The Kansas City Chiefs have been one of the most surprising teams in the NFL in 2025, but not in a good way. After reaching the Super Bowl last season, the team would be out of the playoffs if the season started today.
In Week 15, the team is taking on the division rival Los Angeles Chargers. As if there hasn’t been enough bad news, the team provided some concerning injury updates on several key players on Friday, including Trey Smith and Hollywood Brown.
Who Missed Practice on Friday for the Chiefs?
On Friday, head coach Andy Reid announced that wide receiver Hollywood Brown and offensive linemen Smith, Jawaan Taylor, and Wayne Morris all missed practice.
Brown did not practice on Wednesday and was limited on Thursday for personal reasons. Morris and Taylor have not practiced all week, with a knee and a triceps injury, respectively. Smith was a full participant on Wednesday, a limited participant on Thursday, and a non-participant on Friday.
According to Chiefs reporter Harold R. Kuntz, Reid said that Smith is “just not ready to go.”
Kurtz also reported that Reid does not expect Brown to play in Week 15Â either, as he continues to deal with a personal issue.
Andy Reid does not expect Hollywood to play Sunday either. https://t.co/yUiGUQdvIZ
— Harold R. Kuntz (@HaroldRKuntz3) December 12, 2025
Smith has not played since Week 12 against the Indianapolis Colts. Morris has played in 12 of 13 games this season, while Taylor missed the Week 14 contest against the Houston Texans.
Meanwhile, Brown has played in all 13 games so far and has 42 catches for 494 yards and five scores.
Smith and Taylor would be huge losses if they can’t go in Week 15. PFSN’s OL Impact ranking gives Smith a 71.8 grade at right guard in 2025, while Taylor has a 66.1 grade at right tackle.
It’s the worst possible time for the Chiefs to be dealing with injuries to key players, as they likely need to win out and receive some help to make the playoffs.
Chiefs In Danger of Missing Playoffs for First Time in over a Decade
Entering Week 15, the Chiefs are sitting at 6-7 and are in third place in the tough AFC West. This is uncharted territory for the Chiefs, who have won the division for nine straight seasons.
However, this season, the Denver Broncos have taken control. The Broncos are sitting at 11-2 and PFSN’s Football Playoff Meter (FPM) gives the team an 88.1% chance to win the AFC West.
For the Chiefs, PFSN’s FPM gives the team just a 5.6% chance to make the postseason. The Chiefs are two games back of the last Wild Card spot, but the Baltimore Ravens currently own the tiebreaker over them.
This would be the first season of Patrick Mahomes’ career in which the Chiefs miss the playoffs and don’t win the division. The team will finish the season with the games against the Chargers, Tennessee Titans, Broncos, and Las Vegas Raiders.