Sep 21, 2014; Miami Gardens, FL; Chiefs running back Joe McKnight (22) scores a touchdown against the Miami Dolphins at Sun Life Stadium. Credit: Brad Barr-USA TODAY Sports
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Chiefs string of bad luck with ruptured Achilles tendons struck again.
Chiefs head athletic trainer Rick Burkholder on Friday announced running back Joe McKnight suffered the injury during Thursday’s practice.
“McKnight ruptured his Achilles tendon and so he’s in the evaluation process right now,” Burkholder said. “We’re trying to determine when he’ll have surgery and who will do the surgery, and all that stuff.”
Burkholder stopped short of declaring a season-ending procedure for McKnight, instead deferring to the Chiefs’ personnel decision makers.
“That will be up to coach (Andy) Reid and (general manager) John Dorsey to determine his status on our roster,” Burkholder said.
The Chiefs have running backs Jamaal Charles, Knile Davis, Cyrus Gray and rookie De’Anthony Thomas (hamstring) on the active 53-man roster, and rookie Charcandrick West on the practice squad. McKnight also contributed on special teams as a returner, but the potential return of Thomas should fill the void.
McKnight, who enjoyed a breakout game in Week 3 with six receptions for 64 yards receiving and two touchdowns on seven targets, becomes the third player to suffer an Achilles rupture since the regular season started.
Inside linebacker Derrick Johnson and defensive end Mike DeVito suffered the same injury in Week 1, leading to the Chiefs placing the players on injured reserve.
Meanwhile, Burkholder offered an update on defensive end Mike Catapano, whom the team placed on injured reserve earlier in the week.
“Mike had two issues,” Burkholder said. “One, he had a virus that was gastrointestinal-based. As we studied that – and we studied it extensively – he went to New York to the hospital for special surgeries and there it was determined that he had another problem, that he had a concussion.”
Burkholder said Catapano went through testing procedures, all of which were studied at New York University Hospital, the University of Michigan and the University of Pittsburgh.
“We’ve gotten a prognosis and we’ve gotten rehabilitation to do,” Burkholder said. “He’s back here. He’s doing rehab with us and he’ll be re-evaluated in two weeks.”
Burkholder said the Chiefs placed Catapano on the reserve/non-football injury list with the virus, but moved Catapano to injured reserve for the concussion.
