Chiefs HC Andy Reid: WR Kadarius Toney's injury 'not made up by any means'
Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid rejected the notion on Monday that the club provided erroneous injury information regarding wideout Kadarius Toney ahead of the AFC Championship win over the Baltimore Ravens.
“Well, obviously he’s been on the injury report. That part is not made up by any means,” Reid said when asked about the situation, via The Associated Press. “He’s been working through some things and he’ll be back out there.”
Reid’s response came after Toney took to Instagram Live over the weekend, saying he’s “not hurt … none of that” and accusing the team of lying.
The coach noted he’d not seen Toney’s social media post but had heard about its existence.
“He’ll be back out there, and we’ll see how he does,” Reid said when asked if Toney remained on the team.
The Chiefs announced on Saturday before the AFC Championship Game that Toney was ruled out with a hip injury and for personal reasons. NFL Network’s James Palmer reported that Toney’s partner had the couple’s first child on Saturday, adding the personal part to the designation.
The NFL can fine clubs and coaches for issuing inaccurate or misleading injury reports. In December, former Falcons head coach Arthur Smith was fined $25,000, and the team docked $75,000 for failing to disclose that running back Bijan Robinson was dealing with an illness that had limited him in a game against Tampa Bay earlier in the season.
Toney hasn’t played since Week 15 against New England, a game in which a pass went through his hands for an interception for the second time this season.
K.C. traded third- and sixth-round picks for Toney in Oct. 2022, believing they could unlock the first-round talent New York could not expose. The wideout played a crucial role in last year’s Super Bowl victory, catching a TD pass and generating a massive punt return in the win over Philadelphia.
It remains to be seen whether the wideout will get a chance to repeat those Super Bowl heroics when the Chiefs face the San Francisco 49ers on Feb. 11 in Las Vegas.
In 13 games in 2023, Toney earned 27 catches on 38 targets for 169 yards and one touchdown.
After Monday meetings, the Chiefs are off Tuesday and Wednesday before returning to practice Thursday.