Kansas City Chiefs tight end Jared Wiley suffered a setback Wednesday just as the third-year player was making a push for a bigger role in the offense.
Wiley left Chiefs training camp practice early while riding in the front of a cart, ESPN’s Nate Taylor reported. The Chiefs later announced that Wiley suffered a strained hamstring.
The timing comes as Wiley competes for the No. 3 tight end job behind Travis Kelce and Noah Gray. The 2024 fourth-round pick entered training camp with momentum after earning positive reviews during the team’s June OTAs.
Jared Wiley’s Injury Comes Amid Strong Chiefs Training Camp
Wiley has just two catches for 11 yards in his NFL career, but his performance this offseason put him in position to compete for more playing time.
The Kansas City Star’s Pete Sweeney highlighted Wiley’s progress during a June interview and noted how different the tight end looked after coming back from a season-ending torn ACL during a non-contact practice drill in November 2024.
“Wiley to me looked as comfortable as he has since the injury,” Sweeney said. “You’ve got to see how he looks when the pads come on, but I just felt like he was moving a lot better than he did all of last year.”
The Chiefs’ competition behind Kelce and Gray has added importance because of how frequently Kansas City uses its tight ends. Wiley’s strong offseason had given him an opportunity to establish himself as another option for Patrick Mahomes before Wednesday’s hamstring issue.
The Chiefs have not yet announced how much time Wiley could miss, if any.
Chiefs Provide Updates on Nick Bolton, Peter Woods & Other Injuries
Wiley wasn’t the only Chiefs player to leave the field Wednesday.
Linebacker Nick Bolton departed practice in the front of a cart, initially creating questions about a possible injury. Alex Gold of “96.5 The Fan” reported from St. Joseph, Missouri, “Nick Bolton in the front of the cart. Didn’t see what happened. We’ll have to see after practice.”
The Chiefs later clarified that Bolton was dealing with an “illness” rather than an injury, according to Taylor.
Rookie defensive tackle Peter Woods also dealt with an ankle issue during practice. Kansas City Star reporter Sam McDowell reported that Woods remained on the field after initially appearing to have a problem.
“Marcus Harris attempted to sub in for Peter Woods after this play, but Woods waved him off and insisted on staying in,” McDowell reported.
Kansas City was already without several players Wednesday. According to Chiefs Digest’s Matt Derrick, right guard Trey Smith remained sidelined with a hip injury, linebacker Drue Tranquill was out with a back issue and cornerback L’Jarius Sneed continued to miss time with a knee injury. Defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott also remained on the PUP list with a knee injury.
Chiefs’ Jared Wiley Hit With Injury Setback While Battling for Bigger Role in 2026