Injuries continue to haunt the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2024 NFL season. Following their Week 8 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders, Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes learned that another offensive player will spend significant time on the sidelines.
According to Pete Sweeney of Arrowhead Pride, the Chiefs are placing tight end Jody Fortson on Injured Reserve. This means Reid and Mahomes will miss the team’s third-string TE for at least four weeks.
The 28-year-old hurt his right knee on Sunday after the Raiders tried an onside kick late in the game. Before this setback, Fortson had one catch for five yards on three targets.
This is yet another huge blow in Fortson’s career. After suffering a season-ending torn Achilles in 2021, more physical issues stood on his way in 2022, before a shoulder injury forced him to watch the entire 2023 NFL season from home.
Fortson was part of the Chiefs in their three Super Bowl wins with Reid and Mahomes in the last five years. He left for the Miami Dolphins in March but ended up returning to Kansas City in September.
Fortson on IR allows Chiefs to activate new signing
While Fortson’s injury means Reid and Mahomes will be without yet another pass catcher, his trip to IR allows Kansas City to make room for pass rusher Joshua Uche on their 53-man roster.
The Chiefs made a big trade for the former New England Patriots star on Monday, surrendering a sixth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to get the defensive end/linebacker.
Who are the Chiefs’ healthy tight ends?
Without Fortson, the Chiefs now have three tight ends on the active roster: Travis Kelce, Noah Gray, and Jared Wiley. Let’s keep in mind the team also has Peyton Hendershot—who used to play with Dak Prescott on the Dallas Cowboys—on the practice squad if it feels like adding more depth on the TE room.
The injured offensive players on the Chiefs
Before Fortson, the Chiefs saw many offensive weapons go down with injuries. Veteran wide receiver Marquise ‘Hollywood’ Brown suffered a sternoclavicular joint dislocation in preseason, followed by running back Isiah Pacheco‘s fractured fibula in Week 2.
The injury crisis continued with Mahomes accidentally tackling Rashee Rice in Week 4 and JuJu Smith-Schuster picking up a hamstring injury in Week 7. That’s why, apart from trading for DeAndre Hopkins, the Chiefs elevated WR Montrell Washington from the practice squad.