Travis Kelce, Chris Jones to Play for Chiefs vs. Jaguars, HC Andy Reid Says

Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said Friday that tight end Travis Kelce and defensive tackle Chris Jones will both play Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Neither Kelce nor Jones played in the Chiefs' Week 1 loss to the Detroit Lions. Kelce suffered a knee injury in practice two days before the game, and Jones was holding out for a new contract.

Kelce has healed up enough to get back in the lineup, while Jones agreed to a restructured one-year, $19.5 million deal with the Chiefs this week.

Kelce and Jones are arguably two of the Chiefs' three best players along with quarterback Patrick Mahomes, and there is no question that their presence was missed in Week 1.

The 33-year-old Kelce is an eight-time Pro Bowler, four-time first-team All-Pro, two-time Super Bowl champion, future Hall of Famer and perhaps the greatest tight end in NFL history.

After the Chiefs traded superstar wide receiver Tyreek Hill to the Miami Dolphins during the 2022 offseason, it became clear that Kelce would have to step up and be KC's unquestioned No. 1 pass-catcher.

He was precisely that, as he set career highs with 110 receptions and 12 touchdowns, while also racking up 1,338 yards for a Chiefs team that won their second Super Bowl in four years.

Jones also had a career year in 2022, earning his fourth Pro Bowl nod and first selection as a first-team All-Pro by virtue of his 44 tackles and 15.5 sacks.

He also finished third in the NFL Defensive Player of the Year voting before recording two sacks during Kansas City's playoff run after having no sacks in his first 12 career postseason games.

Kelce's absence likely hurt the Chiefs the most last week, as they were forced to go into the game with no proven tight ends or wide receivers.

Replacement tight ends Noah Gray and Blake Bell combined for five receptions for 43 yards and a touchdown, while wideout Marquez Valdes-Scantling led the team with 48 receiving yards.

Kansas City's defense held up pretty well, allowing just 3.5 yards per carry to a Lions rushing attack led by David Montgomery and electric rookie Jahmyr Gibbs, but the Chiefs also had only one sack without Jones in the lineup.

Now, Mahomes will have his best weapon and the Chiefs defense will have its best overall weapon on the field for what promises to be a challenging game Sunday.

KC will travel to Jacksonville to take on a 1-0 Jags team that lost to the Chiefs by only seven points in the AFC Divisional Round of the playoffs last season, and is heavily favored to win the AFC South again this season.