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The Kansas City Chiefs have been dealt a fresh blow before the new NFL season has even kicked off.
The Chiefs are set to begin their 2025 season against the Los Angeles Chargers in a Sao Paulo showdown on Friday. However, one crucial player has not made the trip down to Brazil.
Wide receiver Jalen Royals has been ruled out of Friday night's game and did not travel with the team.
The rookie, who was drafted by Kansas City in the fourth round of April's Draft, has been suffering with knee tendinitis.
The 22-year-old wideout, who played college ball for Utah State, also didn't practice on Tuesday.
Royals had been expected to be handed an opportunity to impress early this season in the absence of the suspended Rashee Rice.
Jalen Royals has been ruled out of Friday night's game and did not travel to Brazil
He managed to stand out during preseason and had been listed as backup to Marquise Brown on the Chiefs' depth chart.
'(Jalen Royals) looks like he's a sharp kid. He works hard,' Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said of the rookie earlier this offseason. 'He's strong. A little bit like Rashee (Rice) that way. He's got a little bit more beef to him. Thick lower body.
'But again, strong and he picks stuff up. He doesn't say a whole lot. He's very, very quiet. But he picks things up and does a nice job with it,' Reid added.
Brown, who had earlier been listed on the injury report with an ankle injury, was able to practice fully this week and is expected to suit up for Friday's game.
However, Patrick Mahomes will have to rely more on the Chiefs' depth at wide receiver with Rice suspended for six games.
Rice was sentenced to five years' probation and 30 days of jail time - which can be served at any time over the next five years - for his involvement in a hit-and-run crash on a Dallas highway last year.
Yet, the NFL handed down its own punishment last week, slapping the wide receiver with a six-game suspension for violating the league's personal conduct policy.
The suspension kicks in at the start of the season, meaning he is unavailable for the Chiefs until their game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Arrowhead on October 19.
More to follow.
