The Kansas City Chiefs are 10-1 through 12 weeks of the 2024 NFL season, but what their record doesn’t show is how many bumps on the road Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes have had to overcome so far.
Injuries have been a serious problem for the defending Super Bowl champions even before the regular season started, and they continue to haunt Kansas City with the playoffs drawing nearer.
On Tuesday, the Chiefs confirmed that Reid and Mahomes are losing yet another weapon by announcing that tight end Peyton Hendershot is being placed on Injured Reserve.
Peyton Hendershot’s time with the Chiefs
This means the third-year pass catcher will be out for at least four weeks. While Hendershot may not be one of the biggest names on the roster, he was enjoying more playing time before the injury.
Peyton Hendershot #89 of the Dallas Cowboys celebrates a touchdown during the second half in the game against the New York Giants at AT&T Stadium on November 24, 2022 in Arlington, Texas.
The 25-year-old initially joined the Chiefs via trade from the Dallas Cowboys in the offseason, and while Kansas City cut him at some point, Hendershot ended up returning to the active roster when Jody Fortson suffered a season-ending injury.
see also
NFL News: Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes expected to recover key Chiefs weapon for Black Friday Game vs Raiders
From Weeks 9 to 12, Hendershot played 36 snaps on Mahomes’ offense. His biggest contribution came on special teams though, making 51 snaps on the unit coached by Dave Toub. With Hendershot sidelined for weeks, the Chiefs moved Baylor Cupp from the Practice Squad Injured List to their scout team.
Reid, Mahomes missing multiple pass catchers in Kansas City
Hendershot joins a long list of injured players in Kansas City in the 2024 NFL season. Even if we don’t consider the players who got hurt but already came back, the number of weapons Mahomes and Reid are missing is still significant.
Marquise “Hollywood” Brown, who joined the Chiefs as a strong free agency acquisition, has yet to see regular season action after picking up a sternoclavicular joint dislocation in his preseason debut.
see also
NFL fines another key player for Andy Reid, Chiefs apart from Patrick Mahomes
Rashee Rice, who entered the season as one of Mahomes and Reid’s biggest weapons following a fantastic rookie year, hasn’t played since hurting his knee in the Chiefs’ Week 4 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. Other pass catchers who are on the sidelines, apart from Fortson and Hendershot, are veteran wideout Skyy Moore and tight end Jared Wiley, both on Injured Reserve.
Fortunately, running back Isiah Pacheco (who has been out since Week 3) is nearing his return to boost Kansas City’s backfield. In the meantime, Reid and Mahomes count on the likes of Travis Kelce, Xavier Worthy, and DeAndre Hopkins for the passing game.
