Though the Chiefs haven’t commented (and, until they have to submit their initial injury report, likely won’t comment) on the injury suffered Saturday night by quarterback Matt Cassel, the initial scuttlebutt on the prognosis is that he has both a sprained MCL and a sprained ankle.
Cassel was sacked from behind by Seattle defensive tackle Brandon Mebane, who clutched the lower portion of Cassel’s leg and dragged him down. Cassel immediately grabbed for his knee, prompting initial fears that his ACL had popped.
X-rays were negative, which meant nothing with respect to the condition of the ligaments in Cassel’s knee.
If it’s a sprained MCL, Cassel’s absence will depend on the severity of the damage to the rope-like ligament, which typically heals without surgery. A Grade I sprain would knock him out for a few days; a Grade II injury would sideline him for several weeks.
As to the ankle, there’s no specific information as to whether it’s high or low or severe or moderate.
And let’s be clear. The information is sketchy at this point. But as to this still-developing story, it’s the current word that we’re getting.
As we learned with Roy Williams’ unbroken collarbone, the tentative diagnoses are always subject to change.