Chiefs injuries: TE depth takes major hit as two backups suffer season-ending injuries less than a week apart

Last week against the division rival Las Vegas Raiders, the Kansas City Chiefs lost backup tight end Jody Fortson for the remainder of the season when he suffered a torn ACL and meniscus in his knee. 

“You feel terrible. In the locker room after somewhat getting the news, you don’t know for sure, but you kind of know,” quarterback Patrick Mahomes said of Fortson, via ChiefsWire. “You know how much it means for him, and it means a lot for us for him to be out there. Obviously, it’s terrible news, but at the same time, I know the human, I know the person, and I know (that) he’ll continue to fight back and give himself another opportunity to get back out on that football field.”

With Fortson out, the Chiefs expected rookie tight end Jared Wiley to step up and consolidate the No. 3 tight end snaps. That won’t be happening anymore. Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said Saturday that Wiley tore his ACL in practice this week, which means he will miss the rest of the season as well.

Fortson and WiIey have been sharing third tight end duties this season, though Fortson had only been active for three of the team’s first seven games. Still, Fortson had played 40 snaps to Wiley’s 94 as of this week. They were the only two tight ends to see a snap behind Travis Kelce (394) and Noah Gray (285).

The Chiefs have leaned heavily on multi-tight end sets this season in the wake of season-ending injuries to both Marquise Brown and Rashee Rice. Gray should still be expected to see heavy snaps, while former Dallas Cowboys tight end Peyton Hendershot could be brought up from the practice squad to take over as the third tight end.