Chiefs DE Felix Anudike-Uzomah 'likely' heading to IR, Andy Reid says
Anudike-Uzomah suffered a hamstring injury in second preseason game
The Chiefs will apparently be without their 2023 first-round pick for the 2025 season.
Coach Andy Reid announced Monday that defensive end Feliz Anudike-Uzomah is “likely” heading to injured reserve with a hamstring injury.
“Felix strained that hamstring,” Reid said. “Most likely he’s going to go on IR here, so this evening or this afternoon.”
Anudike-Uzomah suffered the injury in the second half of Friday night’s preseason loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
If the Chiefs place Anudike-Uzomah on injured reserve before the Aug. 26 roster cut league-wide deadline, the former Kansas State star’s season will be over.
But if the Chiefs elect to hold off on placing Anudike-Uzomah on injured reserve until after initial roster cuts, the Chiefs can designate him to return.
Either way, the Chiefs will plan for the regular season without their former first-round pick.
“That’s a tough thing,” Reid said. “He’s worked hard. We’ll see where it goes. I can’t tell you how long it’s going to be anytime for that. It was disappointing for him, I know because he works so stinking hard.”
Anudike-Uzomah has appeared in 34 career games with three starts since joining the Chiefs, totaling 41 tackles (24 solo), three sacks, 14 quarterback hits and two forced fumbles.
While the Chiefs could eventually sign a free agent to bolster depth, the Chiefs have capable players on the roster with George Karlaftis, Mike Danna, Charles Omenihu, Malik Herring and rookie Ashton Gillotte to start the regular season.
Karlaftis and Danna worked exclusively with the first-team defense throughout training camp, with Gillotte and Omenihu rotating in.
Anudike-Uzomah mostly worked with the second-team defense during training camp.
BROWN RETURNS
Wide receiver Hollywood Brown, who missed most of training camp and the previous two preseason games, returned to the practice field.
The Chiefs, however, will take it easy on Brown ahead of the start of the regular season.
“We’ll see how he progresses through this thing,” Reid said. “It’s not a matter of wanting to be out there. He wants to do it; it’s just taking it slow. We just don’t want any setbacks with this thing going forward here.”
The Chiefs’ top three wide receivers project as Brown, Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy.
INJURY FRONT
Reid announced that rookie wide receiver Jalen Royals (knee), safety Mike Edwards (hamstring), cornerback Nazeeh Johnson (shoulder), linebacker Jack Cochrane (knee), offensive lineman Ethan Driskell and rookie defensive lineman Omarr Norman-Lott (ankle) won’t practice Monday.
