Chiefs WR Kadarius Toney ruled out due to personal reasons for AFC Championship Game vs. Ravens
For the second consecutive week, the Kansas City Chiefs have ruled out WR Kadarius Toney on Saturday ahead of their upcoming playoff game. Against the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round of the playoffs, Toney was ruled out with lingering hip and ankle injuries. This time he's been ruled out of the AFC Championship Game against the […]
For the second consecutive week, the Kansas City Chiefs have ruled out WR Kadarius Toney on Saturday ahead of their upcoming playoff game.
Against the Buffalo Bills in the divisional round of the playoffs, Toney was ruled out with lingering hip and ankle injuries. This time he's been ruled out of the AFC Championship Game against the Baltimore Ravens due to the hip injury, but also due to personal reasons.
Toney was limited during the final two practices of the week with his hip injury. It was revealed that Toney welcomed a daughter to the world on Saturday, which in part was the reason he won't play on Sunday.
This now marks the sixth consecutive game in which Toney has been ruled out by the K.C. brass. He hasn't appeared in a game for the Chiefs since the Week 15 game against the New England Patriots, where he had just two receptions for five yards on four targets. On one of those dropped passes, Toney popped the ball up which led to an interception for the Patriots' defense. His quarterback wasn't exactly pleased with the mistake on the sideline:
Has Toney played his last snap for the Chiefs?
Toney hasn't exactly followed up his 2022 NFL season in Kansas City as the team had hoped. He showed flashes of brilliance in the regular season and made a massive impact in the Super Bowl LVIII win, yet the 2023 NFL season started with a drop-filled contest against the Detroit Lions. Andy Reid shouldered some blame for that because he threw him into the fire after he missed the majority of training camp with a knee injury.
The problem is that Toney's season followed that trend, with a 13.2% dropped pass rate in the 13 games he played for the team. He's struggled to stay healthy, but his mental lapses on the field have also been costly for the Chiefs. Look no further than the offensive offside penalty in the regular season tilt with the Bills.
Toney had a big event in his personal life, with the birth of his daughter on Saturday. Still, it's reasonable to consider that there is something more at play than a lingering hip injury keeping him off the field for this six-game stretch. Toney had a reputation for being unreliable with the New York Giants, which is why they ultimately dealt him to Kansas City in trade.
It's also reasonable to wonder whether Toney has played his last snap in a Chiefs uniform. There is no denying his natural talents, but if you can't get him on the field for the part of the season that matters most, none of that matters. It also doesn't matter how talented he is if all he does is make mistakes when he's actually on the field.
Toney has one year left on his rookie contract and a potential fifth-year option to be picked up. The Chiefs would have over $2.5 million in dead money if they flat-out release Toney this offseason, so that's not exactly a desirable option. Their only chance at saving that money would be to find a WR-needy team and unload him for a conditional or late-round draft pick.
Chiefs reinforce depth at key defensive positions ahead of AFC title game
The Kansas City Chiefs have added two defenders from the practice squad to the 53-man roster for the AFC Championship Game against the Baltimore Ravens.
