Chiefs OL Wanya Morris out for season with knee injury as Chiefs' battered offensive line takes another hit
Morris lasted all of one play in the "Sunday Night Football" loss to the Texans
Chiefs offensive lineman Wanya Morris is out for the season due to a knee injury he suffered on Kansas City's opening play of their Week 14 "Sunday Night Football" loss to the Texans, ESPN is reporting. The broadcast declined to show replays, but social media clips showed Morris' left knee hyperextending at a gruesome angle.
Morris was only starting because normal starting left tackle Josh Simmons is on IR after undergoing surgery to repair his dislocated and fractured left wrist suffered in Kansas City's Thanksgiving Day loss to the Cowboys. Esa Pole, an undrafted rookie out of Washington State who was only called up to the active roster after Simmons' injury, came in to take Morris' place in the eventual 20-10 loss.
Chiefs offensive line injuries continue
It's yet another devastating loss up front for Kansas City, which is also without Pro Bowl right guard Trey Smith and right tackle Jawaan Taylor.
Chiefs offensive line | Week 1 vs. Chargers | End of Week 14 vs. Texans |
Left tackle | Josh Simmons | Esa Pole |
Left guard | Kingsley Suamataia | |
Center | Creed Humphrey | |
Right guard | Trey Smith | |
Right tackle | Jawaan Taylor |
Overall, the Chiefs have used 17 different offensive line combinations this season. The most-used group -- the Week 1 starters -- has played 379 offensive snaps together, 14th-most of all offensive line combinations, but that group has played in just two games since Week 6.
Simmons, the 32nd overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, was away from the team from Weeks 6-10 for personal reasons. Smith (ankle) got hurt in a Week 12 win over the Colts, and Taylor (triceps/ankle), like Simmons, got hurt in Week 13 against the Cowboys.
What's next for Chiefs?
Both Smith and Taylor were listed as doubtful ahead of the Texans game before being ruled out. Neither have been placed on injured reserve, a potentially good sign, but Simmons will miss at least another three weeks due to his placement on IR.
Should Taylor be able to return soon, Kansas City could try to flip Moore back to left tackle, which is where he played during Simmons' first absence.
It's been a trying season for Kansas City (6-7) for several reasons, including the rotating offensive line groups. Sunday, Patrick Mahomes threw three interceptions and took two sacks. It was Mahomes' fourth career three-interception game, and his first with three interceptions and no passing touchdowns.
The Chiefs currently occupy the No. 10 seed in the AFC standings and are two games behind No. 7 Houston, who are in the final playoff spot, and No. 8 Indianapolis. The Chiefs have the head-to-head edge over the Colts but do not over the Texans.
Kansas City's road doesn't get much easier, either. The Chiefs host the Chargers, whom they lost to in Week 1, in Week 15. They finish the season with the Titans, Broncos and Raiders.
SportsLine currently gives Kansas City a 9% chance to make the playoffs; it has not missed the playoffs since 2014.
