Schemes can be fixed, but lost personnel is a different story. Fresh off a 20-12 preseason stumble against the Rams, the Kansas City Chiefs spent Week 2 retooling their roster gaps ahead of the Buccaneers matchup. But even as the fundamentals fall into place, the injury bug refuses to cooperate. Standing at the podium on August 20, head coach Andy Reid delivered the ultimate buzzkill: second-year defensive end Ashton Gillotte has suffered a major injury setback.

“Gillotte has a plantar fascia that ruptured,” Reid confirmed the news bluntly during his press conference. “He won’t play.” 

This incident took place just two days after Gillotte’s return from a hamstring strain that was holding him back from practice, as per Matt Foster of KSHB 41. The injury occurred on a one-on-one single coverage drill, with Gillotte up against TE Jared Wiley. Since single coverage against a tight end is a tough nut to crack for a defensive lineman, Wiley was able to gain enough separation to secure the catch. Though Gillotte made an immediate tackle, he appeared to have hurt his foot in the process when it got caught up in Wiley’s legs as they both fell to the ground. 

Gillotte was quickly taken into the medical tent, and he didn’t return for practice. Charles Goldman of A to Z Sports reported that Gillotte is dealing with a foot injury. However, the severity of the injury and the correct timeline of his return remain unknown. 

Nevertheless, the Chiefs, according to ESPN’s Nate Taylor, remain optimistic that Gillotte could return in around three weeks. This means that he could still be available as the Chiefs battle the Denver Broncos in their Week 1 Monday Night Football matchup. With the training camp wrapped up, there’s just over three weeks for the defensive end to rest and recover. 

The medical reality, however, tells a different story. The plantar fascia acts as the foot’s primary shock absorber, connecting the heel directly to the toes. Exploding off the line of scrimmage with a tear is excruciatingly painful, if not physically impossible. Even a partial rupture takes around six weeks to heal.

Back in 2015, the Broncos star quarterback, Peyton Manning, tore his plantar fascia. The injury severely compromised his ability to step into throws, leading to a four-interception game against the Chiefs and subsequent benching. Consequently, he had to miss about six weeks of action. The injury immobilizes the player and puts them on crutches for the first couple of weeks. Then, it’s all about physical therapy and supportive shoes.

Another example from the same season is Drew Brees. While with the Saints, Brees tore his plantar fascia against the Detroit Lions. Unlike Manning, Brees chose not to sit out multiple weeks. Brees worked with the training staff to get a custom carbon-fibre orthotic insert built into a heavily taped shoe. Remarkably, he missed zero games, bouncing back to play just 6 days later in Week 16 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, throwing for 412 yards and 3 touchdowns. 

A return by Week 3 isn’t entirely impossible, but it requires a minor rupture and a flawless rehab akin to Drew Brees’ textbook recovery. Should Gillotte pull off the miraculous comeback, it would provide an enormous boost to a Chiefs defense suddenly thin on pass-rush depth. 

Gillotte’s impact on Kansas City’s front four cannot be understated. Coming off a standout rookie campaign, playing all 17 games with 1.5 sacks, 8 QB hits, and a key interception, he was tracking toward a starting role alongside the first unit.  Now, this foot injury completely alters the edge-rush battle. Former first-rounder Felix Anudike-Uzomah and rookie R Mason Thomas will inherit those primary snaps, with Emmanuel Ogbah adding depth. 

To this point in the training camp, it seemed like Gillotte was on track to start for the Chiefs. This particular setback could change that. 

Unfortunately, Gillotte isn’t the only player dealing with ailments. As the preseason grinds on, Reid addressed a growing list of walking wounded in Kansas City. 

Andy Reid weighs in on the other injuries troubling the Kansas City Chiefs 

Linebacker Jack Cochrane and safety Chamarri Connor both tried to practice through knee issues. But the Chiefs ultimately didn’t let them and put them on the sidelines for the day. Wide receiver Jeff Caldwell hyperextended his knee, while receiver Jimmy Holiday is dealing with a groin issue. On the offensive line, tackle Josh Simmons is out with a back injury, and starting guard Trey Smith missed practice with a hip ailment. However, Reid noted that Smith is actually “making progress.”

But the head coach didn’t seem to understand the severity of the injuries. Instead, he brushed them off as nicks and bruises. 

“These aren’t extended injuries; they’ll be back in,” Reid reassured the media later in his press conference. “Just a nicks-and-bruises type thing. They’re working through them, and they’ll be back in and going.” 

Nevertheless, there are some players who have relieved the Chiefs upon their return from injury. And at the top of the list stands Patrick Mahomes. The star quarterback has already impressed the front office with his performance following an offseason of rehabilitation from his LCL and ACL tear. 

Meanwhile, linebacker Drue Tranquill successfully returned to padded practice. Cornerback L’Jarius Sneed also returned to the practice field for the first time in training camp after recovering from a knee injury. 

Reid’s calm demeanor suggests the team is simply being cautious as they navigate the brutal final days of August. But for now, we need to see if Gillotte and others can make a comeback in time to face the Broncos.