(610 Sports) – Meeting with the media for the first time during Super Bowl LVII week on Monday evening, the Kansas City Chiefs had an opportunity to provided their fanbase an update on the multitude of injuries that the team had sustained in the AFC Championship Game.
While some unknowns remain, the team was able to provide clarity on the status of wide receiver Mecole Hardman, who was placed on IR with a pelvic injury that he re-injured in the conference championship game against Cincinnati. In a corresponding move, running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire was activated off of IR and will be available for Sunday's game.
The most notable of all the injuries that the Chiefs are dealing with, would be quarterback Patrick Mahomes high-ankle sprain that was suffered in the Cheifs' divisional-round win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Mahomes was able to play through the pain the following week, though he was moving with a noticeable limp. Despite the pain, Mahomes was still able to put up over 300 yards passing with a pair of touchdowns.
Mahomes' status for the Super Bowl may have never in doubt, but with the Eagles defensive line's ability to get to the quarterback, his mobility and effectiveness remained in question. Chiefs' faithful were finally able to let out a collective sigh, following Mahomes' statement that his ankle is in a much better place now than it was at the same time heading into the AFC title game.
On the defensive side of the ball, Chiefs' top cornerback L'Jarius Sneed, who was lost early in the AFC Championship to a concussion, announced that he had cleared the league's concussion protocol and will play on Sunday.
With the Eagles boasting one of the league's top wide receiver duos in AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith, both of whom topped 1,100 yards receiving on the year, Sneed's return is welcome news. Without Sneed, the Chiefs were left to rely on a rookie cornerback trio of Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Watson and Joshua Williams, who held their own against a formidable Bengals's passing attack but had their share of struggles throughout the season. On a stage this big, Sneed's return could prove invaluable.
Wide receiver Kadarius Toney, one of three wide receivers injured in the AFC Championship, has also been dealing with an ankle injury. Toney left the game after recording just one catch for nine yards and never returned. Andy Reid provided an update last week and indicated that the Chiefs' mid-season acquisition was close to rejoining the team. On Monday evening's session, Toney put any worries about his availability to rest, saying that "he'll absolutely be playing in Super Bowl LVII."
