ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — One day after the Chiefs placed Jody Fortson on injured reserve, the tight announced he underwent successful surgery to repair his dislocated shoulder but is expected to miss the 2023 campaign.
“First off I’m going to thank God because although I’m missing the season I could be missing much more than just that,” Fortson wrote on Instagram. “I’m going to continue to give you all the honor and praise and keep my focus on the places we speak about.”
The surgery was performed by Lee Kaplan, the director of the University of Miami Sports Medicine Institute and a noted specialists in shoulder, knee and elbow injuries.
Fortson thanked his family, friends and Chiefs fans through his latest injury.
“As always I’ll give my absolute best to the best than I can possibly be,” Fortson wrote. “God willing I’ll be back doing what I love to do, we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Fortson was coming off his best season in 2022 in which he played a career-high 13 games and finished with nine catches for 108 yards and two touchdowns. The 27-year-old appeared on track to make the active roster again this season. His loss is a disappointment for the team’s tight ends coach Tom Melvin.
“He did a great job in the offseason,” Melvin said. “The energy he’s got, that’s too bad.”
This isn’t the first time Fortson has faced a comeback from injury. He finished the 2021 campaign on injured reserve after sustaining a ruptured Achilles tendon in Week 6 against Washington. An elbow injury last December sent him to injured reserve for four games but he returned to play in the AFC Championship game and Super Bowl LVII.
“He’s had some unfortunate things happen to him,” Melvin said. “That’s just the way life goes. You deal with what comes when we get it. He’ll be fine.”
Fortson pledge in his post to make another comeback
“Down but not out this just some more concrete that the rose has to grow through,” Fortson wrote.
Allegretti Injures Shoulder
Offensive lineman Nick Allegretti exited practice early Wednesday due to a shoulder injury. The extent of the injury is not yet known or whether it will keep him out of Saturday’s preseason game at Arizona.
Allegretti is projected as the team’s sixth offensive lineman and the primary backup at all three interior line positions. He signed a one-year, $2.59 million contract during the offseason to return to Kansas City.
Six players did not practice for the team on Wednesday. That list includes receivers Kadarius Toney (knee) and Nikko Remigio (shouulder), cornerbacks L’Jarius Sneed (knee) and Nic Jones (hand), and defensive tackles Chris Jones (holdout) and Tershawn Wharton (knee).
Receiver Rashee Rice briefly entered the medical tent on the sidelines after falling hard to the ground at the end of catch during Wednesday practice. He later returned to the field and took part in 11-on-11 work.
