Patrick Mahomes will be without arguably his best offensive lineman for Super Bowl 2024.
The Chiefs on Friday ruled out 2023 All-Pro guard Joe Thuney in a blow to the team’s offense.
Thuney hadn’t practiced this week while nursing a pectoral injury he suffered in the divisional round, so his absence isn’t a total surprise, but it will still be a meaningful loss in the big game.
Thuney also missed the AFC Championship game against the Ravens two weeks ago with the same injury.
It’s likely that fifth-year veteran Nick Allegretti will get the starting nod in his place.
“I take my lead from [Chiefs head coach Andy] Reid,” offensive line coach Andy Heck said, according to NFL.com. “He’s always preached ‘next man up.’ So, everybody reps the same in practice, everybody prepares the same. In this case, ‘Nick Allegretti, you’re the next man up. Let’s go. Just step in.’ There’s not a big production.
“He steps in, it’s a seamless operation.”
Thuney, 31, is a three-time Super Bowl Champion, having won two with the Patriots (2017, 2019) and one with the Chiefs last season.
Thuney has been named a Pro Bowler in each of the last two seasons and was a second-team All-Pro in 2019 and 2022, reaching first-team status for the first time this season.
Allegretti, a seventh-round selection in 2019, has been on the Chiefs’ roster for both recent Super Bowl titles and has logged 13 starts in 74 career regular-season appearances.
Aside from Thuney, Chiefs running back Jerick McKinnon is questionable to play on Sunday beause of a groin injury.
McKinnon has been limited in practice all week and would need to be activated to the 53-man roster in order to be eligible to play due to his placement on injured reserve.
The 31-year-old hasn’t played since the Chiefs’ win over the Patriots on Dec. 17.
During the regular season, he recorded 60 rushing yards on 21 carries and 192 receiving yards, accumulating five total touchdowns.
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