Chiefs TE Jody Fortson Shares Knee Injury Details, Patrick Mahomes Reacts to News

It appears that Jody Fortson's season is over now that he's shared new information, which leaves Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs feeling for their veteran TE.

Oct 27, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Kansas City Chiefs tight end Jody Fortson (89) is assisted off the field after suffering an injury by John Paul Schroeppel (left) and Luke Thompson (right) in the second half against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Kansas City Chiefs secured a victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday but with the game getting to within one score late, the home team opted for an onside kick attempt that left one of the visitor's tight ends hurt. Jody Fortson suffered what was initially described by head coach Andy Reid as a knee injury, although the team wasn't sure how severe it was.

Part of that uncertainty was cleared up this week when Kansas City placed Fortson on the injured reserve list. While that didn't appear to end his 2024-25 season, it did knock him out for at least the next four games. Now, Fortson himself has provided some additional clarity.

Per a story posted to his official Instagram account on Wednesday, Fortson suffered a torn ACL and meniscus against the Raiders. For all intents and purposes, that puts an end to his season and sends the 28-year-old pass catcher back on the road to recovery once again.

Note: Minor components of Fortson's story were edited for clarity.

"So incredibly thankful for the love and support I've received over the last couple of days..." Fortson's story began. "If you hadn't already known, I suffered a torn ACL and meniscus in the final 40 seconds of the game this past Sunday. All I can say is I know exactly what it feels like to fight and scratch your way from the bottom so this place is all too familiar. What I can also ensure is that this will NOT be my final resting place. Those that know me KNOW I ain't never laid down and just gave up on anything and I'm damn sure not about to start now! If you're rocking with me, keep rocking! We'll bounce back as we always have. If not, no love lost and none found."

Speaking to the media this week, quarterback Patrick Mahomes shared his thoughts on Fortson suffering another injury and why it's unfortunate for both him and the team.

"It's extremely tough just because you know how hard he's worked to get back from the injuries that he's had in the past," Mahomes said. "Such a good dude. He'll do whatever to be on that football field. He's one of those guys where [if] you're like, 'Go block the middle linebacker,' he'll go block the middle linebacker. He'll do whatever it takes to help your team win. You feel terrible. In the locker room after, kind of somewhat getting the news and you don't know for sure, but you kind of know. You know how much it means for him, and it means a lot for us for him to be out there. Obviously it's terrible news but at the same time, I know the human. I know the person, I know he'll continue to fight back and give himself another opportunity to get back out on that football field."

This latest ailment marks a new injury in a long list of them for Fortson since entering the league several years ago. After tearing his Achilles tendon in 2021, he dealt with a minor quad strain and a more serious elbow injury in the subsequent campaign. After not playing in a game at all last season, Fortson left Kansas City for the Miami Dolphins during the offseason but returned on a practice squad basis back in September. Including Sunday, he'd appeared in three games and played 40 offensive snaps for the Chiefs this season.

With some serious work to do from a rehab standpoint, Fortson's focus will now shift to getting back on the field in 2025 while Kansas City chases its current championship three-peat.

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