Kansas City blow: Travis Kelce ankle injury takes worrying turn before Broncos game
Travis Kelce’s injury scare is raising concerns in Kansas City as the Chiefs prepare for a crucial AFC West showdown against the Broncos.
The Kansas City Chiefs are trying to move past their first loss of the season, a painful 20-3 defeat to the defending Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks , in a game in which the offense managed just three points.
However, concerns grew in Kansas City ahead of another key AFC West matchup against the Denver Broncos . The team reported that Travis Kelce returned to the injury report after limited participation in Thursday’s practice due to an ankle issue.
The situation drew attention because just one day earlier the future Hall of Famer had practiced without restrictions. While it is not a new injury, it serves as a reminder that the veteran tight end continues to deal with physical discomfort.
In addition to Kelce , Rashee Rice , L’Jarius Sneed , and Omarr Norman-Lott also practiced on a limited basis, while cornerback Mansoor Delane did not practice due to a shoulder injury.
The injury that continues to bother Kelce
The ankle problem originated in the first quarter of the Chiefs’ 22-6 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on October 18 .
After catching a screen pass, Kelce was brought down by linebacker Daiyan Henley with a hip-drop tackle. On the play, the defender’s shoulder struck the tight end’s right ankle directly.
Kelce briefly left the field limping while being attended to by the medical staff, who immobilized and taped the joint. Despite the hit, he returned to the game and finished with four receptions for 53 yards.
After the contest, Andy Reid downplayed the situation, explaining that Kelce had simply “tweaked his ankle.” Former NFL doctor David Chao later analyzed the play and described it as a mild high eversion sprain, an injury that typically allows a player to compete when the ankle is properly stabilized.
Kelce played last week against Seattle despite limited practice for several days, though his production again suffered. He finished with four catches for 44 yards in the loss to the Seahawks — only the second time this season he has failed to surpass 50 receiving yards.
Even so, he tied Noah Gray for the team lead in receiving yards and reached another historic milestone by surpassing Marvin Harrison and Cris Carter to move into fifth place on the NFL’s all-time receptions list.
Will he be available against Denver?
Kelce remains on the official injury report, and his final status will be determined after Friday’s practice.
For now, all indications suggest he will once again be available to face the Broncos, just as he was last week against Seattle.
In the first meeting of the season against Denver, the veteran posted 71 receiving yards , and the Chiefs hope to have their primary offensive weapon available in a game that could shape the race for the AFC West.
Kansas City enters the matchup at 5-1 , just one game ahead of the 5-2 Broncos, giving the contest significant weight in the battle for the top of the division.
Kelce approaches the game with a career total of 1,104 receptions, 13,345 receiving yards, and 84 touchdowns in the regular season. In 2026 he has recorded 24 catches for 343 yards and two scores.
A three-time Super Bowl champion, 11-time Pro Bowler, and four-time All-Pro, Kelce also holds the tight end records for most 1,000-yard seasons (7) and most receiving yards in a single season (1,416 in 2020).
Off the field, the tight end married Taylor Swift on July 3 at Madison Square Garden. The singer was present at Arrowhead Stadium when Kelce suffered the ankle scare against the Chargers, though she has not made any public comments about the injury since.
