Reports: Kelce out for opener against Lions

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Tight end Travis Kelce is out for Thursday night’s opener against the Detroit Lions.

Fox Sports’ Nick Wright was first to report the news. Jordan Schultz and Ian Rapoport also reported that Kelce would not play before the scheduled 7:20 p.m. kickoff.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid told reporters Tuesday that Kelce hyperextended his knee during a red zone portion of practice.

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On Thursday morning, NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reported that Kansas City would test Kelce’s injured knee during a pregame workout.

With Kelce’s injury status the Chiefs announced that tight end Matt Bushman has been elevated from the practice squad to the active roster for the opening game.

Kelce has surpassed 1,000 yards receiving in seven consecutive seasons. The 11th-year Chiefs tight end is coming off a 2022 season that saw him reach a career-high in touchdowns with 12.

It’s the first game Kelce has missed due to injury since his rookie season. He missed two games when the Chiefs rested starters in the final game of the 2017 and 2020 seasons, and missed another in 2021 due to COVID.

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