Trent

McDuffie

McDuffie contested a leaping, downfield catch while covering Texans WR Nico Collins in Week 14. As McDuffie came back to earth, his left knee bowed inward, beneath him. He underwent rigorous testing thereafter, and seemingly had a small chance of returning to the game, but the training staff ultimately kept him sidelined. McDuffie practiced in a limited capacity on Wednesday and Thursday. His Friday participation level is unknown. If he is unable to play this week, he seemingly has decent odds of returning next week.

McDuffie departed in the first quarter after landing hard while defending a deep pass to Texans alpha wide receiver Nico Collins. He would remain on the field before being helped off by trainers, who would check the knee for stability. McDuffie spent the remainder of the first quarter testing his knee on the sideline before being ruled out near the half. Chiefs coach Andy Reid said after the game that McDuffie hyperextended his knee.

McDuffie had his fifth-year option picked up by the team earlier this offseason and is now under contract through the 2026 season. McDuffie earned first-team All-Pro honors in 2023 and was a second-team All-Pro in 2024 after tallying two interceptions and 13 pass breakups while earning a PFF coverage grade of 80.6. McDuffie will earn a base salary just north of $2.613 million this season, with that number jumping to $13.632 million next season. It wouldn’t be surprising if a new deal was reached before the start of the 2026 campaign if McDuffie continues to perform at the high level we’ve seen over the last two seasons.

The move will cost the Chiefs $13.6 million in 2025. It’s a no-brainer considering McDuffie has been among the league’s most reliable corners for the past few years. Pro Football Focus in 2024 graded McDuffie as the NFL’s fifth best cover corner as he had two interceptions and 13 passes defended for the solid Kansas City secondary.

Mahomes now gets multiple weeks off, with the AFC’s No. 1 playoff seed safely secured. The Chiefs also declared TE Travis Kelce, DT Chris Jones, OT Jawaan Taylor, RB Isiah Pacheco, CB Trent McDuffie and DE George Karlaftis inactive, though beat reporter Adam Teicher notes that there “will be others in uniform who do not play.” Kareem Hunt is likely to be included in the latter category. The team listed him as doubtful to play on Friday although he is not injured.

McDuffie was designated for return on October 12th and has been practicing with the Chiefs ever since. The 2022 first-round pick was injured in the team’s Week 1 win over the Cardinals, but will now make his long-awaited return to the field. McDuffie could have a chance to suit up for the Chiefs’ Week 9 matchup against the Titans.

McDuffie went on injured reserve after suffering a hamstring injury in Week 1. His return means the team will open his 21-day window to be activated from injured reserve once transactions are processed. All reports have his recovery going well, giving him a shot at playing in Week 6 against the Bills. Getting the first-round rookie, a starter for the defense in Week 1, back should help the defense in the long run. We don’t expect his return to have any ill effects on Josh Allen’s production this week.

McDuffie left Kansas City’s win over Arizona in the second half and was carted into the locker room. He played 21 coverage snaps before departing, and even though he’s a rookie, this will probably hurt Kansas City’s pass defense a bit. McDuffie will miss at least four weeks.

Kansas City did not actually practice, so this is an estimation. McDuffie suffered a hamstring injury early in the second half on Sunday and rode the cart into the locker room. It is doubtful he is ready to play Thursday night against the Chargers.

The first of Kansas City’s two first-round picks, McDuffie’s deal comes with a team option for 2026. The Chiefs traded up eight spots to draft McDuffie, a projected top-15 pick, at No. 21 overall. McDuffie started all three years and played in a press-man scheme at Washington, where he didn’t allow a touchdown his final two seasons. McDuffie helps offset the loss of Pro Bowl DB Tyrann Mathieu to the Saints this offseason.