Andy Reid comments on Kyle Long; Long says he has ‘no regrets’

Thursday did not start off well for Kansas City Chiefs fans, with news breaking that potential starting right guard Kyle Long could be out until Week 1 with a “lower-leg” injury. That would cover mandatory minicamp next week through the month of August.

Long tweeted about the injury around 10 a.m. Arrowhead Time on Thursday.

“I did everything I could to prepare to get back for football,” wrote Long, referencing his year off and return from retirement. “Zero regrets. I’ve been getting better everyday and having so much fun with my new team. Focusing on controlling the things I can control. Yesterday was not one of those things! Thanks for the well wishes.”

A couple of hours later, Chiefs head coach Andy Reid took the virtual podium for media availability following the team’s ninth organized team activity (OTA) practice.

“They’re going to look at it and determine it,” said Reid regarding the injury. “There’s a chance he has to have surgery on it, but we’ll see, see where it’s at.”

With the evaluation still ongoing, it is hard to know when Long will be available to practice again. If he indeed does have surgery, that would obviously require leg rehab before practice — when Long could presumably get lost strength back — furthering the unknown.

He could thus be a candidate to start the season on the physically-unable-to-perform (PUP) list, which would save the Chiefs an initial 53-man roster spot but mean Long would be out for the first six games.

In the meantime, the Chiefs need to figure out who will be their starting right guard — where Long was considered a favorite.

“We’re lucky that we have some good players in there,” said Reid, “one of which, Trey Smith can get some work, too. And then Larry’s (Laurent Duvernay-Tardif) coming back, so you add all of that in there. And (Andrew) Wylie, who’s had a couple years starting under his belt, so we’re OK there. Nick Allegretti, likewise.”

Duvernay-Tardif has been reported absent during OTAs, but Reid said he expects him back on Tuesday of next week for the beginning of mandatory minicamp. The “Canadian Doctor” missed 2020 after opting out to fight COVID-19 on the front lines in his native Montreal.

Now he should arrive in Kansas City in a prime position to take his job back.