Getty Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman.
Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman had another injury setback that kept him sidelined for every practice leading up to the team’s Divisional Round playoff game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. That in turn will sideline him for the Chiefs-Jaguars game, per the team.
The defending AFC West champions officially ruled out Hardman (pelvis) for the Chiefs-Jaguars playoff game on Thursday, January 19.
Hardman took to Twitter soon after he was ruled out and wrote, “All part of God’s Plan!”
The other Chiefs players listed on the injury report but have no injury designations for the Divisional Round are defensive end Frank Clark (groin), rookie receiver Skyy Moore (hand), and cornerback L’Jarius Sneed (hip). Clark was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday but was a full participant in Friday’s session. Both Moore and Sneed practiced in full the entire week.
With a bye week to start the playoffs, the Chiefs enter their first playoff game overall very healthy. The team even opened the 21-day practice windows for running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire (high ankle sprain) and tight end Jody Fortson (elbow) to return from injured reserve.
Although CEH and Fortson practiced all week, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said on Friday that both players would “probably not” be activated for Saturday’s game.
Andy Reid said Jody Fortson & Clyde Edwards-Helaire are “probably not” going to be activated for Saturday’s game.
Reid Detailed Hardman’s Injury Setback After Bye
Speaking to the media on January 17 for the first time since the team’s playoff bye, Big Red gave an injury update on Hardman. The fourth-year receiver was activated from IR on January 4 — the deadline for him to be activated — but struggled to practice consistently before and since being activated.
“(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.”
Kansas City quarterback and soon-to-be two-time MVP Patrick Mahomes described what Kansas City’s offense lacks without Hardman in the lineup.
“Yeah, he’s got a special type of speed,” Mahomes said of Hardman during his January 17 press conference. “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. 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 Being Ruled Out
Twitter users reacted to Hardman being ruled out for the Divisional Round.
“I mean.. we didn’t have him the first time around, and it made ZERO difference.. Juju [Smith-Schuster] was out with concussion in the first part of the game,” one Twitter user wrote. “Bigger loss there, and still, WE WON. Kadarius Toney, MVS (Marquez Valdes-Scantling), and [Travis] Kelce ran the table. Same guys plus JUJU will run it again.”
“Hopefully we’ll see him next week. Second straight year the #Chiefs go into the playoffs extremely healthy, tho,” Eric Eager of SumerSports wrote.
“Mahomes doesn’t need him, He could throw for 5,000 with me at WR. It’s why he’s the MVP and best QB in the league,” another user wrote.
@AdamSchefter Mahomes doesn’t need him, He could throw for 5,000 with me at WR. It’s why he’s the MVP and best QB in the league.