The kickoff for the new NFL season is imminent. For the Kansas City Chiefs, the path should lead to the Super Bowl again this year. However, the defending champions had to accept their first setback in the season opener against the Detroit Lions. In the duel with Amon-Ra St. Brown and his team, Kansas City has to do without superstar Travis Kelce.
Several media outlets reported this unanimously almost two hours before the kickoff of the opening duel. Kelce suffered bone marrow edema on Tuesday and has been questionable since then. Whether the tight end could stand on the field was only decided during the warm-up.
You can almost be sure that Travis Kelce himself would have liked to play, but the Chiefs coaching staff had the final say. And he probably decided on the long-term path. Ultimately, Kelce should be in top shape for the rest of the season and now has ten days to get healthy again.
Incidentally, his failure also ends an impressive series. Since 2013, Kelce had not missed a single game due to injury.
NFL: Chiefs are prepared for Kelce loss
However, the Chiefs were already prepared just in case. As Ian Rapoport of the “NFL Network” reported on Thursday evening, Kansas City activated tight end Matt Bushman from its own practice squad just a few hours before kickoff.
Bushman played in all three games in the preseason and recorded a total of 54 receiving yards. In the last game against the Cleveland Browns, the tight end even scored a touchdown.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid will certainly have ways to get Bushman involved in the game. But it is also clear that a loss by Kelce will enormously weaken the defending champions’ otherwise strong offense.