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The 2023 Super Bowl is just around the corner now, and both franchises provided their first official injury updates on Wednesday night (Feb. 8).
The key reveal on the Kansas City Chiefs side was with wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster, who was listed as a full participant in practice after knee swelling held him out last week. Head coach Andy Reid spoke on the impending free agent’s 2022 impact during his February 8 press conference.
“JuJu, first of all, is a good kid,” Reid began. “He’s a lot of fun to be around and loves to play the game. He’s a great balancer for [Travis Kelce], so you’d like to have somebody with the common components that plays opposite Travis and JuJu has that. He knows how to play in space, he’s a big target, he’s tough to tackle once he has the ball in his hands, he has great hands, and he’s smart — he understands the game.”
Chiefs WR Kadarius Toney Was Only ‘Limited’ Participant, Update on Patrick Mahomes’ Ankle
With Smith-Schuster seemingly good to go, and cornerback L’Jarius Sneed clear of the concussion protocol officially, the focus turns to wide receiver Kadarius Toney.
The dynamic 2022 trade acquisition not only helps on offense with Mecole Hardman done for the season, but he’s also the primary punt returner. After initially looking like the least likely injury from the AFC Championship to miss the Super Bowl, Toney is now the only “limited” participant remaining on the report.
Remember, Toney guaranteed fans that he’d suit up on Sunday, so he’s still expected to play — but his ankle appears to be taking longer than expected to heal.
A February 9 update from Reid (via USA Today’s Charles Goldman) gave a more positive spin on Toney’s availability. The Chiefs HC voiced: “He did everything yesterday that was planned for him. But he’s got more today. We’ll see how he does. He was spirited yesterday and running around like crazy.” Not out of the woods yet — but a good sign.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes II is always a primary concern as well, but Reid’s update on his signal-caller was the best we’ve heard since his high ankle sprain against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
“He’s been doing really well with his ankle,” Reid told reporters about Mahomes. “We had a fast practice a couple of days ago and he moved well. He could really do just about everything, at least everything in the game plan that we’ve asked him to do, so I think he’ll be fine today.”
Mahomes was indeed a full practice on Wednesday after these comments from Big Red.
Eagles Injury Report Has 3 ‘Limited’ Participants
On the other side of the field, the Philadelphia Eagles had three “limited” participants in practice on Wednesday. Those players were right tackle Lane Johnson (groin), center Cam Jurgens (hip), and cornerback Avonte Maddox (toe).
Heavy on Eagles reporter Mike Greger called most of these designations “housekeeping right now,” adding that Maddox is most likely the “one name to monitor.”
The nickel CB has been dealing with this toe injury since December 24, according to Greger, who noted that Maddox was limited to 19 defensive snaps in the NFC Championship. “Maddox is a legit question mark,” he concluded.
Johnson — while ridiculously important to this Eagles offense — is expected to battle through the pain and play as he typically has throughout his career. USA Today’s Bob McManaman described the right tackle’s groin injury as “downright cringeworthy” to endure.
“Johnson, a 10-year pro who has spent his entire career with the Eagles, will not only be playing with a torn groin, but it’s so severe that according to a recent MRI, one of the abductor muscles is nearly sheered off the bone and is hanging on by a thread,” McManaman detailed. “Try to imagine the worst pain possible and then try to see yourself fending off hulking 300-plus pound defensive tackles and bloodthirsty edge rushers anxious to exploit your weakness and then perhaps you can identify with David Lane Johnson.”
Like Mahomes, among other NFL greats, Johnson is an absolute warrior. It’s safe to assume that the only way he’d miss the Super Bowl would be if he was handcuffed to a hospital bed.
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