The Kansas City Chiefs will be afforded another month’s worth of rest after wrapping up the race for the No. 1 seed in the AFC. They now have the opportunity to rest their starters for Week 18 against the Denver Broncos, which means we are unlikely to see Patrick Mahomes, Hollywood Brown, Travis Kelce and Co. until the Divisional Round.

The Chiefs have nine players on injured reserve and with the end of the regular season on the horizon, the hope was that they would have some of those players back.

During an interview with reporters this week, head coach Andy Reid left the door open for two players to return but delivered some bad news on the health and fitness of star wide receiver Rashee Rice.

Rice, who signed a four-year $6,495,218 deal with the Chiefs in 2023, looked like the main man in this Chiefs offense up until Week 4.

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“There’s a chance with Mecole (Hardman) and potentially (Jaylen) Watson,” Reid said while delivering some updates. “I mean, potentially, you know, that would be stretching it, the whole thing. But the other two, (Rashee Rice and Skyy Moore), no.”

What happened to Rashee Rice?

In late September during a Week 4 game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Rashee Rice collided with Patrick Mahomes in a case of friendly fire.

After Mahomes clattered into him, Rice was left writhing in pain and was eventually carted off the field. Tests later diagnosed him with a torn LCL, an injury that is not as common as a torn ACL or MCL. The LCL tear effectively ended Rice’s season, forcing the Chiefs to place him on injured reserve.

There was some mild optimism that he would return late in the playoffs but Andy Reid has now shut the door on that possibility. In any case, the Chiefs will have the chance to rest up over the next few weeks, affording Mahomes, Kelce and co. some time to get their bodies ready for the Divisional Round in their quest to take home a third straight Super Bowl.

Since they have a bye in the first round, they will face either the No. 4 or No. 5 seed when they take the field next. That team could either be the Houston Texans or Pittsburgh Steelers who occupy those seeds at present. There is a slim chance the Baltimore Ravens could slip to the No. 4 seed with one week to spare but that appears unlikely.