Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce went to the locker room in the first half of Sunday’s game at Atlanta after coming up limping following a tackle. Kelce was examined by trainers on the sideline before heading to the locker room. Kansas City has not announced a diagnosis or specified which leg is involved. The Chiefs, 6-2 entering the day, led 7-0 in the first quarter.
Travis Kelce's Recent Ankle Injury
The injury arrives with Kelce’s right ankle still a recent concern. On October 18, at age 37, he injured the right ankle in the first quarter against the Chargers when linebacker Daiyan Henley tackled him on a screen pass and the ankle appeared to bend awkwardly underneath him. By video that it appeared to be a mild high ankle sprain with an eversion mechanism and that he could possibly tape it and return, which Kelce did on the next series, finishing with five catches for 53 yards in a 22-6 win. He was limited in practice for the next several days, played through it against the Seahawks and Broncos, and was still listed on the injury report with the ankle ahead of the Jets game, upgrading to a full participant that week.
Travis Kelce Injury History
Kelce’s lower-body history is long but mostly manageable. He had arthroscopic knee surgery in September 2013 in his rookie season, which uncovered a cartilage problem requiring a microfracture procedure and cost him nearly the entire year. He sprained an ankle in a preseason practice in August 2015, dealt with a knee strain during the 2019-20 playoffs, and hyperextended his knee in practice before the 2023 opener, a bone bruise that kept him out of that game, the only one he has missed to injury since his rookie year. The next month, in October 2023, he sprained his right ankle against the Vikings, had negative X-rays at halftime, returned in the second half, and scored the game-winning touchdown.
The Chiefs host the Cardinals next Sunday, November 22, and Kelce is a central part of Kansas City’s offense despite a quieter season. The key updates are the team’s diagnosis, whether he returns to the game, and his practice participation this week.
