The Kansas City Chiefs’ injury woes continued in the 20-10 loss to the Houston Texans in Week 14. In the first quarter, the Chiefs lost offensive tackle Wanya Morris, already filling in for a starter,
and two-time All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie; both suffered knee injuries and remained sidelined for the rest of the evening.
In his post-game press conference, head coach Andy Reid revealed Morris suffered a lower leg injury while McDuffie suffered a hyperextension injury. The gruesome-looking injury suffered by Morris is as dire as it initially appeared, resulting in a season ending injury.
The timeline for McDuffie’s return is less certain. He was seen along the sidelines with a compression sleeve over the left knee, working on the stationary bike and jogging up and down the sidelines in an attempt to return. He was finally ruled out for the game at halftime.
Analyzing the injury
A knee hyperextension injury occurs when the knee joint is forcefully bent backward. Several structures within the knee joint can be affected by this mechanism of injury. These structures include the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), lateral collateral ligament (LCL), and posterolateral corner. Other injury possibilities include a bone bruise, muscle strain, or fracture. Based on special testing on the sideline, the initial presentation of the injury appears to be ligamentous in nature, rather than bony pathology.
The NBC telecast showed the Chiefs’ medical staff assessing the ligamentous structural integrity of McDuffie’s knee. Three ligamentous structures were shown being tested for laxity on the telecast, including the ACL, LCL, and MCL, via the Lachman, varus, and valgus stress tests, respectively.
Given McDuffie attempting to stay warm on the sidelines—and make an attempt to play, we can safely assume he did not suffer a complete ligamentous tear. A ligamentous sprain still takes time to heal and could cause McDuffie to miss some time.
In the immediate aftermath of the injury, McDuffie will be dealing with and managing through rehab—joint swelling, pain, and instability. His availability for Kansas City will be reliant on the management of pain and inflammation in the coming days. His injury designation throughout the week should provide further clarity on the severity of McDuffie’s injury.
The bottom line
The Chiefs find themselves in unfamiliar territory, given their current record and place in the AFC Playoff picture. In a season where it seems nothing is going right, the injuries are beginning to mount for a team that has stayed remarkably healthy overall in its dynastic run.
The knee injury suffered by McDuffie will make things challenging for the defense should he miss time or play through the injury. Presumably, rookie cornerback Nohl Williams will get more reps as the Chiefs strive to stay in the postseason race.
