The Chiefs won, and remain the only undefeated team in the NFL.
But they also added to their lengthy list of injuries in Sunday night’s win over Houston.
Wide receiver Chris Conley had to be carted off the field late in the game with a non-contact Achilles injury, going down immediately while fielding an onside kick with an open field in front of him.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid was short on specifics but disturbed by the trend.
“Throughout the league, you’re even seeing them at the college level, which is kind of unique,” Reid said, via Blair Kerkhoff of the Kansas City Star. “I don’t remember this being [like] that. At one point a few years ago, you could kinda look at the shoes, but the shoe companies, I think, have done a pretty good job of putting these things together. So I don’t know exactly why. But it does seem there are a few of these.”
The Chiefs also lost safety Steven Terrell to a concussion on the opening kickoff, and tight end Travis Kelce, who took a helmet-to-helmet shot, returned to the game, but then left to be evaluated for a concussion.
If the Chiefs can get philosophical about it, it’s only because they’ve had so many. They’ve lost a starter or regular contributor in each game.
Star safety Eric Berry tore his Achilles in the opener, and was followed by injuries to varying degrees for center Mitch Morse, kicker Cairo Santos and guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, and now Conley will apparently miss the rest of the year.