Andy Reid provided the injury report for the KC Chiefs ahead of their Christmas matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders. The team faces a challenge at the running back position, with Isiah Pacheco returning and Jerick McKinnon being absent

By
Cossy Wells
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The Kansas City Chiefs will be a bit short-handed when they play the Las Vegas Raiders on Christmas, as head coach Andy Reid ruled three players out on Saturday: running back Jerick McKinnon, wide receiver Kadarius Toney, and left tackle Donovan Smith.

I don’t know,” he said. “I mean, honestly, I think it’s just an emotional game. I think people have seen my competitive fire in good ways. They’ve seen me and Maxx Crosby on Quarterback and how competitive I am, or they’ve seen me running and celebrating and I think just they saw that my emotions popped in a bad way. And I have to be better at that. I have to be able to control my emotions in adverse situations. And if I don’t and that happens, you have consequences that come with it. So, all I can do now is just become a better person for it. I mean, that’s how you have to deal with life and in this world is if you make a decision that you regret, all you can do is learn from that and try not to make that decision again.” It’s a great lesson, even if it’s an expensive one for Mahomes. Then again, $50,000 is nothing to him. Given his football salary and off-field earnings, it’s barely a drop in a very large bucket.

Pacheco and Clyde Edwards-Helaire (who returned to practice Saturday after missing Friday’s practice for an excused personal reason) will have to take the bulk of the work from the running back position with McKinnon out.

Reid was noncommittal when asked about wide receiver Mecole Hardman, who has not yet been activated off injured reserve but did return to practice with the team.Mecole did a good job, he was working out there, looked fast,” Reid said before being asked if the team expects to activate him by Monday. “Eh, we’ll see, see where we go with it.”After placing wide receiver Skyy Moore on injured reserve on Dec. 18, the Chiefs will likely be without Hardman, Toney and Moore on Christmas, paving the way for wide receiver Richie James to get more playing time on Monday.

Smith missed Friday’s practice after being limited on Thursday, leading to another opportunity for rookie Wanya Morris to start at left tackle again this week.Nick Bolton was a full participant on Friday after missing Thursday’s practice. His official injury is listed as “wrist/abdomen/illness,” but he’s on track to play on Monday.

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