Kansas City Chiefs suffer big injury blow ahead of the Super Bowl as All-Pro guard Joe Thuney is ruled OUT against the San Francisco 49ers
The Kansas City Chiefs have ruled out All-Pro left guard Joe Thuney for Sunday’s Super Bowl against the San Francisco 49ers due to a pectoral injury.
However, wide receiver Rashee Rice and running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire appear ready to go.
Rice was a full participant in practice on Friday after being caught near the end of the previous day’s practice, while Edwards-Helaire also performed a full practice after dealing with an illness earlier in the week.
The only player the Chiefs listed as questionable on the final injury report was running back Jerick McKinnon, who remains on reserve after undergoing surgery in January for a core muscle injury.
The Chiefs have until Saturday afternoon to add him to the active roster for the Super Bowl, although Reid described his chances of playing as “slim” earlier this week.
Joe Thuney has been ruled out of the Super Bowl as he continues to deal with a chest injury
Thuney played most of the season but was injured in the divisional round against Buffalo
The news will come as a blow to Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid, who is pictured this week
The 49ers enter the game healthy and no one on the active roster is listed with an injury.
“The guys have been working hard these two weeks,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said. “The guys who got beat up did everything they could to be healthy for this game. It’s our first time everyone is full and healthy. It’s the right game to have it that way.”
Backup defensive tackle Kalia Davis, who is currently on injured reserve but practiced this week, was listed as questionable for San Francisco due to an ankle injury. It is expected that Davis will not be activated to play in the game on Saturday.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid maintained all week that he wasn’t leaving Thuney out of the equation, right through to the end of a 66-minute practice Friday at the AFC West rival Raiders’ practice facility.
But since Thuney had not practiced since getting hurt in the divisional round in Buffalo, it had become increasingly clear that Allegretti would be starting in his place.
The old backup has done this before. Allegretti also started the Super Bowl against Tampa Bay in 2021 due to injuries.
Nick Allegretti (right) will start in place of Thuney against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday
Allegiant Stadium is ready to host the big game in Las Vegas on Sunday afternoon
“Next-man-up mentality,” Chiefs right guard Trey Smith said. ‘Nick is a consummate professional. He’ll be ready to go. He has done a great job in the last few weeks of preparation. Our coaches will prepare us and Nick will do a great job.”
The Chiefs got a shock at the end of Thursday’s practice when Rice accidentally stepped on him and staggered off the field. The rookie wide receiver has become one of Patrick Mahomes’ favorite targets, catching 20 passes for 223 yards and a score in three playoff games, while also helping take some of the attention away from tight end Travis Kelce.
Edwards-Helaire was inactive during last year’s Super Bowl despite declaring himself healthy after suffering a high ankle sprain.
“This is what you’ve been working for since you were a kid,” said Edwards-Helaire, a former first-round pick who lost his job to Isiah Pacheco last season and will be a free agent after this season. “And it’s always hard to get there, but obviously we’re able to do the things we needed to do to get back.”