- The two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs have been battered by injuries so far this season.
- They’ve now lost receiver Rashee Rice for at least four games due to a knee injury, when he was hit by quarterback Patrick Mahomes.
- Mahomes said on Thursday he didn’t know he hit Rice until he watched a replay on the screen at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.
The Kansas City Chiefs are battling hard to win their third Super Bowl title in a row, something no other team has ever done. The Chiefs are 4-0 so far during this NFL season, but they’ve had to do it in the face of injuries.
Now, the Chiefs look like they’ve lost #1 receiver Rashee Rice due to a knee injury, and it was quarterback Patrick Mahomes who caused the injury. However, Mahomes didn’t initially know it was him.
Mahomes Throws Pick, Then Hurts Rice, Who is Out for a While
Mahomes told reporters on Thursday that he didn’t know he had hurt Rice until he looked up at the video board at SoFi Stadium, where the Chiefs were played the Los Angeles Chargers. Rice was hurt on this play:
The Chiefs wound up hanging on for a 17-10 win over the Chargers to stay unbeaten, but Mahomes was still feeling bad about Rice’s injury on Thursday:
"When I saw the replay, I felt like s— that I hit Rashee. I wasn't really worried about myself. I was worried about his injury and hopefully that it wasn't as bad as it looked. I was the one that hit him.
I didn't notice it in the moment. I was more worried about trying to get the ball. Obviously, he's just trying to make a play, and it happens whenever you're trying to make tackles.''
Rice was having a great year, with 24 catches, 288 yards and a pair of touchdowns so far this season. But the second-year receiver has been placed on injured reserve. This means he has to sit out for at least four games, but the Chiefs fear that the injury will keep Rice out for the rest of the season.
The Chiefs are favored in the NFL Week 5 odds. They’ll host the New Orleans Saints in this week’s Monday Night Football matchup.
Who Else is Hurt for the Chiefs?
Rice isn’t the only player on the sidelines for the Chiefs. Running back Isiah Pacheco had knee surgery on September 18, and is slated to be out for 6-8 weeks. Receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown was the Chiefs’ big offseason pickup, and he hasn’t seen the field yet as he has a shoulder injury. It doesn’t look likely that the former Baltimore and Arizona receiver will play at all this season.
Another running back, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, was scheduled to return to practice this week as he is on the reserve/non-football illness list, but that’s not certain. The Chiefs even brought back Kareem Hunt, but he was limited this week in practice with a shoulder injury.
Yet, the Chiefs are still favored in this season’s Super Bowl 59 odds to win their third straight title. There’s a lot of pressure on Mahomes, tight end Travis Kelce, and head coach Andy Reid. That said, the Kansas City defense has been great so far this season, and carried them to the win over the Chargers.
However, the Chiefs need to stay healthy, or least avoid any further injuries, to go for the three-peat properly.
