Chiefs owner Clark Hunt has a hunch about Travis Kelce’s status for the Thursday night opener against the Detroit Lions.
Kelce, diagnosed with a bone bruise, is scheduled to test his knee prior to the game before a collective decision on whether to play or use the extra days between Week 1 and Week 2 to get healthy.
The tight end was listed as questionable on the team’s first official injury report.
“I know he had a little bit of a setback the other day with a minor knee injury. We hope that he’ll be able to go tonight,” Hunt said in an NFL Network interview Thursday. “He’ll be a game-time decision. But he’s somebody who loves to compete, so I wouldn’t bet against him being on the field tonight.”
Kelce said earlier this week he feels the excitement of the start of a new season just like he’s a rookie taking the field for the first time.
The Chiefs use Kelce as a receiving weapon, and he stepped into the lead option role in 2022 following the trade that sent wide receiver Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins.
Kelce’s energy in Week 1 was on display last season with eight receptions for 121 yards and a touchdown. He caught six passes for 76 yards and two touchdowns in the 2021 opener and went for 6-50-1 in 2020.
Kelce, 33, recorded career-best totals in catches (110) and touchdowns (12) to go along with a team-leading 1,338 receiving yards in 17 games last season.
An eight-time Pro Bowl selection, Kelce has totaled 814 catches for 10,344 yards and 69 touchdowns in 144 career games (137 starts) with the Chiefs.
–Field Level Media
