever as the season continues.
ByHunter Stanton
Share on FacebookShare on XShare on Reddit
Google Discover
Oct 18, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) rushes and is tackled by Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley (0) during the first quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images
Oct 18, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) rushes and is tackled by Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley (0) during the first quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Travis Kelce has been a staple of the Kansas City Chiefs' offense for over a decade. This season, he is on pace to break multiple records, including the most receiving yards by a tight end in NFL history.

While this all rings true, Sunday's Week 6 win against the Los Angeles Chargers showed how pivotal Kelce is to the current Chiefs offense.

Travis Kelce suffers early ankle injury in Week 6

Very early in the first quarter, Kelce caught a 5-yard pass from Mahomes and was tackled from behind by Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley, during which Kelce suffered a mild ankle injury:

When fans first saw this, some thought it was worse than expected. With an already battered receiving corps, an injury to Kelce could possibly hurt the Chiefs' impressive offensive season.

However, after seeing the medical staff tape his ankle as tightly as possible and watching him jog back onto the field, fans knew he would return with a vengeance.

Kelce battles through injury to make an impact

Kelce did just that. Despite the early injury, he was able to come back into the game and bounce back in a big way. On the day, Kelce had 4 catches on 5 targets for 53 yards, with his longest reception going for 24 yards:

His big play helped set up the Chiefs for a 2-yard touchdown run by Kenneth Walker. He showed a lot of heart during the game, coming up in big moments and aiding the Chiefs in driving down the field as quickly as possible. He also showed some scrappiness, almost getting into it with a few Chargers defenders and playing through the injury.

Chiefs face questions about Kelce's ankle moving forward

In head coach Andy Reid's postgame remarks, he stated, "Kelce tweaked his ankle there; he continued to play. He might be a little sore tomorrow, but he did a nice job tonight."

This injury will be key to watch, depending on how he heals up. Kelce being able to play on it is a great sign, but the Chiefs could limit his snaps to prevent further damage to his ankle. Of course, there are a lot of "ifs," and it will be a wait-and-see decision for the Chiefs. If the Chiefs say he can go full-go, then he will.

Additionally, with multiple injuries to the Chiefs' receiving corps, with Tyquan Thornton out with an ankle dislocation and Rashee Rice nursing a hamstring concern, Kelce is going to prove more pivotal than ever as a target in 2026. Currently, he has been playing well, ranking sixth among TEs in receiving yards (299), first among TEs in yards per reception (15), first among TEs in YAC per reception (9.8), and first among TEs in passer rating when targeted (139.7). Mahomes is still looking his way a lot.

The Chiefs can only hope that Kelce's ankle isn't a persistent problem as they take a road trip to Seattle. The schedule gets tougher from here on out for the Chiefs, and Kelce is too important an offensive fixture to lose for any length of time.

Add us as a preferred source on Google
Home/Kansas City Chiefs News