Essentials Inside The Story

• Patrick Mahomes sets the tone for the Chiefs as the team confronts growing injury strain
• Key contributors face uncertain unavailability heading into a short week
• Thanksgiving matchup now depends on how well Andy Reid’s depth chart can withstand the pressure

After a clutch Sunday win over the Indianapolis Colts, the Kansas City Chiefs have boosted their playoff odds to 66%. The locker room is buzzing with energy, and the Chiefs Kingdom is fired up for more action. But hold on. This is the 2025 regular season’s final stretch, and nothing is guaranteed. Even though Patrick Mahomes is keeping an eye on injuries looming over his squad, he’s trying to spark the idea that the fight isn’t over yet.

“Everyone is banged up at this time of the year, but you’ve got to be able to fight through that and play your best football.” AtoZ Sports‘ Charles Goldman quotes the Chiefs quarterback, Patrick Mahomes.

Well, it looks like Thanksgiving is shaping up to be a tough test for the Chiefs. They will be facing the surging Cowboys while trying to navigate key injuries on their roster.

Mahomes is dealing with a groin strain himself but has still participated fully in practice. On the offensive injury front, Mahomes’ top targets, Rashee Rice (hamstring) and Xavier Worthy (ankle), were limited in practice and are questionable for the upcoming clash against Dallas.

Apart from the receivers, the starting left guard, Kingsley Suamataia, who was recently cleared after a concussion, is crucial for both offensive line stability and special teams. But in his case, his problems aren’t just because of the injury scare. Suamataia is under the microscope for a $17,389 fine for a blindsided block to the Colts’ cornerback Charvarius Ward.

Defensively, linebacker Leo Chenal is nursing a knee injury and has seen limited reps. But if you think these are the only inconsistencies on the Chiefs, Andy Reid has some more concerning news.

Andy Reid drops worrying injury updates about key players

Right guard Trey Smith is dealing with both high and low ankle sprains and is expected to miss some time, including the Thanksgiving Day game. Tight end Noah Gray is in concussion protocol after leaving a game with a head injury and is also questionable for the next matchup. Now, according to coach Reid, neither Gray nor Smith will hit the practice field on Monday.

“Noah Gray and Trey Smith will not practice today, per Andy Reid,” FOX’s Harold R. Kuntz wrote on his X.

Gray is officially in concussion protocol after taking a hard hit in the fourth quarter against the Colts. The Chiefs’ tight end bounced his head off the turf while hauling in a pass from Patrick Mahomes, and the medical staff shut him down immediately. His status now depends on how he clears each step of the concussion process, so his return will be watched closely.

Despite the setback, Gray has been a solid contributor this year. He racked up 132 receiving yards, averaging 8.3 per game with 16 catches on 28 targets. The Chiefs will definitely feel his absence if he can’t go. Meanwhile, Trey Smith has become Mahomes’ ironman, holding down the O-line and suiting up for 17 games almost every season. But it looks like that incredible streak has finally hit the wall.

In the second quarter against the Colts, Smith went down with an ankle injury that immediately raised alarms. Moments later, he was ruled out, but the bad news didn’t just stop there. According to the NFL’s Ian Rapoport, the big man might be sitting out multiple games from the sidelines.

With a brutal stretch of win-win games ahead, one thing is clear: in this part of the season, health is everything.