Kansas City Chiefs Place WR Justyn Ross on IR, Ending his Rookie Season

Because the Kansas City Chiefs put former Clemson Tiger Justyn Ross on the injured reserve list, the undrafted rookie is ineligible to play in 2022.

Brad Senkiw | Jul 25, 2022

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The rookie season for Justyn Ross won't happen.

The Kansas City Chiefs announced that the former Clemson receiver had undergone foot surgery last week, and on Monday, the organization placed Ross on the injured reserve list. Because that transaction occurred before the season began, Ross is ineligible to play in 2022.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said last week that Ross would take some time to heal.

“It was bothering him," Reid said Friday about the foot issue. "It wasn’t working quite the way he wanted it, so they went in and re-did it. And we’re hoping this works out well.”

Ross signed a free-agent deal with Kansas City after he wasn't selected in the 2022 NFL Draft. He was coming off a physically difficult 2021 season with the Tigers. He injured the foot early in the season but didn't have the initial procedure done until November. Ross sat out the final three games and then entered the NFL draft.

Because of the foot and a congenital fusion found in his spine that required surgery in 2020, no teams took a chance on him in the seven-round draft. Ross signed a three-year deal worth $2.5 million with $705,000 slated to come to him in 2022.

However, none of the contract was fully guaranteed. It'll be interesting to see what the Chiefs do with Ross moving forward and when/if his healthy pro career can get on track.

Travis Etienne, another former Tiger, suffered a Lisfranc injury in 2021 and never played his rookie season for the Jacksonville Jaguars, who took Clemson's all-time leading rusher in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

Ross didn't come into the NFL with nearly as many accolades and dollar signs attached to him, but he'll look to bounce back in 2023.

Etienne is listed at +4000 to win the AP NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award in 2022, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.

Published Jul 25, 2022

BRAD SENKIW

Brad Senkiw has been covering the college football for more than 15 years on multiple platforms. He's been on the Clemson beat for the entire College Football Playoff streak and has been featured in books, newspapers and websites. A sports talk radio host on 105.5 The Roar, Senkiw brings news from sources close to the programs and analysis as an award-winning columnist. (edited)