Travis Kelce was listed as questionable to return during the Kansas City Chiefs’ Week 10 game against the Atlanta Falcons after injuring his right ankle. He left the field in pain after the ankle twisted on a reception, aggravating an issue that had been monitored for several weeks.
Kelce tried to return but was seen limping off the field again before trainers escorted him to the locker room for further evaluation. He was slow to get up after the tackle, though he was able to walk off under his own power. The Chiefs had not provided an official update beyond his questionable designation, leaving it unclear whether the injury was a brief scare or a more serious setback.
The Falcons hosted Kansas City at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, with kickoff scheduled for 1 p.m. EST on CBS.
## Kelce’s Ankle Injury Began Against the Chargers
Kelce first injured the ankle on Oct. 18 against the Los Angeles Chargers. During Kansas City’s opening drive, he caught a screen pass and went down after linebacker Daiyan Henley made the tackle, causing Kelce’s right ankle to roll underneath him.
Kelce limped to the sideline, where the ankle was examined and taped. He returned to the game. Former NFL team doctor David Chao reviewed video of the play and described it as a “mild right high eversion ankle sprain.” His assessment was based on video, and he said the ankle could be taped so Kelce could continue playing.
Kelce finished with 53 receiving yards in Kansas City’s 22-6 win, which kept the Chiefs unbeaten at the time. After the game, coach Andy Reid said Kelce had tweaked his ankle and might be sore the next day, but had played well.
Kelce has not missed a game since the initial injury. His practice participation varied in the following weeks, with limited work on some Wednesdays and Thursdays before returning to full participation later in the week.
At 37 and in his 14th NFL season, Kelce caught four passes for 44 yards in the Chiefs’ 20-3 Week 7 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. He also reached 1,104 career receptions, fifth-most in NFL history.
He appeared somewhat hobbled in the Week 8 loss to the Denver Broncos but did not miss a significant number of snaps, finishing with five catches on seven targets. Before the Week 9 game against the New York Jets, Kelce was upgraded to full participation in Thursday’s practice.
## Chiefs Await Further Information on Kelce
Kelce entered the Falcons game listed as a full participant in all three practices that week and had no game-status designation. He was among 11 players on Kansas City’s Wednesday injury report, which also included quarterback Patrick Mahomes, listed as a full participant with knee and right elbow issues.
The ankle had remained on the injury report from Week 7 through Week 9 and was listed again in Week 10. Sunday’s twist was therefore a new incident involving the same ankle Kelce injured against the Chargers.
The Chiefs had not confirmed whether Kelce received treatment, underwent imaging or returned to the game. Coach Andy Reid typically discusses injuries at his postgame news conference, and the team’s next injury report should indicate whether Kelce participates in practice this week.
