The Kansas City Chiefs are relatively healthy as they seek to become the first team to capture back-to-back world championships since the 2003-04 New England Patriots in Super Bowl 58 against the San Francisco 49ers, but they will be down a couple of impactful players.
First-Team All-Pro starting right guard Joe Thuney, who suffered a pectoral injury in the divisional round win over the Buffalo Bills, missed the AFC Championship Game against the Baltimore Ravens. There was hope he’d return for the Super Bowl, but that optimism ended on Saturday.
Thuney was placed on the injured reserve as running back Jerick McKinnon was activated in his place. With Thuney out, experienced backup Nick Allegretti will make another start, the 18th of his career.
However, Thuney isn’t the only player who is set to miss the game.
Receiver Kadarius Toney — who hasn’t played since a Week 15 win over New England and has been inactive in every postseason game so far — will not play Sunday, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Chiefs WR Kadarius Toney, who scored a touchdown during Kansas City’s Super Bow win over Philadelphia one year ago, is not expected to play today for Super Bowl LVIII, per league source. Toney was off the final Super Bowl LVIII injury report.https://t.co/rc099JWYD0
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 11, 2024
Toney drew some attention following the AFC championship when he seemingly suggested during an Instagram livestream that he was not injured as the Chiefs had indicated on their weekly reports.
He later said the clip was selectively edited and that he “never attacked the Chiefs.”
He was not listed on the injury report during the lead-up to the Super Bowl. Coach Andy Reid said he had been practicing, but his status remained up in the air.
“We’ll see,” Reid said on Tuesday, per Schefter.
Toney was a standout in last year’s Super Bowl win over the Eagles, catching a touchdown pass. However, he has struggled to stay on the field this season, both due to injuries and mistakes. He appeared in 13 games with two starts but made just 27 catches for 169 yards and a touchdown.