Andy Reid Provides Postgame Injury Update on KC Chiefs WR Justin Watson

Watson suffered an elbow injury during the fourth quarter of Thursday night's game against the Broncos.

The Kansas City Chiefs secured a big win over the Denver Broncos on Thursday Night Football, although the team didn't totally manage to escape the game healthy. Wide receiver Justin Watson was the most notable injury from Week 6, as the veteran got hurt on a second-and-11 play in the fourth quarter and was ruled out of the contest not too long thereafter.

According to head coach Andy Reid in his brief postgame update, Watson was the only immediate injury he had any news or comments on. The bad news is that Watson may not be completely out of the woods just yet, with the good news being that the elbow is confirmed to have avoided being broken. It's a left elbow ailment, which jibes with what the in-game broadcast appeared to show. 

Cornerback Trent McDuffie also got banged up during Thursday's game, but he ultimately returned and said he was "fine" afterward. 

Clarifying because it was difficult to tell during the game, it’s Justin Watson’s left elbow that knocked him out of the game.

CB Trent McDuffie left with a swollen ankle but returned to the game after getting taped up. https://t.co/CWk7Nf7wjP

— Matt Derrick (@mattderrick) October 13, 2023

Additional clarity on Watson's injury is surely coming, but folks might have to wait a while. The Chiefs aren't scheduled to have media availability until early next week, so that means Reid won't give his usual day-after-game address via Zoom. Without that, a fresh outlook on the situation might have to wait until Monday.

Prior to his injury, Watson didn't log any stats in Thursday's outing. The deep pass from Mahomes was his first and only target of the game, which he couldn't come down with. That isn't an indictment on the 27-year-old's overall contributions, however, as he entered Week 6 ranking first among all Chiefs wideouts with 219 receiving yards. That production came on just 10 receptions, serving as a testament to Watson's ability to normally deliver with big-time plays when needed.

If Watson is forced to miss any amount of time with the elbow injury, the Chiefs would be projected to rely on the likes of Skyy Moore, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Kadarius Toney and rookie Rashee Rice in his absence. Rice is the group's current leader in yards after his 72-yard performance against Denver, and he continues to improve on a weekly basis. Moore and Toney have had some positive moments this season but have largely underwhelmed. Valdes-Scantling, the non-Watson veteran of the room, has struggled in six games this year. Kansas City's hope will be that given a mini-bye week of sorts prior to a Week 7 game versus the Los Angeles Chargers, Watson will benefit from some extra time to heal. 

UPDATE: On Friday morning, it was reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network that Watson suffered a dislocated elbow. An MRI will help determine a clear timeline, but he's set to miss some time. 

Read More: Four Takeaways from the Chiefs' 19-8 Win Over the Broncos