The Kansas City Chiefs suffered a few notable injuries in their Week 16 win against the Houston Texans. WR Xavier Worthy had an ankle issue, OT Jawaan Taylor had a knee injury, and DT Chris Jones had a calf injury, per the team account on X. Worthy ended up returning, but that’ll still be something to monitor with such a tight turnaround to Wednesday’s Christmas day game against the Steelers.
Like the Steelers, the Chiefs are playing on Saturday with just a four-day turnaround to Wednesday afternoon on Christmas. Any injuries suffered today will be very difficult to recover from in time to participate in Week 17.
Taylor has started all 15 games for the Chiefs this season. It’s been an up-and-down season for him with seven sacks and 34 total pressures allowed. He has also committed 13 penalties with a 63.3 overall Pro Football Focus grade for the 2024 season. Even still, he is a pretty significant upgrade over Wanya Morris.
Morris has started 10 games this season with five sacks and 33 total pressures allowed as well as 10 penalties committed. This poses an intriguing matchup for Steelers OLB T.J. Watt on Christmas.
As for Jones, he is probably the best player on their defense. The Steelers have seen firsthand how long calf injuries can hold players out. If there is any strain present, it’s going to be tough for him to suit up against the Steelers. In 15 starts, Jones has 35 tackles and five sacks with 16 QB hits. He has been a Pro Bowler for five seasons in a row with back-to-back first-team All-Pro honors in 2022 and 2023.
Patrick Mahomes entered the week with a high-ankle sprain but ended up playing and having a solid game, including a 15-yard rushing touchdown. He appears to be getting around just fine despite that injury.
The Chiefs also have to travel, so they will have very limited time to practice and treat injuries to get their players ready to play. Check back on the site throughout the week for the latest injury information.
