As the Colts prepare to face the Chiefs on Sunday, the Colts are getting a former Chiefs player back in time for a critical Week 12 game.
Indianapolis has activated cornerback Charvarius Ward Sr. from injured reserve. In a corresponding move, the Colts waived cornerback Cameron Mitchell.
Ward suffered a concussion during pre-game warmups before the Week 6 game against the Cardinals, in a collision with tight end David Ogletree. Ward, a Pro Bowler and second-team All-Pro in 2023, has not played since then.
“I was throwing up, getting dizzy. I was getting dizzy for like a month,” Ward said this week, via James Boyd of TheAthletic.com. “That wasn’t normal, so that was like a real-deal traumatic injury for me. A lot of emotions and everything like that, so it was pretty tough, but I’m feeling good now.”
When he wasn’t feeling good, it was bad enough to get him to consider retiring.
“I was kind of doubting if I was gonna play football again because it was that scary,” Ward said. “Because I was thinking about my life outside of football, too.”
He’s now back, and he’ll be facing the team that gave him a shot in 2018 as an undrafted free agent, following a release by the Cowboys. He spent four years with the Chiefs and three with the 49ers.
Since Ward’s last game, the Colts traded for cornerback Sauce Gardner. Having both in the lineup will help the Colts in their latest test to prove they belong in the upper echelon of AFC teams — at a time when the Chiefs are struggling to emerge from the middle of the pack.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes became the full-time starter for the Chiefs in 2018. Including the postseason, he has won 111 games. He has lost only 32.
And he has never lost three games in a row.
That’s one of the things on the line this weekend, when the 5-5 Chiefs face the 8-2 Colts, who had two weeks to prepare for the visit to Arrowhead. A loss not only will drop the Chiefs below .500, but it will also give Mahomes an unprecedented three-game losing streak.
It’s all the more reason to expect the Chiefs to find a way to win the game. The only problem is that they haven’t been finding a way this season.
They didn’t find a way in Denver, in a game that was critical to the Chiefs’ now-slim hopes of winning a tenth straight AFC West crown. They didn’t find a way in Buffalo. They didn’t find a way in Jacksonville.
And that continues to be the game that could ultimately haunt the Chiefs into January. If the Jaguars and Chiefs are tied for the seventh seed in the AFC, the bizarre final play — with Trevor Lawrence falling down twice and Chris Jones loafing to stop him from scoring — could be the moment that sends Kansas City home after Week 18.
Daniel Jones is officially set to play against the Chiefs.
Jones has no injury designation on the Colts’ final report, which means the QB will be behind center on Sunday.
Indianapolis added Jones to the injury report on Thursday with a calf issue. Head coach Shane Steichen told reporters on Friday that Jones’ injury was more to his fibula than to his calf, but he was able to practice in full.
In 10 games this season, Jones has completed 70 percent of his passes for 2,659 yards with 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Additionally, defensive end Tyquan Lewis (groin) and cornerback Charvarius Ward (concussion) are questionable. Ward, however, appears likely to play based on Steichen’s comments earlier in the day.
Linebacker Jaylon Carlies (ankle) has been ruled out while still on IR.
Defensive end Samson Ebukam (knee) and receiver Anthony Gould (knee) are both off the injury report and are set to play.
Running back Isiah Pacheco was back at practice for the Chiefs this week, but he won’t be playing against the Colts this Sunday.
The Chiefs ruled Pacheco out for the third straight game with a knee injury. Pacheco was a full participant in practice on Wednesday, but moved down to limited workouts the last two days.
Wide receiver Xavier Worthy (ankle) was out of practice on Wednesday, but returned on Thursday and moved up to full participation on Friday. He is listed as questionable to play this weekend.
Left guard Kingsley Suamataia (concussion) is also designated as questionable after moving up to a full practice to close out the week.
Colts quarterback Daniel Jones was added to Thursday’s injury report with a calf issue. But he should be OK to play Sunday’s game against the Chiefs.
Via multiple reporters, Indianapolis head coach Shane Steichen said in his Friday press conference that Jones’ calf injury will not prevent him from being on the field in Week 12.
Steichen noted that Jones was a full participant in the day’s practice, adding that Jones’ issue is more with his fibula than his calf after the quarterback was reevaluated on Thursday.
Moreover, the Colts do not plan to elevate Brett Rypien from the practice squad, signifying Jones’ health.
Jones has started all 10 games for Indianapolis this season, completing 70 percent of his passes for 2,659 yards with 15 touchdowns and seven interceptions.
Additionally, Steichen did not rule anyone out for Week 12. Charvarius Ward has cleared concussion protocol. But Jaylon Carlies will not be activated off of injured reserve.
