Week 17 of the 2024 NFL season will bring an interesting challenge for Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid, with the Kansas City Chiefs hitting the road to play the Pittsburgh Steelers on Christmas.
The game doesn’t come in great timing for the two-time defending Super Bowl champions, even if we’re talking about a team that has lost only one game in the 2024 NFL season. Injuries are haunting the Chiefs, who will miss multiple players against the Steelers.
However, not everything is bad news in Kansas City, as Reid is providing Mahomes with another weapon for Wednesday’s game. On Tuesday, the Chiefs announced that they activated tight end Peyton Hendershot from Injured Reserve.
Reid, Mahomes counting on Hendershot
This elevation comes only a day after the team opened the player’s 21-day practice window. Hendershot, 25, was listed on IR in late November due to a calf injury. His return took a bit shorter than expected.
Kansas City Chiefs tight end Peyton Hendershot (88) catches a ball.
Even though he played most of his snaps on special teams before going on the sidelines, the tight end still caught three passes from Mahomes for 26 yards in three games. Therefore, he can be another target for the Chiefs quarterback against the Steelers on Wednesday.
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Hendershot joined the Chiefs via trade in the offseason after spending his first two years in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys, who signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2022.
Chiefs make more moves ahead of Steelers game
The Chiefs made roster moves on both sides of the ball ahead of the Christmas game in Pittsburgh. Apart from activating Hendershot from IR, Kansas City has also elevated linebacker Swayze Bozeman and safety Deon Bush from the practice squad.
These moves respond to recent injuries suffered by the Chiefs, who have placed LB Jack Cochrane on IR due to a fractured ankle before ruling out safety Chamarri Conner for Wednesday’s showdown. Reid will also miss veteran tackle D.J. Humphries, whereas DT Chris Jones and RT Jawaan Taylor remain questionable.
