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Report: Tyreek Hill, Rashad Fenton, Blake Bell Placed on COVID-19 List by Chiefs
December 21, 2021
The Kansas City Chiefs have placed wide receiver Tyreek Hill, cornerback Rashad Fenton and tight end Blake Bell on the reserve/COVID-19 list, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Schefter added that other players are expected to be placed on the list, and one source called the situation "a mess." The news comes one day after tight end Travis Kelce, kicker Harrison Butker and cornerback Charvarius Ward were placed on the list.
According to The Athletic's Nate Taylor, the Chiefs could have 10 or more players on the reserve/COVID-19 list before the end of the day Tuesday.
It's unclear if any of the six players mentioned will be available for Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Any player who is vaccinated could test out of the NFL's protocols with two negative tests 24 hours apart. However, if both Kelce and Hill are ruled out, the Chiefs' passing attack will have to face the consequences.
Hill leads the team with 102 catches for 1,178 yards and nine touchdowns, while Kelce is second with 83 catches for 1,066 yards and seven scores. Both players have appeared in each of Kansas City's 14 games this season.
Mecole Hardman, Byron Pringle and Demarcus Robinson are in line to be Kansas City's top receivers against Pittsburgh. The trio has combined for 1,105 yards and six touchdowns in 14 games.
The Chiefs signed Josh Gordon after Week 13, though it's unclear how impactful he can be at this stage in his career. He has four catches for 27 yards and a touchdown in nine games this season.
Considering the NFL has already pushed back multiple games this season because of virus outbreaks, Sunday's contest could end up being moved to a later date. However, that largely depends on how bad the Chiefs' COVID-19 situation gets.
The Chiefs are 10-4 this season, first in the AFC West. Following Sunday's game against the Steelers, they'll finish the regular season against the Cincinnati Bengals (8-6) and Denver Broncos (7-7).