Getty Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman.
Since being placed on injured reserve on November 17, Kansas City Chiefs receiver Mecole Hardman (pelvis) has struggled to practice consistently let alone take the field for a game. That’s why, after his latest setback, one Chiefs analyst thinks we’ve seen the last of Hardman for at least this season.
After Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said during his presser on Tuesday, January 17 that Hardman would not practice that day following his body not responding well to the work given to him, KSHB 41’s Aaron Ladd took to Twitter to make his prediction.
“Sounds to me like Hardman is done,” Ladd wrote.
Sounds to me like Hardman is done
Kansas City activated Hardman from injured reserve on January 4, as that was the final day he could be activated, or else he would have been forced to since out the remainder of the season. That means the Chiefs activated him not because he was healthy enough to play but instead because they wanted the option to utilize him this season in some capacity if he is eventually healthy enough.
Reid addressed Hardman’s latest injury setback coming off the team’s playoff bye.
“The guys that won’t practice today – really, it’s just Mecole (Hardman). (We’re) just going to back off him a little bit and see if we can get it feeling better,” Reid said during his press conference. “He’s been pushing it hard, and it’s not responding the way that he wants it or would want it to, so we’ll back off on that.”
Mahomes Talks About Missing Hardman
Speaking to the media on January 17, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was asked about Hardman not being in the lineup and what Kansas City’s offense is missing without him.
“Yeah, he’s got a special type of speed. A special type of speed that he does just a great job with if it’s jet sweeps or stretching the field vertically and he’s gotten better and better at making those tough catches,” Mahomes said of Hardman. “So, we’ve done a great job of replacing it with other guys, but I mean having Mecole, he’s a special type of player and he’s done a lot of great things for this offense.”
Twitter Reacts to Hardman’s Setback
Twitter users reacted to Hardman’s recent injury setback.
“He’s indicating to the staff he does not want to practice,” one Twitter user wrote. “I imagine he’s playing things safe so he can hit the free agent market at full strength. That’s entirely speculative of course.”
@aaronladd0 He’s indicating to the staff he does not want to practice. I imagine he’s playing things safe so he can hit the free agent market at full strength. That’s entirely speculative of course.
“Hope not, but I don’t get why he would be ‘done’. All indications is that he isn’t healthy, and if that’s the case he needs to heal up,” another user wrote. “That said, he’s been hurt for most of the season. if he’s out so he can test FA in the offseason, then GL. Plenty of 50/500 WRs out there.”
“It’s like a Lamar situation almost but not as big of course,” another user wrote. “Reid could disclose his injury but hasn’t. All we got is home abdominal pain about a month or two ago. Do I think he’s “done”? No. But if the chiefs are interested in D hop or even OBJ then maybe.”