Chiefs Injury Updates Ahead of Week 3 Game Against Colts

Heading into Week 3's matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Indianapolis Colts, neither team is serving as a model of perfect health. Both clubs are dealing with injuries to important players, and reports throughout the week have left some uncertainty surrounding who will and won't be active on Sunday afternoon.

For the Chiefs, their main trio of injured players for the week includes kicker Harrison Butker (ankle), defensive lineman Mike Danna (calf) and wide receiver Mecole Hardman (heel). Neither Butker nor Danna practiced on Wednesday or Thursday, and Hardman was limited on both days. With cornerback Trent McDuffie already on the injured reserve list and linebacker Willie Gay Jr. suspended for the next four games, Kansas City has faced the possibility of missing multiple key players all week.

As the end of the week draws near and the Chiefs' game in Indianapolis for the Colts' home opener arrives in less than 48 hours, injury-related matters are starting to crystalize just a bit more. Head coach Andy Reid took the podium on Friday afternoon following practice — one in which Butker and Danna were again not participating — and he provided some updates on Kansas City's injured players, starting with the two players expected to miss action on Sunday.

The Chiefs ruled Harrison Butker and Mike Danna out of Sunday's game at Indianapolis.

- Adam Teicher (@adamteicher) on Friday, Sept. 23, 2022 at 1:07 p.m. CST

On Thursday, assistant head coach and special teams coordinator Dave Toub praised kicker Matt Ammendola — whom the Chiefs signed to serve as an insurance policy for Butker — for his ability to get the job done. Ammendola made all three of his extra point attempts and both field goals against the Los Angeles Chargers last Thursday, and Toub thinks his range heading into a game in an indoor stadium will be just fine as he kicks in a Chiefs uniform for the second game in a row.

Yeah, we’re indoors, wind’s not a factor. You know, Ammendola’s kicked – like I said in the workout – he kicked a 56-yarder. He kicked a 60-yarder at the stadium that day and yesterday he kicked a 53 in a two-minute situation. He’s got the range; he can do it. We have full confidence in him. Now he’s got a lot more reps with those guys (James Winchester and Tommy Townsend) so he’s feeling a little more comfortable.

With Danna out, the Chiefs could give Malik Herring an opportunity to see the field and take advantage of some added reps. Herring has previous experience working on the inside of the defensive line, as Danna has done thus far in 2022, and gets the nod over 2021 fourth-round pick Joshua Kaindoh. If Herring plays, it will be his first regular-season game in the NFL. 

Colts to be without Shaquille Leonard for critical Sunday showdown

The Colts have dealt with plenty of injuries over the first two weeks of the season, and one of their best players has yet to even take the field in an actual game this year. Despite being a full participant in practice for quite a while, linebacker Shaquille Leonard hasn't made his 2022 debut for Indianapolis after traveling with the team but also sitting out of contests against the Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars. No final determination in regards to Leonard's status was made on Thursday, although he did admit that he felt more explosive and overall better than he did last week. Despite that, head coach Frank Reich announced on Friday that Leonard is out. 

Elsewhere, wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. was a limited participant in Thursday's practice and declined to answer questions related to his status. With that said, the standout receiver joined the likes of defensive lineman Yannick Ngakoue, offensive tackle Bernhard Raimann and wide receiver Alec Pierce among those who were present on Friday. Raimann was ruled out along with the Leonard announcement, and Ngakoue is questionable heading into Sunday's game. Pittman is "ready to go," and Pierce cleared concussion protocol, per Reich.