Chiefs 1st-Round Pick Trent McDuffie Placed on IR with Hamstring Injury; Out 4 Games

The Kansas City Chiefs have placed rookie cornerback Trent McDuffie on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, it announced Tuesday.

McDuffie, who suffered the injury in Sunday's season opener against the Arizona Cardinals, will be sidelined for at least the next four games.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid told reporters that McDuffie was "going to struggle to make it to the game [on Thursday]," when Kansas City hosts the Los Angeles Chargers.

He also blamed the injuries to McDuffie and kicker Harrison Butker, who is dealing with an ankle ailment, on the condition of the field at Arizona's State Farm Stadium, via ESPN's Adam Teicher:

"They re-sodded it, which is a good thing because they practice in there. But it was a little bit loose. That's what happens sometimes when you re-sod is it's loose.

"It was part of the Butker injury and McDuffie injury. ... The turf picked up and I would tell you that that did have something to do with it. If it didn't, I would tell you that, too. So it's not an excuse by any means, but I mean, you all can see it. Watch the tape."

McDuffie suffered the injury in the third quarter of Sunday's game and was helped to the medical tent before being carted off the field and into the Kansas City locker room.

The Chiefs selected McDuffie in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft out of Washington. He spent three seasons with the Huskies and posted 35 tackles, four tackles for a loss, one sack and six pass breakups in 2021.

McDuffie will be eligible to return on Oct. 16 against the Buffalo Bills. He'll miss games against the Chargers, Indianapolis Colts, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Las Vegas Raiders.

With McDuffie sidelined, Joshua Williams and Jaylen Watson should see more playing time. The Chiefs selected Williams in the fourth round of the 2022 draft out of Fayetteville State and in the seventh round out of Washington State.