Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs Receive Concerning News on Thursday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paolo Songco | Last updated Dec 11, 2025 7:13 PM ET

Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs enter Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers with their season on the line. The Chiefs are coming off a deflating 20-10 loss to the Texans in Week 14, which marked their second consecutive defeat. They are now 6-7 and are fighting to keep their playoff hopes alive. At this point, winning all four of their remaining games does not guarantee a postseason berth for the mighty Chiefs.

Some concerning news emerged for Mahomes and Co. from Thursday’s practice. It centered on offensive lineman Trey Smith, who has missed the last two games due to an ankle injury.

Kansas City Chiefs guard Trey Smith (65) leaves the field against the Washington Commanders.Denny Medley/Imagn Images

Smith is currently in his fifth year with the Chiefs. He is coming off the best campaign of his career in 2024 as the former Tennessee Volunteers standout established himself as one of the best right guards in the league. Smith was named to the Pro Bowl squad for the first time in his career last term.

This season, Smith has been an integral piece of Kansas City’s offensive line yet again. He’s one of Mahomes’ key protectors, and his absence has left a significant hole along the interior.

On Wednesday, during the Chiefs’ first practice session ahead of the Chargers game, Smith practiced in full. The bad news, however, is that he was downgraded to a limited participant for Thursday’s practice due to his ankle issue. The team announced the update via the official injury report.

Here's Thursday's injury report for the Chiefs and Chargers. pic.twitter.com/8dckgVIOgq
— Matt McMullen (@KCChiefs_Matt) December 11, 2025

The Chiefs have not provided the full details of this development involving Smith, but the fact that he was downgraded on the second day of practice is not a good sign. His status in Wednesday’s practice appeared to indicate his potential return against L.A., but this latest update seems to suggest that he maye have taken a step back.

The Chiefs will hold one final practice on Friday, and Smith’s status for that one should significantly impact his availability for Sunday’s do-or-die contest.

Kansas City will host the Chargers for the Week 15 showdown, with kickoff from Arrowhead Stadium scheduled for 1:00 p.m. ET.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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