Kadarius Toney is expected back with the Kansas City Chiefs when they return to practice later this week.
Coach Andy Reid on Monday downplayed the wide receiver’s expletive-laced rant in which he suggested the Chiefs were lying about his injury, saying he’d heard about it but hadn’t seen it. But Toney has been on the injury report, Reid pointed out.
‘Obviously, he’s been on the injury report. That part is – that’s not made up by any means,’ Reid said Monday. ‘He’s been working through some things. He’ll be back out there.’
The Chiefs have a team meeting later Monday and then are off the next two days. They’ll return to practice Thursday and begin preparations to face the San Francisco 49ers in the Super Bowl. It’s the second consecutive Super Bowl appearance for the Chiefs, and their fourth in five seasons.
‘He’ll be back out there and we’ll see. We’ll see how he does,’ Reid said of Toney.
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What’s wrong with Toney?
The wide receiver has been on the injury report every week in the second half of the season, listed with either a hip or hip/ankle injury, and has not played since Dec. 17. Toney was a full participant in practice last Wednesday but was downgraded to limited the next two days. On Saturday, the Chiefs ruled Toney out of the AFC championship game against the Baltimore Ravens the following day, listing both his injury and ‘personal reasons.’
NFL Network reporter James Palmer said the personal reasons were because Toney’s first child, a daughter, was born on Saturday.
But Toney was incensed, saying on Instagram Live on Sunday that ‘I’m not hurt’ and suggesting the Chiefs were lying to keep him off the field.
‘I’m not hurt. None of that,’ Toney said. ‘It goes from hip to ankle to this to that.’
Toney has not lived up to his promise as a first-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, with the New York Giants trading him to Kansas City midway through the season last year. He did set a record for the longest punt return in Super Bowl history last year, with his 65-yard return setting up a score in the fourth quarter. But despite the Chiefs lacking a dependable, big-play receiver, Toney has just 27 catches for 169 yards and one TD this season.
