KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Jerick McKinnon returned to the locker room on Tuesday following his successful surgery on Jan. 2 for a core muscle injury and a fractured pelvis.
McKinnon underwent the procedure on Jan. 2 in Philadelphia performed by noted core muscle specialist Dr. William Meyers, a source told Chiefs Digest. In addition to the muscle tear, McKinnon also sustained a fracture in his pelvic bone.
The club placed McKinnon on injured reserve Dec. 24 with a groin injury. Head coach Andy Reid hasn’t made a definitive statement on McKinnon’s potential return, but the typical return from a similar procedure is at least six to eight weeks. Tight end Blake Bell, who underwent a similar surgery last year performed by Dr. Meyers, missed the first 14 games of the 2022 season.
McKinnon’s designation on injured reserve ensured he would miss the team’s final three regular-season games and the club’s Wild Card Weekend contest against the Miami Dolphins. The surgery however makes it unlikely the 31-year-old running back will return this season.
When asked Jan. 5 about the potential postseason return of both McKinnon and safety Bryan Cook, Reid said, “We’ll see on that. We’ll have to literally, we’ll have to see how that goes.”
McKinnon played in 12 games for the Chiefs during the regular season, rushing for 60 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries, yielding a 2.9-yard average per attempt. He also caught 25 passes for 192 yards and four touchdowns.
The 10-year veteran from Georgia Southern re-signed with the Chiefs during the offseason for a one-year deal worth $1.318 million. He originally joined the Chiefs as a free agent in 2021 after four seasons with Minnesota and three seasons with San Francisco.
McKinnon shined during the team’s Super Bowl run last season, rushing for 291 yards and a touchdown on 72 carries, averaging 4 yards per carry. He also caught 25 passes for 192 yards with 10 touchdown receptions. He scored in each of the team’s final six games of the regular season. During the postseason, McKinnon rushed 19 times for 60 yards, including four carries for 34 yards in the Super Bowl win over Philadelphia.
McKinnon, who turns 32 in May is eligible for free agency this offseason but has expressed an interest in returning to Kansas City.
