Chiefs place LB Willie Gay on IR

A toe issue cropped up for Willie Gay recently, and it will require some time to heal. The Chiefs are placing the young linebacker on IR, ESPN’s Field Yates tweets.

This will knock Gay out of Kansas City’s first three games, dealing a blow to the two-time defending AFC champions’ defense. The 2020 second-round pick is set to play a key role for the Chiefs this year, but he will be on the shelf until at least October.

Andy Reid said Gay’s toe malady occurred in the Chiefs’ preseason finale. The Chiefs are in slightly better position to withstand this than they were last year. Anthony Hitchens is back for a fourth season in Missouri, while the team used a second-round pick on Mizzou linebacker Nick Bolton.

A Mississippi State alum, Gay played only 25% of the Chiefs’ defensive snaps as a rookie and missed the team’s three playoff games. Gay was in line to start, however, to begin Year 2. The IR placement certainly confirms this toe injury will require extensive recovery time, perhaps altering the Chiefs’ plans for the young defender this season.