Chiefs' Willie Gay Out For Super Bowl After Surgery on Meniscus Injury

Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Willie Gay will miss Super Bowl LV against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers after undergoing surgery Thursday on a meniscus injury in his knee.

Jon Sokoloff of WCBI first reported news of the surgery. Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network noted Gay is facing a four-month recovery timetable.

The 22-year-old Mississippi State product made an immediate impact after the Chiefs selected him in the second round of the 2020 draft. He recorded 39 total tackles, three passes defended, one sack and one forced fumble while playing in all 16 regular-season games (eight starts).

Gay missed Kansas City's first two playoff wins with a separate ankle injury suffered in the team's Week 17 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. He returned to practice this week before suffering the knee injury as the team started Super Bowl preparations.

In December, the linebacker said he was happy with his rookie campaign.

"I think it's gone great," Gay told reporters. "You can hope for a lot as a rookie, man, but to win on a team and win on a team with great vets that are teaching me a lot and with a great head coach and coaches around me. Of course, it can get better, when we win a Super Bowl, but right now it's going great."

The Chiefs will now try to make that Super Bowl prophecy come true without him available.

Expect the reigning champions to once again utilize an extra defensive back, typically safety Juan Thornhill or cornerback L'Jarius Sneed, to fill the void while running most of their defensive sets with only one or two linebackers on the field depending on the situation.

Kansas City was able to limit the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills to a combined 41 points using that strategy in its two playoff wins so far. A similar effort to keep Tampa Bay somewhere in the mid-20s would likely be enough for Patrick Mahomes and Co. to secure a second straight championship.

Super Bowl LV is scheduled for Feb. 7 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, the Bucs' home field.

Gay should be available for the start of training camp next season if he avoids any setbacks during his recovery.