Getty Chiefs wide receiver Kadarius Toney at State Farm Stadium on February 12, 2023.
The Kansas City Chiefs got a new fan just before their AFC Championship game against the Baltimore Ravens. On January 27, wide receiver Kadarius Toney and his girlfriend, Charnesia Lumpkin, welcomed their first child into the world.
Toney and Lumpkin named their daughter Zoie. She was born on the same day as her father’s birthday. Toney turned 25 on Saturday. According to Just Jared, Toney and the Queen Wadi shop owner have been together since 2019.
Lumpkin sent a message to the $13 million receiver on her Instagram Stories to celebrate the birthday of their daughter. “Happy Birthday, Daddy,” she wrote. “Thank you for being an amazing man. Thank you for all that you do for your daughter & we love you so deeply.
“You don’t know how much it means to me that you came into my life & gave me the greatest gift ever. She’s literally your twin. We love you.”
@queenwadi/InstagramKadarius Tony poses with his girlfriend, Charnesia Lumpkin.
Back in November, during the Chiefs’ bye week, the couple hosted an elaborate baby shower for Zoie in Atlanta. The all-pink, fancy affair included custom cupcakes, cocktails, a photo booth, and classic baby shower games. Poster-sized pictures of Kadarius Toney and his pregnant girlfriend surrounded the room.
Lumpkin shared a video of the event on Instagram and wrote, “Zoie was showered with so much love at our baby shower 🥹 thank you so much for everyone that came and showed their love to our princess 🩷 we love and appreciate each and every one of you.”
Kadarius Toney Is Not Playing Against the Ravens, Claims He’s ‘Not Hurt’ In Instagram Live Video
Scheduled Kadarius Toney drop that turns into an INT
The Chiefs preemptively ruled Toney out against the Ravens on Saturday. However, it sounds like Toney was likely unlikely to play even if his daughter wasn’t born on Saturday. NFL Network’s James Palmer posted that the birth of his first child was the “personal part of his designation,” but he’s also “dealing with a hip injury that is keeping him out.”
Toney’s official designation on Saturday’s injury report was “NIR (not injury related) personal reasons/hip,” which raised some eyebrows. Because Toney participated in practice all week, his late scratch came as a bit of a surprise.
After learning about Toney’s first child, Chiefs Kingdom was happy for the former first-round pick. However, many fans were glad he was ruled out. With so many drops and penalties this season, he’s seen more as a liability for Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Due to injury, Toney hasn’t played since Week 15 against the New England Patriots.
A few hours before kickoff, BroBible’s Dov Kleiman shared a video from Toney’s official Instagram page. The receiver went live on his account and claimed, “I’m not hurt.” In the expletive-filled message, he tells the team off for lying about his health status. “I don’t f*** with ya’ll.”
The Chiefs are Considered Underdogs Against the Ravens
AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAMEDAY HAS ARRIVED‼️
The Chiefs enter the AFC Championship game as 4.5-point underdogs against Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and Co. In addition to Toney, starting left guard Joey Thuney is out which is a huge blow for the offensive line. Defensive tackle Derick Nndai is also out. Wide receiver Skyy Moore and offensive tackle Prince Tega Wanogho are on injured reserve.
However, it’s never a good idea to bet against Mahomes. The two-time Super Bowl champ and his offense typically find their spark in the playoffs. In 16 postseason games, “Mahomes owns a 106.7 passer rating, compared to 103.5 for the regular season,” The Kansas City Star reported. “He’s completed 66.5% of his passes during this season, 66.8% in the playoffs.”
Mahomes is hyped for the challenge to defeat the likely MVP in the playoffs for the first time. “He continues to get better and better every single year. I knew we were going to play in a lot of games like this as our careers go, and I’m sure this will be the first of many.”