Super Bowl LVII: Kansas City Chiefs 2022 Season Injury History

First Half: Downed Defensive Starters Leaves Pass Defense Vulnerable

On September 11, rookie first-round cornerback Trent McDuffie – slotted to help replace Charvarius Ward – suffered a severe left hamstring strain in his career debut and missed the next six games. 

After he returned in Week 9, the standout corner had 44 tackles, seven passes defended, and one sack in 11 games. 

(Andy Reid later questioned the efficacy of the Cardinals’ recently-sodded grass field after McDuffie and kicker Harrison Butker slipped and suffered significant injuries). 

Right after Week 2, starting OLB Willie Gay Jr. – who finished top-3 on the Chiefs with 88 tackles, nine TFL, eight passes defended and a touchdown – was suspended for four games under the personal conduct policy, which he served through Week 7. 

From Weeks 2-7, without those starters, the Chiefs went 4-2 and allowed 25.2 points per game, 15 touchdowns against three interceptions, and a 43.6% third down conversion rate. 

After their bye the Chiefs finished 9-1 and allowed 19.7 points per game with 16 touchdowns against eight interceptions and a 36.36% third-down conversion rate and made 36 sacks for 242 yards. 

Mid-Season: WRs And RBs Shuffle, Mahomes And Kelce Steady The Ship

On November 6, speedster wide receiver Mecole Hardman aggravated a preseason core muscle injury during Week 9, was placed on IR, and just returned in the Conference championship win (before re-aggravating the injury). 

Early in their Week 10 the following Sunday, Juju Smith-Schuster suffered his fourth career concussion, missed one game and was limited for another two, and notched only eight receptions on 11 targets for 106 yards from Weeks 10-13. 

The next week, Clyde Edwards-Helaire – already dropping in the depth chart – suffered a high-ankle sprain and has been on IR since, opening the door for rookie Isiah Pacheco and veteran Jerick McKinnon in a two-man backfield split.

Pacheco finished the season with 110 rushes for 551 yards and four scores over the last eight games and, from Weeks 14-18, McKinnon had a 25/91/1 rushing line with 25 receptions for 265 yards and seven touchdowns. 

Explosive wide receiver Kadarius Toney played three games with the Chiefs before he suffered a hamstring strain in Week 11 and missed or was greatly limited through Week 15.

In Week 13, the Chiefs - sans Hardman, Toney, and Edwards-Helaire – lost to the Bengals, 24-27, and Mahomes II was held to 16-27 for 223 yards and one touchdown, one of only three games he had this season with fewer than 300 yards and a single touchdown. 

Once Smith-Schuster returned to full effectiveness in Week 14, the Chiefs finished 5-0 with 29.2 points and 390.6 yards per game and Mahomes II had 1,384 passing yards and 11 touchdowns against four interceptions and 8.06 yards/attempt on 70.95% completion. 

Playoffs: Mahomes Fights Through Ankle Sprain, Wideout Injuries 

In the first quarter of their Divisional round win Mahomes II suffered a right high-ankle sprain in the first quarter, missed one series – during which Chad Henne broke the playoff franchise record with a 98-yard touchdown drive – and returned for the second half.

After a week of treatment and practice, the 27-year-old went 29/43 for 326 yards and two touchdowns and scrambled for a first down and drew a game-sealing late hit penalty on the final drive of the AFC Championship.

Toney, Hardman, and Smith-Schuster all left with injuries and Mahomes completed a pass to 10 different receivers, led by Marquez Valdez-Scantling, who brought in six for 116 yards and a touchdown.