Chiefs' Nick Bolton: Uncertain Thursday due to illness
Rotowire
Bolton (illness) is questionable for Thursday's Week 17 game against Denver.
Bolton popped up on the injury report as limited Wednesday after coming down with an illness. His official status for Thursday may not be known until the Chiefs release their list of inactives approximately 90 minutes prior to the 8:15 p.m. ET kickoff. Should Bolton be unable to play, Jack Cochrane could draw a start at linebacker.
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Chiefs' George Karlaftis: Under the weather, iffy for Week 17
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Karlaftis (illness) is listed as questionable for Thursday's game against Denver.
Karlaftis popped up on Wednesday's injury report as a limited practice participant due to an illness, which puts him in jeopardy of playing Christmas Day. Charles Omenihu, Ashton Gillotte, Mike Pennel and Jerry Tillery would be in line for larger rotational roles on the defensive line if one or both of Karlaftis and Derrick Nnadi (illness) were unable to play.
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Chiefs' Derrick Nnadi: Chance to play Christmas Day
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Nnadi (illness) is listed as questionable for Thursday's game against the Broncos.
Nnadi was limited during Week 17 prep due to an illness that prevented him from playing Sunday against the Titans, which was enough for him to earn the questionable tag for Christmas Day. His return would result in less playing time at defensive tackle for Jerry Tillery, Mike Pennel and Zacch Pickens.
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Chiefs' Jaylen Watson: Moved to injured list
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The Chiefs moved Watson (groin) to injured reserve Wednesday.
Watson likely picked up the groin injury in last Sunday's loss to the Titans, and the Chiefs likely thought it best to shut down the cornerback for the season. With its playoff hopes dashed, the team is likely looking toward next season. Watson will end the 2025 season with 64 tackles (42 solo), including 2.0 sacks, and six passes defensed for two interceptions through 15 games.
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Chiefs' Nazeeh Johnson: Activated from IR
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The Chiefs activated Johnson (shoulder) from injured reserve Wednesday.
Johnson opened the regular season on injured reserve due to a shoulder injury he sustained in a preseason game in August, but his activation from IR puts him on track to make his 2025 regular-season debut against the Broncos on Thursday. The 2022 seventh-rounder could step into a prominent role in the Chiefs' secondary for the final two games of the regular season, given that Trent McDuffie (knee) and Jaylen Watson (groin) were both placed on injured reserve.
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Chiefs' Trent McDuffie: Moved to IR
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The Chiefs moved McDuffie (knee) to injured reserve Wednesday.
McDuffie has been struggling with a knee issue that caused him to miss consecutive games, and the Chiefs have decided to shut the former All-Pro down for the year. Officially out of playoff contention, the team likely does not want to risk further injury to one of its best players by rushing him back for relatively low-leverage games. McDuffie will end the 2025 season with 63 tackles (45 solo), including 1.0 sacks, and seven passes defensed for one interception through 13 games.
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Chiefs' Chamarri Conner: Six tackles in Week 16 loss
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Conner recorded six tackles (six solo), including 1.0 sacks, in the Chiefs' loss to the Titans on Sunday.
The third-year safety and slot cornerback has started all 15 games this season and has produced a career-high 103 tackles (66 solo), including 2.0 sacks, two forced fumbles and one pass breakup across 98 percent of the Chiefs' defensive snaps.
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Chiefs' Drue Tranquill: Double-digit tackles in defeat
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Tranquill recorded 10 tackles (two solo) and one forced fumble in Sunday's loss to the Titans.
After failing to reach double-digit tackles in any of his first 12 starts of the season, Tranquill has double-digit stops in three consecutive contests. On the season, Tranquill has logged 89 tackles (45 solo), including 2.0 sacks, one pass breakup, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery across 15 starts.
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Chiefs' Kristian Fulton: Career-high 10 tackles in loss
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Fulton recorded 10 tackles (seven solo) in the Chiefs' loss to the Titans on Sunday.
Sunday marked Fulton's first significant defensive action of the season after he played a combined 29 snaps across his first five appearances of 2025. He dealt with an ankle injury earlier in the season but was a healthy inactive multiple times. With Trent McDuffie (knee) inactive against Tennessee, Fulton played 63 percent of the defensive snaps.
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Chiefs' Nick Bolton: First sack of season in Week 16
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Bolton recorded 10 tackles (four solo), including 1.0 sacks, in Kansas City's 26-9 loss to Tennessee on Sunday.
Bolton's second-quarter sack of Cam Ward was Bolton's first of the season. He's now produced double-digit tackles in four straight games and has logged 133 tackles (63 solo), five pass breakups and one forced fumble across 15 starts this season.
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Chiefs' Jaylen Watson: Nursing groin injury
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Watson (groin) was listed as a DNP on Monday's estimated practice report.
Watson likely picked up the injury during the Chiefs' 26-9 loss to the Titans on Sunday, when he finished with seven tackles (three solo). The fourth-year cornerback has two more opportunities to practice in at least a limited capacity ahead of Thursday's AFC West tilt against Denver. Watson has accumulated 25 tackles (17 solo), including 1.0 sacks, and two pass defenses (one interception) in six games since the Chiefs' Week 10 bye.
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Chiefs' Trent McDuffie: DNP to open Week 17 prep
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McDuffie (knee) was listed as a DNP on Monday's estimated practice report.
A knee injury has prevented McDuffie from playing in the Chiefs' last two games. He would likely need to practice in at least a limited capacity over the next two days to have a realistic chance of playing Christmas Day against the Broncos. Nohl Williams would continue to start at outside cornerback if McDuffie is not cleared to return Thursday.
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Chiefs' Leo Chenal: Shifts to IR
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Chenal (shoulder) was placed on the injured reserve list Saturday.
Chenal sustained a shoulder injury in the Week 15 loss to the Chargers and had already been ruled out for Sunday's matchup against the Titans, but following his placement on IR, he'll be forced to miss the remainder of the season. The Wisconsin product appeared in 14 games and recorded 58 total tackles, including 2.0 sacks, and two passes defensed, with one interception. Cooper McDonald is likely to have a larger role on the Chiefs' defense while Chenal misses the rest of the 2025 season.
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Chiefs' Nazeeh Johnson: Ruled out for Sunday
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Johnson (shoulder) has been ruled out ahead of Sunday's game against the Titans.
Johnson was ruled out despite logging three consecutive full practices this week. The cornerback has not yet returned from IR, where he has resided since Aug. 27. It is worth considering that Johnson is ready to return, but the Chiefs do not currently feel comfortable allocating roster space to the cornerback. As of now, the 27-year-old will remain on IR and will look towards Week 17 against the Broncos as a potential return game.
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Chiefs' Chris Jones: Avoids injury designation
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Jones (hamstring) has no injury designation ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Titans.
Jones was a limited participant in practice to open the week, but with full participation Friday, he is ready to go in the Chiefs' Week 16 matchup Sunday. The 31-year-old has not missed a game this season, accounting for 22 tackles (11 solo), including 4.0 sacks, and two pass breakups in 14 starts.
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Chiefs' Derrick Nnadi: Out for Sunday
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Nnadi (illness) has been ruled out ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Titans.
The veteran defensive tackle from Florida State didn't practice Thursday or Friday due to an illness, so it's no surprise that he won't suit up for Sunday's contest. Nnadi is now in line to miss his first game of the season in Week 16, meaning Mike Pennel and Jerry Tillery will likely have have larger roles with the Chiefs' first-team defensive line.
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Chiefs' Trent McDuffie: Out for Week 16
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McDuffie (knee) has been ruled out ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Titans.
McDuffie downgraded from a limited practice session Thursday to a DNP on Friday, suggesting his injury may have worsened throughout the week. Through 13 appearances this season, the Washington product has logged 63 total tackles, seven passes defensed, including one interception, and one forced fumble. Nohl Williams will likely have a larger role in Kansas City's secondary while McDuffie is sidelined Sunday.
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Chiefs' Leo Chenal: Won't play Sunday
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Chenal (shoulder) has been ruled out ahead of Sunday's matchup against the Titans.
Chenal didn't practice all week after likely sustaining a shoulder injury in the Week 15 loss to the Chargers, so it's no surprise he won't play Sunday. The 25-year-old has appeared in 14 games this season, recording 58 total tackles, including 2.0 sacks, and two passes defensed, with one interception. While he's sidelined in Week 16, Jack Cochrane could have an expanded role with the Chiefs' first-team defense.
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Chiefs' Trent McDuffie: Upgrades to limited Thursday
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McDuffie (knee) was a limited participant in Thursday's practice, Matt McMullen of the Chiefs' official site reports.
Despite reports that McDuffie would be unable to practice Thursday, the cornerback mounted an unexpected effort that earned him a limited grade in the day's session. The upgrade in participation means the outlook for Sunday's game against the Titans is a little brighter. However, if McDuffie is ultimately sidelined for a second straight game, Nohl Williams will likely log another start at outside cornerback.
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Chiefs' Derrick Nnadi: DNP with illness
Rotowire
Nnadi (illness) did not participate in Thursday's practice, Matt McMullen of the Chiefs' official site reports.
Nnadi appears to have been struck by a sudden illness, causing the defensive tackle to miss Thursday's session. If the 29-year-old can practice Friday, he should have a good chance of suiting up for Sunday's game against the Titans.
