7 September 2023
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WDAF) — The Kansas City Chiefs won’t have their star tight end for the first game of the 2023 season, reports say.
Multiple reports say Travis Kelce has been ruled out for the team’s Thursday night season opener against the Detroit Lions. The Chiefs have not released their official inactive list for the night, however.
Kelce was listed as questionable on the Chiefs’ Wednesday injury report after he hyperextended his knee in practice Tuesday, but several reports have said his ACL is intact.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, despite being out this week, the injury isn’t expected to keep Kelce out long-term.
The Chiefs called tight end Matt Bushman up from the practice squad as insurance, but Kansas City has several capable tight ends like Blake Bell and Noah Gray ready to step up.
Gray is entering his third season with the Chiefs after being taken in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft and has flashed ability, scoring once in each of his first two seasons, hauling in 35 catches on 44 regular-season targets. He also is an adequate blocker in the run game.
Bell brings plenty of experience inside the Chiefs system, logging 13 starts in 34 total games with 19 catches and one touchdown over three seasons with Kansas City.
Bushman has been a practice squad member for the past two seasons and has only seen action in two regular season games in 2021. He has shown his ability as a pass catcher, a blocker and on special teams, which is why the team has kept him around after leaving BYU.
FOX4 will update this story after the Chiefs’ other inactive players are announced.