KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Last week’s loss to the Chargers took more than a mental toll on the Chiefs. It also inflicted a physical price.
The team on Friday listed seven active-roster players as out for its visit to Tennessee on Sunday (12 p.m. CT, CBS/KCTV, Channel 5, 96.5 The Fan).
Watch Andy Reid discuss below…
Most concerning among those seven is Trent McDuffie. The All-Pro cornerback hyperextended his knee in the home loss to Houston Dec. 7, but practiced last week and appeared ready to potentially return before the team made him inactive for the Chargers. This week, McDuffie returned to practice in limited fashion on Thursday before missing Friday’s session.
Also, starting linebacker Leo Chenal (shoulder) will miss his first 2025 game. So will deep-threat wide receiver Tyquan Thornton and starter Rashee Rice, both of whom are in the concussion protocol. Starting defensive tackle Derrick Nnadi (illness) also will miss his first game this season.
Bolton, Smith, Brown good to go
On the bright side, linebacker Nick Bolton is good to go. One of the Chiefs’ most important defensive players, he left last week’s game on two occasions but said both injuries were minor.
“Yeah, I’m feeling pretty good,” Bolton said Friday. “Just out there playing ball, physical out there. Lost my wind one time, then took a shot to the chin. But everything’s fine. I’m ready to go.”
Also ready to go is Pro Bowl guard Trey Smith, who’ll return to the lineup for the first time since getting his ankle rolled up on in the team’s last win, against the Colts Nov. 23. Wide receiver, Hollywood Brown will return after missing the Chargers game for personal reasons.
And All-Pro defensive tackle Chris Jones (hamstring) has no injury status and will play Sunday. Defensive tackle Zacch Pickens, added to the roster on Wednesday when the team officially moved Patrick Mahomes to injured reserve, could make his Chiefs debut to spell Jones for stretches during the Titans game.
Other young players forced into action to replace injured starters include Nohl Williams at cornerback, Jeffrey Bassa at outside linebacker and Jalen Royals at wide receiver. And right tackle Chu Godrick is expected to make his first NFL start, with rookie Esa Pole continuing to start at left tackle.
Offensive line coach Andy Heck said he’s looking forward to watching Pole – who never played high-school football — make the most of his opportunity, especially after the Jets poached him from the Chiefs in August.
“We were excited to get Esa here in the first place,” Heck said Thursday, “and excited for his opportunity there in New York. And we were lucky to get him back. He’s a talented football player with, I think, a good football future ahead of him. And I love working with him.”
