The Chiefs may be headed into Sunday’s matchup with the Falcons short-handed in the backfield, and Kenneth Walker’s status is the big question hanging over the week.
Walker did not practice Friday after head coach Andy Reid said the running back showed up at the facility that morning and told trainers he had a “tight groin.” Reid said the team held him out and will monitor him through rehab Friday afternoon and again Saturday before making a final call.
“We just sat him out of practice (Friday),” Reid said. “We’ll just see how he feels through this afternoon rehab and then through (Saturday).”
Kansas City has listed Walker as “questionable” for the Week 10 trip to Atlanta, and Reid said the club still isn’t sure exactly when the injury happened.
“Somewhere he tweaked it, and so we’ll see,” Reid said. “But he’s not one to say something like that. But he was tight (Friday) morning.
“We’re kind of feeling it out just to see where we’re at with that thing. We’re not going to put him at risk or anything like that - that’s not how we roll.
If he can go, he can go. If he can’t, he can’t.
It will be one of those.”
Walker has been one of the league’s most productive runners this season, entering the weekend second in rushing yards with 872. Only Falcons back Bijan Robinson has more at 880, and Robinson has played one extra game.
If Walker can’t go, rookie Emmett Johnson would be in position to make his first career start. Johnson has already given the Chiefs a spark in a backup role, and his teammates say they trust him to handle a bigger workload if needed.
“Things happen from time to time, and regardless of who they put in, they do a great job of coaching up our running backs,” right guard Trey Smith said. “Coach (DeMarco) Murray, (Eric Bieniemy) - all of our offensive staff do a great job. So they’ll coach him up, he’ll be ready to go, and we’ll ride with whoever they put back there.”
Johnson has 348 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns this season, with much of that production coming from his 143-yard performance against the Denver Broncos in Week 8.
The depth chart could get even thinner if Jaydn Ott also can’t suit up. Ott was added to the injury report with a hamstring issue and is listed as “questionable,” along with cornerback Mansoor Delane, who is dealing with a shoulder injury.
If both Walker and Ott are unavailable, the Chiefs could turn to 2025 undrafted free agent Nate Carter, who is on the practice squad.
Kansas City also ruled out right tackle Jaylon Moore, who has an ankle injury, and defensive tackle Peter Woods, who is dealing with a stinger. Moore did not practice all week, and Josh Ezeudu is expected to make his second start at right tackle.
Defensive tackle Omarr Norman-Lott, who remains on injured reserve with a knee injury, has also been ruled out.
In Other News...
Chiefs Suddenly Face A Backfield Question Before Falcons Matchup
A late-week injury note has added a little uncertainty to Kansas Citys backfield ahead of its matchup with Atlanta. Kenneth Walker was held out of practice Friday because of a tight groin and is now listed as questionable, giving the Chiefs one more thing to monitor as they prepare for a game that comes with plenty of attention for a team sitting at 6-2.
Andy Reid offered updates on Walkers condition as the Chiefs worked through their final prep, and the timing matters with the roster already seeing movement elsewhere. Kansas City recently added wide receiver Josh Downs from the Indianapolis Colts, so the offense is adjusting on multiple fronts while trying to keep its momentum intact against the Falcons. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Suddenly Have A Familiar Late-Season Receiver Question
Marquise Brown is suddenly back on the market, with the Philadelphia Eagles reportedly waiving the veteran receiver after just four appearances this season. Brown signed a one-year deal with Philadelphia in March after spending the previous two seasons with the Chiefs, so his availability immediately brings a familiar name back into the conversation for Kansas City at a time when receiver depth always draws extra attention.
If Brown is claimed off waivers, he will finish the season elsewhere, which leaves the Chiefs to watch a situation that feels a little too familiar for this time of year. Even without any certainty about where he lands, his exit from Philadelphia reopens a late-season question Kansas City knows well: whether a former contributor might become part of the picture again when the stretch run gets tight. [Read more 🡒]
Chiefs Get A Familiar Sunday Broadcast For Rare Falcons Trip
The Chiefs rare trip to Atlanta comes with a familiar Sunday afternoon feel, at least for viewers back home. Kansas City will face the Falcons at noon at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and the game will air locally on KCTV (Ch. 5) with CBS Sports top broadcast team on the call.
For a team that has spent much of the season in the national spotlight, the broadcast assignment is another reminder of how closely every Chiefs game is being watched. The Week 10 slate also comes with a full set of NFL broadcast pairings, but this one stands out because of the matchup itself, with Kansas City heading to a building it does not visit often and trying to handle business on the road in a spot that has not been kind to the franchise in years. [Read more 🡒]