SAD NEWS: Season Ends Before It Begins — Chiefs rookie WR who could have replaced Rashee Rice suffers knee injury

Kansas City, Missouri — days before Week 1 — Preparations for the NFL season opener hit a gut-punch when Jalen Royals, the Kansas City Chiefs’ fourth-round rookie wide receiver viewed as a potential stopgap during Rashee Rice’s suspension, sustained a serious knee injury during a closed practice. Initial evaluations indicate his season will likely end before it begins.

Team personnel say the injury occurred on a sharp plant-and-cut in a red-zone period. Royals was assisted off the field and underwent immediate imaging, with further specialist consultations scheduled. The club is expected to move him to Injured Reserve (IR) upon final confirmation and will explore practice-squad elevations and short-term additions at wide receiver for the trip to Brazil.

It’s a brutal twist for Royals, who flashed in the preseason (3 receptions, 14 yards) and added value on special teams (2 kickoff returns for 75 yards). Coaches praised his day-to-day growth and grasp of Andy Reid’s offense, noting his timing and discipline in route stems.

Head Coach Andy Reid:

“He is a hard-working kid and part of our family; if circumstances force him to miss the rest of the season, we’ll put his health first, lean into the ‘next man up’ mentality to keep our team goals on track, and I have no doubt he’ll come back stronger next year.”

From a game-plan standpoint, Kansas City will lean on Travis Kelce as the foundational read, while Xavier Worthy’s vertical stress, Marquise “Hollywood” Brown’s savvy underneath, and JuJu Smith-Schuster’s possession element help re-balance the receiver room in Royals’ absence. Special teams coaches will reassess return duties to prevent operational gaps.

The Chiefs will provide a timeline following specialist results. Internally, the message remains unchanged: standards, discipline, accountability — and next man up.