(AP) HENDERSON, Nev. When the Kansas City Chiefs take on the San Francisco 49ers in Sunday’s Super Bowl, they may be missing three important players.
After missing six games due to a hip injury, wide receiver Kadarius Toney appeared to have a falling out with Chiefs management. Toney claimed on Instagram that he wasn’t given the right injury classification for the AFC championship game against Baltimore on January 28.
He called his outburst a mistake, telling NFL Media on Monday that his profanity-filled tirade was directed at a New York Giants fan rather than the Chiefs.
In lieu of playing Toney on Tuesday, Chiefs coach Andy Reid left the door open for a possible healthy scratch.
Reid remarked, “We’ll see how that goes.” “He’s been working on it, so we’ll see if he’s ready or not.”
Reid was also skeptical about the participation of guard Joe Thuney and running back Jerick McKinnon.
McKinnon hasn’t practiced since going on injured reserve on December 24 due to a groin injury.
“It’s unlikely that he’s out there,” Reid stated.
Against the Ravens, Thuney was sidelined due to a pectoral injury.
“It’s about strength and positioning so that the damage he sustains is not greater than what he already has,” Reid explained. “(Whether Thuney practices) We’ll see. I believe the odds are slim.”
GOING ALL OUT
The 49ers’ defensive coordinator, Steve Wilks, chastised his team last week for not giving it their all during their 34-31 NFC championship victory over the Detroit Lions.
Tashaun Gipson concurred in safety.
Gipson stated, “That’s something that never needs to be coached.” “That’s not something that should ever be discussed. The National Football League is this. Here you are on the grandest platform. Such plays ought to be rejected. two touchdowns as a result.
“That film (session) was hard. Obviously, you had to see that. You had to hear some choice words. But that’s not our brand of football. We’re a lot better football team than that, so it’s not something I’m worried about moving forward.”
Although Kyle Shanahan, the coach of San Francisco, acknowledged that the Niners’ lack of effort was a factor, there were other issues with their first-half efforts to contain Detroit’s running attack. In the first thirty minutes, the Lions ran for 148 yards; after that, they only managed 34.
According to Shanahan, “it only takes one guy to out of the gap for there to be only one (defender) left when you play an eight-man front.” “We need to improve greatly on that stuff.”
EXPANDING CHIEFS FAN BASE
About a week ago, while Clark Hunt, the owner of the Chiefs, was attending a function, a woman in her mid-20s approached him. Even though all of her family members were ardent Dallas Cowboys supporters, she clarified that she had never been a football fan and that instead, she was an absolute “Swiftie” who closely followed pop sensation Taylor Swift’s every move.
It goes without saying that she now closely monitors the Chiefs.
The Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce’s fan base has grown significantly since the 14-time Grammy winner songstress started dating him last year, according to Hunt, who described it as “that young female demographic.” They are increasing game-day TV ratings, loading up trucks with gear and apparel, and dedicating their time to a team that many people had never heard of.
Hunt said to a small group of reporters on Tuesday, “There’s no doubt that her being a fan has put more intense focus on the team than we would have had otherwise, and has opened up the fanbase to a whole new demographic that we really didn’t have.”
“It’s really special that Taylor is a Chiefs fan,” Hunt continued. “I never conduct an interview without being questioned afterwards. Dads often approach me and say, “My daughters, who are 10 to 12 years old, used to not watch football, but they tell me when the Chiefs are playing so they can come watch.”
There’s no doubt that all those Swifties will watch the Super Bowl. In order to get to Las Vegas in time for kickoff, Swift is anticipated to make a last-minute race across the Pacific from Tokyo, where she will be performing on her Eras Tour the night before.
