An injury in the opening minutes can change a team’s plans for the whole afternoon. Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce found himself in that position against the Los Angeles Chargers when he hurt himself on a play.
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Former Chiefs wide receiver Gehrig Dieter praised the veteran tight end for braving the pain and continuing to play.
“Kelce is a dawg! They don’t make em like him anymore. Anyone else would be milking that ankle injury.” Dieter wrote on X.
Kelce played through a right ankle injury and finished the day with 53 yards.
The injury happened on a screen pass during Kansas City’s first possession. Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley tackled Kelce, and his right ankle appeared to twist as he went to the ground. Kelce limped toward the sideline and had the ankle examined and taped. However, he was able to return in the game.
It was also a reminder that toughness is not always measured by a highlight play. Sometimes it is the decision to return, trust the medical staff, and keep doing the job while the game is still unfolding. After returning, he also made a big play by adding a 24-yard gain on a pass from Mahomes.
Kansas City could hardly afford another setback. Wide receivers Rashee Rice and Tyquan Thornton were already unavailable, leaving the offense short on receiving options. Kelce’s return therefore mattered.
After the game, head coach Andy Reid confirmed that Kelce had played through the ankle issue.
“Kelce tweaked his ankle there but continued to play. It might be a little sore tomorrow, but he did a nice job tonight.”
Travis Kelce is 37 years old, and is presumably playing his last season this year. However, so far this season, he has played in a way that shows he still has the same zeal. He has already passed Jason Witten to now have the second-most receiving yards for a tight end in NFL history. Against the Indianapolis Colts, Kelce posted 101 receiving yards in nine receptions.
Andy Reid said this offseason that he had to “yank” Kelce out of practice, he works that hard.
It is not clear if Kelce was in pain as he played for the remainder of the Chargers game. But Patrick Mahomes favored Xavier Worthy on Sunday, who caught all seven catches he was targeted for. Worthy finished with 73 receiving yards, leading the Chiefs pass-catchers.
Kenneth Walker III led the ground attack with 128 rushing yards and two touchdowns, and Mahomes completed 23 of 30 passes for 272 yards while winless Los Angeles fell to 0-6.
The defense did its part to protect the lead. Kansas City sacked Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert four times, with Ashton Gillotte, George Karlaftis, and Chamarri Conner among those who got to him, and the Chiefs outgained Los Angeles 422 yards to 259. The Chargers couldn’t record a single touchdown, having to settle for two field goals.
Walker, meanwhile, gave the offense a steady base. His 128 yards came on 19 carries, and it was his fourth 100-yard game in five contests since signing with Kansas City. His 33-yard touchdown run on the Chiefs’ second drive set the tone early.
For Chiefs fans, the encouraging part is how little the injury changed the afternoon. Travis Kelce kept contributing, the run game carried the load, and the defense gave Los Angeles very little room to work.
Meanwhile, Kelce is gearing up for a high-stakes trip to Seattle, where the Chiefs take on the defending Super Bowl champions. The Chiefs had not announced a diagnosis or timetable for Kelce as of late Sunday, so his practice reports this week will show whether he is full-go for it.