Chiefs’ Dave Toub explains why WR Cyrus Allen was on special teams before injury

The Kansas City Chiefs’ training camp hit a rough patch recently after Cyrus Allen was carted off the field during practice. The interesting part was that the wide receiver suffered the injury during a special teams drill, something Dave Toub addressed with the media.

“Anytime you have a rookie, everybody’s on special teams until they aren’t,” Toub said to the press. “You know, until they establish (themselves) as a starter on offense or defense, and then we have to kind of pull back, maybe take them off for two or three phases. But initially, everybody starts off as a four-phase guy, and that’s just the way we do it.”

Recently, according to AZ Sports, Allen revealed that he was excited to practice with special teams during this stage: “Oh yeah, I want to play special teams regardless,” he said. “All four phases.”

The good news for Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs, according to insider Adam Schefter on X, is that the initial tests revealed a shin bruise, meaning there is no indication of a fracture or a torn ligament.

Toub reveals more details about the incident

Cyrus Allen got off to a rough start in his NFL career, leaving the 2026 training camp early due to an injury. Dave Toub spoke with the media and revealed more details about the moment the injury occurred.

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“Yeah, (Kaiir) Elam was catching the ball,” the Special Teams Coordinator explained. “He was a gunner. They were both playing gunner, and Elam was catching it. He was clearly there, and (Cyrus) Allen came in. He thought he was catching it, and they collided. I mean, I hate to see somebody get hurt, especially on a special teams drill, and we’ll see how he is.”

Allen is highly regarded by the Chiefs

Patrick Mahomes’ receiving corps this season may not be what it once was during the team’s golden years. That is why the Chiefs selected Cyrus Allen in the latest draft, hoping he could emerge as one of their top receiving options alongside names like Xavier Worthy and Rashee Rice.

What’s next for the Chiefs?

Practices continue at a steady pace in Chiefs Kingdom, with Sunday, August 2 serving as a scheduled day off. From there, the first padded practice session is expected to take place on Monday, August 3, marking the beginning of a more intense phase of training for the players.